US2264582A

US2264582A - Accounting machine

Info

Publication number: US2264582A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1941-12-02
Anticipated expiration: 1958-12-02

Description

Dec. 2, 1941. w. H. PETIT original Filed Aug. 24, 193e s sheds-sheet 1 FIG.1

Willilm H. Petit Inventor Dec. 2, 1941K. w PET'T 2,264,582

ACCOUNTING MACHINE Original Filed Aug. 24, 1936 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 william H.' Petit Inventor By M His Attorney Dec. 2, 1941. w, H. PETIT 2,264,582

ACCOUNTING MACHINE original Filed Aug. 24, 19'56 s sheets-sheet 5 William H. Peil Inventor By gfx/b@ M His Attorney 2, 1941. w. H. PETIT ACCOUNTING MACHINE Original Filed Aug. 24, 1936 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 E@ EN QS NS Smm, 5

William H. Petit Inventor His Attorney Dec, 2, 1941. w. H. PETIT ACCOUNTING MACHINE 6 ShebS-Sheet 5 Original Filed Aug. 24, 1936 William H. Petit Inventor By M His Attorney Dec. 2, 1941. w. H. PETIT ACCOUNTING MACHINE Original Filed Aug. 24, 1936 Sheets-Sheet 6 William H. Petit Inventor By M His Attorney Patented Dec. 2, 1941 ACCOUNTING MACHINE William H. Petit, San Francisco, Calif., assignor to The National Cash Register Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Maryland Original application August 24, 1936, Serial No. 97,564. Divided and this application June 30, 1938, Serial No. 216,643

3 Claims.

This invention relates to bookkeeping or accounting machines and the like and is particularly directed t machines of the type illustrated and described in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,197,278 and No. 1,203,863, issued respectively September 5, 1916, and November 7, 1916, to Halcolm Ellis, and Patent No, 1,819,084, issued August 18, 1931, to Emil John Ens. This application is a division of applicants copending application, Serial No. 97,564, which was filed on August 24, 1936.

An object of this invention is to supply means to automatically release the keys of the auxiliary keyboard.

A further object is to provide manual means l for releasing the keys of the auxiliary keyboard.

A still further object is the provision of means for locking the keys of the auxiliary keyboard against release or depression during machine operation.

Another object is to provide means for controlling the manual and automatic release of certain keys.

Another object is to provide novel means to coordinate the operation of the retaining means for the keys of several rows of keys forming a single group of keys.

Another object is to provide manually operable means to control the operation of key retaining means by key releasing means to enable the keys to be automatically released or retained in their set positions as desired.

With these and incidental objects in view, the invention includes certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, the essential elements of which are set forth in 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 specication.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic top plan View of the main and auxiliary keyboards of the machine embodying the invention- Fig,y 2 is an elevation of a part of the auxiliary eyboard, as observed from the front of the machinejwith the case broken away.

3 is a sectional View taken along the line 3--3 in Fig. 9.

Fig. y4 is a perspective view of the mechanism for controlling the releasing of the symbol keys.

Fig. 5 is a sectionalview along line 5--5 Fig. 2 showing the key releasing mechanism for the auxiliary keyboard.

Fig. 6 is a detail View of the release controlling mechanism for the symbol keys.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view showing the mechanism for manually releasing the keys of the auxiliary keyboard.

Fig, 8 is a perspective view of the control plates for one group of keys of the auxiliary keyboard.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of one of the rows of keys of the auxiliary keyboard.

Fig. 10 is a disassembled perspective view of the auxiliary keyboard mechanism.

Fig. 11 is a detail view of the zero latch and the control bar for operating the zero latch.

GENERAL DascnrPTIoN The principal feature of the present invention resides in the provision of novel locking and releasing means for the keys of an auxiliary keyboard for accounting machines of the type referred to at the beginning of this specification. The auxiliary keyboard is located directly in front of the main keyboard, is supported by an extension of the regular machine base, and is enclosed in a suitable extension of the machines case or cabinet, In the embodiment shown, the auxiliary keyboard includes month, day, and. year keys, a plurality of symbol printing keys, and a black key. The black" key and its associated mechanism will be thoroughly treated in a separate application and therefore will not be treated herein. By removing the date keys and the symbol keys from the main keyboard, space is provided for additional rows of keys, which materially increases the keyboard capacity of the machine. The keys of the auxiliary keyboard are not limited to the uses outlined above but may, with minor alterations, be utilized for any desired purpose, such as, amount, check counting, number printing, etc.

