US2311866A - Combined typewriting and computing - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 23, 1943.

H. L. PITMAN COMBINED TYPEWRITING AND COMPUTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 30, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY Feb. 23, 1943. H. l.. PIT'MAN COMBINED TYPEWRTING AND COMPUTING MACHINE Filed Dec. :50, 1958 3 sheets-sheet 2 lNvENToR HENRY L. P/TMN E@ I l ATTORNEY' Feb. 23, 1943. H L yWMA-N 2,311,866

COMBINED TYPEWRITING AND COMPUTING MACHINE Filed Dec, 30, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 u..r. msunmcz co. n u.E.F. msunmce co. 58 |05 PREMIUM STAT. PREMIUM STAT.

SUB NI INS. PIEM- SUI N0. HIS. PREM 24 1 1S 52S 11 e 05.

5 5 I 2 '1 7 5 2 B1 451 'l 17de-1 L/klNvENToR HENRY L. P/TMAN BY Ki; ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 23, 1943 CONIBINED TYPEWRITING AND COMPUTING MACHINE Henry L. Pitman, Hartford, Conn., assignor to Underwood Elliott Fisher Company, New York, N. Y.. a corporation of Delaware Application December 30, 1938, Serial No. 248,448

5 Claims.

This invention relates to typing machines and more particularly to associated mechanism for keeping count of the number of items or the like as they are typed severally on a work sheet.

One use of such mechanism is to ascertain Whether all of a certain number or gathering of items have been typed, so that none may be overlooked or omitted.

An object of the invention, therefore, is to provide an efficient, reliably operative item-count recording mechanism suitable for typing machines.

An item counting register is employed and it is a further object to provide means whereby the operation of typing each item, automatically determines the entry of a count therefor in such register. Thus, a count of l may be entered in such register automatically with the typing of each item.

The numeral typing agents of the machine may be operated, in correspondence to the item count standing in such register, to copy said count on a record sheet, and it is a further object of the invention that such operation determines clearance of the item counting register so that the latter may finally stand at zero preparatory to counting another number of items.

A further feature of the invention resides in associating with the item-count register a mechanism, operable only when such register has been properly cleared by the total-count typing operation, to print a clear sign to prove that a correct copy of the registered count has been typed.

The invention is herein illustrated as applied to a combined typewriting and computing machine ofthe kind exemplified in my United States patents, No. 2,090,852 and No. 2,091,717. In such machine, a letter or denomination feeding carriage cooperates with numeral type agents for typing an amount digit by digit and, concomitantly, indexing mechanism cooperates with the numeral type agents and carriage to set up the amount in settable index pins of one or more sets of register bars which are subsequently cycled to run the amount, additively or subtractively, into one or more sets of computing wheels. Suitable carry-over mechanism may be associated, of course, with said computing Wheels.

A further object of the invention, with reference to such combined typing and computing machine, is to contrive to employ its kind of computing wheels, indexable register bars and carry over mechanism to constitute an item-count-registering mechanism. To this end the invention provides some further means whereby the typing of each variant item, or some part thereof, autois concomitantly set up in said register bars which may then be cycled to subtract the total from and thus clear said Wheels.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages will be apparent from the following description of the herein illustrated machine and of accounting or itemizing Work done thereon.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing mainly register wheel shifting mechanism at the front of the computing base.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional side elevation of the combined typewriting and computing machine embodying the invention.

Figure 3 is a perspective diagram of the item counting register mechanism and its operative connection to carriage operated controls.

Figure 4 is a side View of a register bar, computing wheel, and carry-over train.

Figure 5 is a plan view diagram of the item counting register wheels and register bars.

Figure 5A is an enlarged scale side elevation of a portion of a rack and cross blades employed in item-count-indexing.

Figure 6 is a diagram showing the operative relation of denominational jacks, a cycling jack and carriage carried tappet-means for engaging said jacks for counting items. i

Figure 7 is a perspective illustrating a modi-- iication of a connection included in a train from the carriage to a component of the item count registering mechanism.

Figure 8 is an illustration of a work sheet in which entries in a certain column are arranged in a certain Way, the items being counted through the typing of said entries.

Figure 9 illustrates a work sheet diagram in which said entries are placed in a different way.

Figure 10 is a diagram illustrating a "0 indexing detail of the item count registering mecht anis-m.

A computing base B is surmounted by a typewriter T.