The keys of the auxiliary keyboard are arranged in groups containing from three to twelve keys, each group controlling its respective actuator which in turn positions a printing sector commensurate with the value of the depressed key. The month group consists of three rows of four keys each, the tens of days group consists of a single row of three keys, the units of days group consists of three rows of three keys each, and the year group consists of a single row of four keys. The date keys are stay-down keys in that they are not automatically released at the end ol.' each machine operation but may be manually released by means of a release key incorporated in the auxiliary keyboard.

'I'he symbol keys consist of two rows of four keys each, which control the positioning of a symbol actuator. The symbol keys are automatically released at the end of each machine opera-l tion and furthermore, may be manually released by means of the regular release key incorporated in the main keyboard of the machine. A manually operated device is provided for controlling the automatic and manual release of the symbol keys.

The mechanism of the auxiliary keyboard will now be described in detail.

DETAILED DEscmP'rroN Operating mechanism The main shaft 83 is driven by the usual driving mechanism illustrated and described in Le'tters Patent of the United States No. 1,601,102, which issued September 28, 1926, to F. W. Bernau. One cycle of movement of the main shaft consists of an oscillatory movement counter-clockwise (as viewed in Fig. 5) through an approximate angle of 60 degrees and then back to its starting position.

Auxiliary keyboard The auxiliary keyboard, which contains the novel mechanism of the present invention, is a self-contained unit mounted directly in front of the main keyboard. As previously stated, this auxiliary keyboard includes date printing keys and symbol printing keys. However,l the uses to which the keys of the auxiliary keyboard are put is discretionary and this additional keyboard space may, with slight alterations, be used for any desired purpose. The date and the symbol printing keys are arranged in groups composed of one, two, and three rows of keys and each group of keys controls the positioning of its corresponding actuator, which in turn positions the printing sectors for the respective groups of keys in proportion to the amount of movement allowed by the depressed keys.

back plate |05. The end plates |06 are fastened, by screws (Fig. 2), to extending lugs ||5 of the machine base 62, thereby rigidly securing the The symbol keys are automatically released at the end of each machine operation but this releasing may be controlled by means of a manually set device. The symbol keys may be manually released at will by means of the regular release key 1| (Fig. 1) which also releases the keys of the main keyboard. The date keys are not automatically released at the end of the machine operation but these keys may be manually released at will by means of a release key incorporated in the auxiliary keyboard. Located on the extreme left of the auxiliary keyboard is a black key ||0 which controls the bichrome inking ribbon in subtract operations. Depressing the black key causes subtractive tems, which are usually printed in red, to be printed in black. As the black key and its associated mechanism are fully described in a separate application, further mention of this key will not be made herein.

Auiliary keyboard framework Directing attention to Figs. 1, 2, 5, and 9, the framework of the auxiliary keyboard comprises atop plate |04, a back plate |05, end plates |06 (only one being shown), and a plurality of partition plates |03, equally spaced between the end plates |06, and arranged to assist in supporting the various rows of keys. The auxiliary keyboard framework also includes a front plate |06 which is connected to the end plates |06, as also is the auxiliary keyboard assembly to `the machine proper.

Date and symbol keys The keys of the auxiliary keyboard comprise two rows, of four keys each, of symbol keys ||6 and I|'| (Figs. 1, 2, and 10), three rows, of four keys each, ofmonth keys ||8, one row of three tens of days keys ||9, three rows, of three keys each, of units of days keys |20, one row of four year keys |2|, and a release" key |22 for the date keys.

The upper ends of the symbol keys ||6 and ||1 (Figs. 5 and 9) extend through openings in the top plate |04. The right-angled extensions of the lower end of the star symbol key ||6 and the CM symbol key ||6 each carries a square stud |23 which extends through vert-.cal slots in a, plate |24 connected to the plate |08 and spaced therefrom by two shoulder studs |25. The lower ends of the stems of the TX" and IN symbol keys have right-angled extensions. each carrying a square stud l|26 (Fig. 3) each of which extends through its respective vertical slot in the partition plate |08. The studs |26 are in alignment with the studs |23.

The manner in which the studs |23 and |26 control the positioning of an actuator is not described herein as it forms no part of the instant invention. This control is explained fully in the parent case.

A coil spring |21 (Fig. 9) laced between studs in the stems of the keys I6 and stationary studs in the plate |08 urges said keys upwardly and normally maintains the studs |23 and |26 in contact with the top of the vertical slots in the plates |24 and |08.