Key levers 20, Figure 2, having numeral keys 2 l, and similar key levers i9 having alphabet keys 22 are connected by bell cranks 23 to corresponding type bars 24 for swinging the latter to a revoluble platen 26. A universal bar 21, escapement dogs 28, escapement Wheel 29 and spring motor 36 cooperate, at actuation of the type bars 24, to letter feed a platen carriage 3|, the latter having a feed rack 32 engaging a pinion 33 connected to said escapement wheel. The carriage runs on guide rails 34, 35 on the typewriter frame 36.

Denominational tabulating keys 31 may selectively raise denominational stop-reeds 38 into the path of a stop on the carriage and concomitantly the carriage rack 32 is lifted from the escapement pinion 33 by means of a stop-reed-actuated universal bar 39. These and other details of tabulating mechanism may be as shown in the Helmond Patent No. 1,858,447 of May 17, 1932.

The computing base B may have a plurality of sets of computing wheels, each wheel including a pinion 4|). Each set of wheels is shiftable downwardly to mesh its pinions 46 with drive racks 42, for addition, or rearwardly to mesh said pinions with Vdrive-rack-driven idlers l43, for subtraction. The drive racks 42 are included in register bars M'each'of which also includes a row of index or digit pins 45.

Asingle'set of denominational jacks-45 operable seriatim by thecarriage isoperativelv connected by connections 4|, Figure 2, to a set of master racks corresponding in number to the maximum number of register bars 44 constituting a set of the latter. Said connections 4| are diagrammatically represented at -Figure 3. The master racks Y41 are connectedrbv means of rockable cross blades48. tosets of distributive racks 49 operatively aligned with corresponding sets of register bars 44. Each 'distributive rack 49 has pivoted thereto a 4coupler 5|) which is movable from the full `line normal position to the dotted line position, Figure 2. to connect the distributive rack to the corresponding register bar.

Each set of couplers 50 -is 'movable by means of a shifter plate the several shifter plates being operatively connected `to the typing carriage 3|. 'Ihe latter, therefore, traverses a group 52 of Acam plates to depress the latter selectively lat a computing -zone of the carriage travel. A depressed cam plate works through a train, comprising, Figure 2. plate 53. thrust rod 54, linkage 55 4and a rock-shaft 55 having a crank wrist connection to the corresponding shifter plate 5|, to raise the latter and thereby lift the corresponding set of couplers 56 to operatively connect the corresponding register bars 44 to -their distributive racks 49 and thus operatively connect said register bars to the denominational jacks 46.

Tli'iis. when said jacks 46 are depressed seiriatimby the carriage at a 'computing zone,

the thereto connected register bars 44 areslight'lv advanced seriatim to bring their index pins 45 under pin-setting linkages or indexers 58 operable selectively by the numeral key levers 24 through rods 59 Vdepending from the latter. My cri-pending application YSerial No. V225.762, led August .19, 1938, now 'Patent No. 2.202.671, dated May 28. 1940, discloses saidY cam plate train in. fuller detail.

Following the indexing of the carriage selected sets of register bars. a general operator mechanism is cycled to advance and return a general operator cross bar 6| forming a part of said mechanism. its advance stroke. said cross bar 6| engages the Adernessed or 'set indexed pins 45 ofthe register bars 44 advances the latter through the medium of pin-'engaging levers izing 62, there being one of these levers, pivoted on the cross-bar 6|, for each register bar.

In the initial portion of the general operator cycle, there is an idle period, before any register bar is picked up and advanced by the cross bar 6| and levers 62. During this idle period a rockshaft 63 of the general operator mechanism may operate computing wheel shifting mechanism 64, represented at Figure l, to move the computing wheels corresponding to the carriage selected set or sets of register bars into mesh either With the racks 42 or idlers 43.

There is a Wheel shifting mechanism 64 for each set of computing wheels and its operation Ato mesh said wheels with the racks is predeter- -mined by setting a state controller 65, Figure 1,

concomitantly with'the depression of the corresponding one of the group 52 of cam plates, said corresponding cam plate being one that serves for raising a coupler shifter plate 5|.

Said group of cam plates 52 includes a subtraction cam plate 66 depressible by the carriage concurrently with any one of the register bar set selecting cam plates. Said subtraction cam plate 56 when depressed causes, through mechanism not shown, the state controller to be set to predetermine operation of the wheel shifting mechanism 64 to shift the selected set of computing wheels into mesh with the idlers 43.

At the step of a computing wheel past its carry-over point, it rocks a corresponding lever 68 to lift and thereby release a link 69 from a latch bar 15, Figure 2. Said link 69 is connected to a stationarily fulcrumed lever 1| disposed in operative alignment with the index pin engaging lever 62 for the register bar 44 of neXt higher denomination. In the absence of a carry-over step of said computing wheel, its corresponding link 69 remains latched on the bar 18 to position said lever 1| so that it has no effect on said .next higher denomination pin engaging lever 62 as the latter drives its register bar to the end of its advance. But, when said link 59 is tripped, it is moved endwise by its spring 12 and thus Vits lever 1I is rocked so that a stud 13, of said lever 1|, becomes positioned to react against said pin engaging lever 62 and causes the latter to be rocked, thereby to advance said next higher register bar a carry-over step, as the general operator cross bar 6| nears or completes its advance stroke.

Before the general operator cross bar 6| completes Vits advance stroke, the latch bar 18 .is shifted, by means not shown, from the Figure 4 position leftwardly so as to shift and position the links 69, which are latched over bar 10, with their ends |20 adjacent the normally depressed zero-pins 45, the levers 1| correspondingly being turned .counter-clockwise from the Figure 4 position. Normally, the parts have the Figure 4 positions so that the link-ends |26 do not interfere with the slight Yadvance of the register bars to pin-setting positions. These carry-over features so far described are substantially as shown in I-I. L. Pitman Patent No. 2,078,274, dated April 27, 1937, to which reference may be had for further details.

In its return stroke, the general operator cross bar returns the advanced register bars, but, preceding such register bar return, the computing wheel-shifting mechanism 64 is operated to disengage the active computing-wheels from ktheir drive racks or idlers.

Figure 8 illustrates a work sheet used for iteminsurance-policy accounts. Each item typed on said sheet may include an entry in each of three columns headed, respectively, Sub No., "Insurance and Premium The machine may have two sets of register bars 44 and corresponding sets of idlers 43 and computing wheels 40, these sets being, respectively, for computing the entries typed in the Insurance column and the Premium column. These sets are diagrammatically represented in Figure 3 by their corresponding sets of distributive racks 49. The carriage has positioned thereon by means of rack structure 14, Figure 2, two column control blocks 15, Figure 2, one for the Insurance column and the other for the Premium column. Each block presents a tabulating stop 16 for engaging the key selected tabulating stop reeds 38, and a denomination selecting tooth 11 for depressing the jacks 46. Each block may also include a cycling tappet 18 for engaging and depressing a cycling jack 19 which is operative through mechanism, not shown, to cause a power operated cycle of the general operator mechanism, said cycling jack being depressed as the carriage advances after typing the last digit of an entry in the column for which the cycling tappet is set. In the Figure 3 diagram the control blocks are represented by the arrows 15.

Each block 15 also includes a register selecting tappet 80, the one for the Insurance column for engaging a cam plate 8|, and the one for the Premium column for engaging a cam plate 82. Each cam plate is operatively connected by a train, as hereinbefore described, to a corresponding shifter plate 5| indicated diagrammatically at Figure 3. Each cam plate, 8| or 82, is, of course, included in the cam plate group 52, Fig. 2, and when depressed, is kept depressed by its tappet 80 while the carriage traverses a computing zone corresponding to the work sheet column and thus the corresponding shifter plate 5| is kept raised to maintain the corresponding set of couplers 50 in effective position t0 maintain the corresponding set of register bars 44 operatively connected to their set of distributive racks 49.

The details of structure and operation thus far described are substantially as set forth more fully in the aforesaid patents, No. 2,090,852 and No. 2,091,717, and in my aforesaid application Serial No. 225,762.

There will now be explained the invention relating to counting items such as those listed on the Work sheet at Figure 8.

For counting items, the machine may include a-n item-count registering mechanism comprising, say, three register pinions 401 and corresponding register bars 441 having racks 42, Figure 2, idlers 431 and distributive racks 491.