Depressing one of the symbol keys ||6 (Figs. 8 and 9) causes the stud |28 to shift the detent |30 rearwardly until said stud passes beyond the corresponding hook |29 of said detent, whereupon the spring |35 returns the detent forwardly to latch the hook over a flat top surface of said stud |28 to retain the symbol key in depressed position. Depressing one of the symbol keys ||6 also causes the studs |28 .in cooperation with the camming surface |33 to shift the control plate |34 forwardly against the action of the spring |35 to rock the latch |38 counter-clockwise out of engagement -with the tooth |40 to free the.

The left-hand row of symbol keys ||1 (Figs. 1, 5 and 8) each carries a stud |42 which cooperates with a corresponding hook of a locking detent |43 and the angular camming surface of a control plate |44, similar in every respect to the detent |30 and the plate |34`(Figs. 8 and 9) for the right-hand row of symbol keys ||6.

The locking detents |43 and |30 (Figs. 6, 8 and l0) are also tied together by means of notches in said detents in cooperation with lugs |50 and |5| integral with a shaft |52 mounted in exactly the same manner as the shaft |41 by means of a tenon on the right end thereof, in cooperation with a recess in the end plate |06 Fig. 2) and by means of a recess in the left end thereof in cooperation with a tenon on a release shaft |53 for the year keys |2|. The shafts |52 and |53 are further rotatably supported by holes in the partition plates |08. The two locking detents for the two rows of symbol keys are tied together so that releasing movement of the shaft |52 will release the depressed key in either of the two rows, in a manner later to be described. It is probably well to here state that each row of keys of the different groups has a locking :ietent and a control plate similar to those for the symbol keys, and in the case of the units of days keys (Figs. l and 10) and the month keys ||8 the control plates and the locking detents are tied together in exactly the same manner as the control plates and locking detents for the two rows of symbol keys I6 and 1.

Release mechanism for the symbol keys Mechanism is provided to automatically release the depressed symbol key at the end of non-adding, adding, and subtracting operations and at the beginning of total and sub-total operations. Connections between the automatic releasing mechanism and the release key 1| (Fig. 5), for the main keyboard, provide manual means for releasing the symbol keys. A manually operated device is provided for controlling both the automatic and manual releasing means for the symbol keys. The date keys are stay-down keys and consequently are never automatically released. However, the release key |22 (Fig. 1) provides a manual means for releasing the de- Tll 201 extends.

pressed date keys. The key releasing mechanism will now be described in detail.

The symbol key release shaft |52 (Figs. 4, 5, 6; 8, and10), inaddition to having lugs |50 and |5| for the locking detents |43 and |30, Yhas a similar lug 203 which cooperates with a rearward projection 204 of a control plate 205 pivoted at 200 to a slide 201 mounted for horizontal slidlng movement in the auxiliary keyboard framework by means of a slot in an upward extension thereof cooperating with a rod 208 supported by the plates of the auxiliary keyboard, and by means of an opening in the back plate |05 through which the rearward end of said slide The end of the slide 201, which protrudes through the opening in the back plate |05, has a slot which cooperates with a stud 209 in one end of a link 2|5 (Fig. 5), the other end of which is pivotally connected to one arm of a bell crank 2|6 secured on a key release shaft 2|1 for the main keyboard and journaled in the framework of said keyboard. Also secured on the release shaft 2|1 is a depending arm 2|8 with an inverted V shaped notch which engages a stud 2|9 in an upward extension of a key release bar 220 mounted for horizontal sliding movement by means of two horizontal slots therein, in cooperation with studs 22| and 222 fast in the usual left machine frame (not shown). The manner in which the bar 220 operates the slide 201 to release the depressed symbol keys will be explained later. l

A spring 223 (Figs. 5 and 6) urges the control plate 205 counter-clockwise to normally maintain arrextension 224 thereof in contact with the periphery of a cam 225 (see also Fig. 2) secured on a shaft 226 journaled in the end plate |06 and several of the partition plates |08. Secured on the right-hand endfof the shaft 226 and protruding through an opening in the case 64 is a knob 221; for manually rotating the cam 225. The knob 221 and the-cam 225 have two positions, stay-down and not-stay-down, and when said knob and said cam are in "stay-down" position, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the high portion of the periphery of the cam 225 positions the control plate 205 so that the projection 204 thereof is out of the path of the lug 203 on the shaft |52. Consequently when the slide 201 is reciprocated, rst rearwardly and then back to normal position, either manually or automatically, in a manner presently to be described, no movement is imparted to the shaft |52 a.' id therefore the depressed symbol key will not be released.