The set of denominational jacks 46 may range from a units-of-cents denomination, the first one at the left, Figure 3, up to a units-of-millions denomination, the last one at the right, Figure 3. In typing dollars and cents amounts a punctuation space step of the carriage is usually effected to separate the tens-of-cents and units-ofdollars places on the Work sheet. Therefore, a punctuation space jack 84 is disposed between the tens-of-cents and units-of-dollars jack 46 and when depressed by a selecting tooth 11 depresses a cross bail 85 connected to a locking mechanism, not shown, to lock the numeral key levers 20 at the punctuation space substantially as set forth in my aforesaid application Serial No. 225,762.

The three distributive racks 491 for the itemcount register mechanism are each connected to the corresponding one of the three cross blades 46 that correspond to the rst three jacks 46 immediately to the right, Figure 3, of the punctuation space jack 84. v

The item count wheels 401 are rotatably mounted upon an arbor 86 in a frame 81 shiftable to mesh the wheels either with the corresponding racks 42, register bars 441, or with the idlers 431, said frame having associated therewith one of the Wheel shifting mechanisms 64 such as hereinbefore referred to and more fully set forth in the aforesaid Patent No. 2,091,717.

The arbor 86 carries an extra wheel or pinion 40E disposed immediately to the right of the three item-count Wheels 491 and for said extra Wheel 40E there is an extra register bar 44E having a row of index pins 45 ranging in Value from 0 to 9, and having a rack 42.

An extra distributive rack 49E having a coupler 50 is associated with said extra register bar 44E and has spurs or teeth presenting edges 88 for operative connection, as in Fig. 5, with each of the three cross blades 48 corresponding to said three jacks that are immediately to the right of the punctuation space jack 84.

The coupler 50 for the extra distributive rack 49E has its own individual Sluiter plate 5|E having an operative connection to a corresponding cam plate 89, said connection being a train such as hereinbefore described and being represented diagrammatically in Figure 3 by the dot-and'- dash line 90. A shifter plate 5|1 is associated with the three couplers 50 for the three distributive racks 491 and is operatively connected by a train, as diagrammatically indicated by the dot-and-dash line 9|, Figure 3, to a cam plate 92.

The extra pinion 40E is joined, as by rivets 93, Figure 4, to a circumferentially notched detent disk 94 and to a disk 95. Said disk 95 has carryover teeth 96 evenly spaced therearound and equaling in number the number of steps (ten in the present instance) which complete a full revolution of said pinion 40E. One of the carryover trains, comprising lever 68, link 69 and lever 1|, is associated with the extra pinion 4|)E and is normally latched over the bar 10 provided for the item-count register. The lever 68 is rocked, as it is passed over by any one of the carry-over teeth 96, associated with said extra pinion 40E, thereby to release the corresponding link 69, and its lever 1 so that the latter, operatively aligned with the pin engaging lever 62 for the registeibar 441 for the units item count pinion 401 becomes positioned, in the manner described above, to determine an advance of one step of said units register bar 441 at a cycle of the general operator mechanism.

Each of the item count pinions 401 has a numbers dial 91, the several dials being visible through a sight opening 98 in the casing of the computing base. Each of the dials 91 below the one of highest denomination has a single carryover tooth 99, Figure 5, and a carry-over train 68. 69, 1I such as above described is associated with such tooth for determining a carry-over step of the register bar 441 of next higher denomination. Obviously, the tooth 98 on the highest dial 91 is usually not used, but is present merely because it is convenient in manufacturing to have the main dials alike.

The entry of a count of "1 in the item count pinions 401 may be determined by and while typing a suitable partgof the item on the Work sheet. In the present illustrative arrangement the typing of an entry in the ySub-No. lcolumn of the Figure -8 Worksheet determines the entry of the item count -of l in said pinions 401.

The rack structure 14 on the carriage, theretore carries a column control block, indicated diagrammatically by the -arroW |00, Figure 3, for the Sub-No. column. This control Yblock presents a tabulating'stop 16, a denomination selecting tooth 11, a cycling tappet l18 and a tappet |0| -for engaging and depressing the cam plate 89 and thereby lifting the shifter plate E to connect only the extra Yregister -bar 44E to the extra distributor rack 49E.