Turning the knob 221 to not-stay-down position, as shown in Fig. 6, moves a low portion of the periphery of the cam 225 opposite the extension 224 (see also Figs. 4, 8, and 10) to permit the spring 223 to rock the control plate 265 counter-clockwise to move the projection 204 thereof upwardly into the path of the lug 203. This causes the reciprocating movement of the slide 201 tovrock the shaft |52, and the lugs |50 and |5| first counter-clockwise to shift the locking detents |43 and |30 rearwardly to disengage the corresponding hook |29 of either of said detents from the studs |42 or |28 in the depressed symbol key |1 or I6 to permit said key to be springreturned upwardly to undepressed position. Two notches in the periphery of the cam 225 (Figs. 2, 4, and 6) correspond to the stay-down and the not-stay-down positions of said cam, and in cooperation with a stud 228 in a spring-pulled slide 225 maintain the Cam 225, the shaft 226, and knob 221 in set positions. The slide 229 is slidably mounted on the shaft 226 by a slot therein in cooperation with said shaft.

The release key-1| (Fig. 5) has pvotally connected thereto one end of a toggle link 230, the other end of which is bifurcated to straddle a stud 23| in the bar 220. Depressing 'the release key 1|, by means of the link 230, shifts the bar 220 rearwardly, which by means of the stud 2|9, in cooperation with the arm 2|8, rocks the shaft 2|1 and the bell crank 2|6 counter-clockwise. Counter-clockwise movement of the bell crank 2|6, by means of the link 2|5, shifts the slide 201 rearwardly to release the depressed symbol key in the manner explained above.

Pivoted on a stud 232 4in the bar 220 is a key release pawl 233 urged clockwise by a torsion spring 234 to normally maintain the bottom surface of a hook 235 thereon in contact with a roller 236 mountedn a disk 231 secured on the main drive shaft 83. It will be recalled that the.

main shaft 83 is oscillated first counter-clockwise and back to normal position. In non-adding, adding, and subtracting operations initial movement counter-clockwise of the main shaft 83 and the disk 231 causes the roller 236 to move beyond the hook 235, whereupon the torsion spring 234 urges the pawl 233 clockwise to latch said hook 235 over said roller 236. Return movement clockwise of the shaft 83 and the disk 231 causes the roller 236 to engage the hook 235 to shift the bar 220 rearwardly to rock the shaft 2|1 counterclockwise, which by means of the bell crank 2|6 and the link 2|5 shifts the slide 201 rearwardly to rock the symbol key release shaft |52 counterclockwise, when the knob 221 (Fig. 2) is in notstay-down position, to release the depressed symbol key. Before the disk 231 and the roller 236 are fully returned clockwise to normal position an upward extension 238 of the pawl 233 engages a stationary stud 240 to disengage the hook 235 from the roller 236 to permit return of the bar 228 and connected mechanism to normal position under influence of the springs |35 (Fig. l) tensioned between the locking detents and the control plates.

In the beginning of total and sub-total operations it is necessary to shift the bar 220 rearwardly in order to release any amount keys that have been inadvertently or carelessly depressed. This shifting of the bar 220 likewise releases any depressed symbol key when the knob 221 is in not-stay-down position.

A latch 24| (Fig. 5), for the sub-balance key 1|, is pivoted as usual on a stud 242 in the left frame not shown, and has pivotally connected to the lower end thereof a lever 243 carrying a stud 244 which cooperates with a tail 245 of a key release pawl 246 fulcrumed at 241 to a downward extension of the bar 220. The pawl 246 has a notch 248 adapted to engage a roller 249 on a lever 258 pivoted on a stationary stud 25| in the left frame not shown. A spring 252 urges the lever 250 clockwise to normally maintain a camming surface of said lever in contact with a roller 253 mounted on the disk 231. The torsion spring 234 urges the pawl 246 counter-clockwise into engagement with the roller 249. However, a spring 254, one end of which is connected to the lever 243, is strong enough to overcome the action of the spring 234 and maintain the pawl 246 disengaged from the roller 249 and to normally maintain the lever 243 in contact with a collar 255 on the stud 222.

Selecting any one of the totalizers for a total or sub-total operation rocks the lever 243 clockwise, in the manner shown in the patents relferred to at the beginning of this specification (Fig. 5), to permit the spring 234 to engage the notch 248 in the pawl 246 with the roller 248. Initial movement counter-clockwise of the shaft 83 and the disk 231 causes the roller 253 to engage a hump 256 on the camming surface of the lever 250 to rock said lever counter-clockwise to 'y forwardly to normal position, as here shown. Be-

Cil

fore the roller 251 moves awayfrom the raised surface 258, upon return movement clockwise of the disk 231, the lever 243 is released to the action of the spring 254, which returns said lever counter-clockwise to normal position, as here shown, in which position the stud 244 in cooperation with the tail 245 retains the notch 248 out of engagement with the roller 249 when the roller 251 moves beyond the raised surface 258.

Date keys tomatically released at the end of machine operations, but manual means is provided for releasing these keys when desired.

Each of the three rows of units of days keys |20 (Figs. 1 and '7) has a locking detent 284 and a control plate, not shown, but similar to the control plate |44, and said locking detents are tied together by means of lugs 293 on a shaft 281, and said control plates 285 are tied together by means of notches in the forward ends thereof, in cooperation with the rounded ends of lugs 288 integral with a shaft 289. The shaft 281 carries a lug 293 (Fig. 7) which cooperates with the rounded end of an arm 294 fast on the shaft 208.

By referring to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the release key |22 is in alignment with one of the rows of the units of days keys |20, and is depressibly mounted in the auxiliary' keyboard framework in exactly the same manner as the CM symbol key ||6 (Fig. 11), which has been fully explained hereinbefore. Depressing the release key |22 (Fig. 7) causes a stud 306 therein, in cooperation with the forwardend of an arm 301 secured on the shaft 208, to rock said arm and said shaft counter-clockwise against the action of a torsion spring 308. Counter-clockwise movement-of the Vshaft 208 causes the arm 294, secured thereon, in cooperation with lug 293, to rock the shaft 281 counter-clockwise to shift the locking detents for the different groups of date keys rearwardly to release the depressed date keys.

When the pressure is removed from the release key |22, the spring 308 returns the shaft 208 and the arms mounted thereon to normal position and the springs tensioned between the locking detents and the control plates for the date keys restore said detents and plates to normal position. f

Similar connections are provided for each set of date keys; i. e., for the month keys H8, the tens of days keys 9, and the year keys |2|, all of which are released by connections to shaft 281, so that the rocking of shaft 281 by key |12 releases all the date keys.

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 one 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:

l. In a machine of the class described, in cornbination with depressible keys and a detent to maintain the keys depressed, said detent thereafter movable to release the depressed keys and said detent provided with a notch, of a rockable shaft; a projection on the shaft engaging the notch in the detent to move the detent when the shaft is rocked; a second projection on the rockable shaft; a power-operated slide mounted separately from said shaft and operable during each operation of the machine; an interponent carried by the power-operated slide; and a spring connected to the interponent to urge the interponent into the path of the second projection on the shaft so that the power-operated slide, through the interponent, rocks the shaft to move the detent to release the depressed keys when the interponent is in the path of the second projection.

2. In a machine of the class described, in combination with depressible keys and a detent to maintain the keys depressed, said detent thereafter movable to release the depressed keys and said detent provided with a notch, of a rockable shaft; a projection on the shaft engaging the notch in the detent to move the detent when the shank is rocked; a secondprojection on the rockable shaft; a power-operated slide mounted separately from said shaft and operable during each operation of the machine; an interponent carried by the power-operated slide; a spring connected to the interponent to urge the interponent into the path of the second projection on the shaft so that the power-operated slide, through the interponent, rocks the shaft to move the detent to release the depressed keys when the interponent is in the path of the second projection; and a control means coacting with the interponent, settable to one position to maintain the interponent out of the path of said second projection to prevent release of the depressible keys and settable into another position to permit the spring to shift the interponent into the path of the second projection to cause the depressed keys to be released during the machine operation.

3. In a machine of the class described, in combination with depressible keys and a detent to maintain the keys depressed, said detent thereafter movable to release the depressed keys and said detent provided with a notch, of a rockable shaft; a projection on the shaft engaging the notch in the detent to move the detent when the shaft is rocked; a second projection on the rockable shaft; a power-operated slide mounted separately from said shaft and operable during each operation of the machine; an interponent carried by the power-operated slide; a spring connected to the interponent to urge the interponent into the path of the second projection on the shaft so that the power-operated slide, through the interponent, rocks the shaft to move the detent to release the depressed keys when the interponent is in the path of the second projection; a control means coacting with the interponent, settable to one position to maintain the interponent out of the path of said second projection to prevent release of the depressible keys and settable into another position to permit the spring to shift the interponent into the path of the second projection to cause the depressed keys to be released during the machine operation; and a manipulative device to selectively position the control means.

WILLIAM H. PETIT.