:Any entryin the Sub-No. column may be a number of from one to three places, for example, 8, or 24, or 323, see Figure 8, Preparatory to typing an entry in the Sub-No. column, the carriage may be tabulated by means of the appropriate one of the -three tabulating keys 31 marked 1, orV 100, -Figure 3, Vfor'starting at the proper place in the Sub-No. column of the work sheet. -Thus, during the course of typing an entry in the Sub-No. column, the denomination selecting tooth of the column Vblock |00 will depress at least one of the rst three denominational jacks 46 immediately to the right of the punctuation jack 84, Figure 3, said `three jacks corresponding to the three stop reeds 3B controlled bythe aforesaid three tabulating keys 31. Said three jacks are'connected by means of their corresponding master racks 41 to the three cross blades 48 that are each operatively connected, see valso Fig. l5A, to the extra distributor rack 49E by means ofthe `hereinbefore described edges 88presented yby vthe teeth of said rack 49E.

ySince the Sub-No. column block |00 also operates, through its tappet IDI, to depress the cam plate 89 to raise the shifter plate SIE to opera-tively connect said extra distributor rack 49E :by means of its coupler 50 to the extra register -bar 44E, the latter will be slightly advanced to bring its pins 45 under the digit indexers 58 at eachdepression of one of said three jacks 48 in typing the Sub-No. entry.

Each register bar may includes means `whereby when anyone of its pins 45 is set, that -pin automatically becomes restored by the setting of any other pin. and such means are exemplified in Thieme Patent No.2,0'15,55'1 of March 30, 1937. Briey described, said means include a pivoted blade l2! on each registerbar, Figures 2 and 10, the 'sides of thepins 45`being notched as at |22,

Figure l0, so that a depressed pin is caught andl held dow-n by the blade andso that the latter is momentarily turned aside by depressing another pingthe turned aside blade releasing the first depressed 'pin which becomes restored by its spring |23, Fig. 2. Thus, with the 0 pins normally set in all of the register bars, the setting of a higher pin in any register bar, operates through said 4means to restore the 0 pin of that bar. Means not shown are also provided and are operative in a cycle of the general operator mechamism, to reset or depress all of those "0 pins that were unset during the indexing thereby to restore al1 of the higher pins that were set. The zero-pin-resetting means, not shown, may be as illustrated in said Thieme Patent No. 2,075,557 or inPitman Patent No. 2,258,714, dated October 14, 1941. g

Consider now, the typing of the entry "323 in the Sub-No," column. With the carriagev initially positionedv at kthe hundreds place, the corresponding jack 46 will have been depressed to cause the extra register bar 44E to be shifted to pin setting position so that the typing of ,3 actuates the corresponding indexer 50 to set the 3 pin in said extra register bar 44E. Similarly at the tens place the typing of 2 sets the "2 pin and the setting of the 'latter automatically causes the restoration of the previously set 3 pin. At the units place the typing of the 0 must not restore a previously set higher pin. Therefore, the 0 pin 45' in the extra register bar 44E may be cut 01T at the top so that it will be out of reach of the stroke of the 0 indexer 58. Said 0 indexer may also be notched as at |03, Figure 10, so as to clear and not aect the 0 pin. The aforesaid zero-pin-resetting means are effective, during cycling, also on the Zeropins 45 of bars 441 and 44E.

It will be apparent now, that the typing of an entry lin the Sub-No. column will cause some one of the pins from l to 9 to be set inthe extra register bar 44E. The typing of a Sub- No. entry Will not effect indexing of the pins of the register bars 441 because it is designed that the Sub-No. entry control block |00 has no tappet for Working the cam plate 92 and hence said register bars 441 remain operatively disconnected from the jacks 4S during the typing of the Sub-No.

Following the typing of the Sub-No. entry, the carriage may be advanced'to the Insurance column position. At such advance, the cycling tappet 18 of the sub-column block |00 overrides and depresses the cycling jack 19 and thus causes the general operator mechanism to be cycled; At the beginning of the cycle, the item count pinions 401, together With the extra pinion 40E are shifted into mesh with the racks 42 of their respective register bars. The general operator cross bar 6| in its advance then picks up the extra register bar 44E and advances it one to nine steps and correspondingly rotates the extra pinion 40E, the number of steps depending upon whichever pin nally is set in said extra register bar 44E and engaged by said cross-bar 6|.

It will be apparent now, that whatever the extent of rotation of said extra pinion 40E may be, the number of carry-over teeth 9B associated therewith is sulcient so that the carry-over lever 68 will be rocked at least once and therefore invariably the link 69 will be tripped to determine a carry-over step of the units register bar 441, for entering a count of l in the units item Wheel 401. At each tenth entry of a count of 1 in .said units item pinion 401, the carry-over tooth of the latter, of course, operates its carry-over train -to determine a carry-over step of the next higher register bar 441 and pinion 401, and the latter in due turn similarly operates by means o-f its carryover tra-in to carry to the next higher pinion 491.-

It will be perceived in Figure 8, that the Sub- No. entries may be typed so that their units or last places are vertically aligned; Figure `9 shows a work sheet wherein each Sub-No. entry always begins, irrespective of its number of gures, at the same vertical line in the Sub-No. column, as is indicated by the vertical alignment of all the initial figures of the entries. 'iT-his iigure 9 method of Sub-No. entry placement makes it unnecessary to operate the tabulating mechanism preparatory to `typing the various Sub-Nos. and thus the rst gure of each Sub- No. entry may be typed immediately upon returning the carriage to an item line start position,

which may be gauged by the usual line start margin stop for the carriage, not shown.

When using the Figure 9 placement of the Sub-No. entries, the Sub-N0. column unit is placed so that when the carriage is fully returned or positioned to start the typing of an entry, the denomination selecting tooth 'H depresses the first denominational jack 46 immediately to the right of the punctuation jack 84 as in Figure 6. Since, with such Figure 9 placement of the Sub-No. entries, the typing of a signicant ligure invariably occurs `when said first jack is depressed, said first jack need be the only one connected to the extra register bar 44E and hence the eXtra distributive rack 49E need be connected only to the cross blade 48 corresponding to said first jack as is represented in Figure 7 by the single connection |02.

The total item-count may be read at any time from the dials 97 of the item count pinions 401 and copied at a suitable place on the work sheet. Such total item count may be typed immediately to the right of the entries in the Sub-No. column and within said column as exemplified at |03', Figures 8 and 9. In copying the total item count, the appropriate numeral type key levers 20 are, of course, operated and concomitantly, the total may be set up in the pins 45 in the item count register bars 441. The carriage 3| is, therefore, provided with a total count control block represented diagrammatically by arrow |04, Figure 3. This control block |04 includes a denomination selecting tooth '11, and also includes a tappet |05 for engaging the cam plate 92 associated with the coupler shifter plate 5| 1. Said control block 04 may also include a cycling tappet 18 and a tabulating stop 16. By means of said tabulating stop 76 and the appropriate tabulating key 37, the carriage is positioned for typing the rst ligure of the number-of-items total as read from the item count dials. When so positioned, the denomination selecting tooth has depressed the corresponding denominational jack 46 and the tappet |05 has, of course, depressed the cam plate 92 to connect the register bars 441 to jacks 45. During the typing of the items-total, the extra register bar 44E obviously is not connected to said jacks because it is designed that the item-totalcolumn unit |04 has no tappet for the cam plate 89. Said column unit |04 may also have a tappet |06 for operating the subtraction cam plate 6G to determine automatically that the total as set up in the pins 45 of the register bars 441 will be run subtractively through the idlers into the item count pinions 401 when the machine is cycled and thus said pinions 401 will be cleared if the total has been correctly copied. Since the eXtra register bar 44E need not function subtractively, it will be obvious that no idler 43 need be provided and should be omitted for said eXtra register bar 44E. It will be obvious that, should one of the three cross blades 48 corresponding to the counter register bars 441 be carriage-operated to move the corresponding distributive rack 491 for itemcount-total-indexing, the extra rack 49E will be moved merely idly, but should not operate any other cross blade 48. It will also be obvious that this may be provided for by narrowing the teeth, presenting the edges 88, to afford clearances 88a, Figure 5A, so that while a carriage-operated cross blade 48 may move rack 40E idly, the idle movement of rack 49E will not in turn move another blade 48. Springs H5, see also Fig. 2, may be applied as needed to some of the racks connected to the cross blades 48 so that the springs urge the Cil racks and cross blades to normal positions in which the upper back corners of the blades may bear against xed stop teeth, not shown herein, but exemplied in the aforesaid Patent No. 2,090,852.

A clear sign star ||4, Figures 8, 9, may be printed alongside of the total, by means of mechanism which can be operated only if the total has been correctly copied, that is, if all of the item pinion dials 9'! stand at 0. Inasmuch as the purpose of the item count mechanism is to record a true count of all the items typed so that it may be ascertained that no item has been overlooked, it will be evident that the clear sign printing to indicate the accuracy of the count, as read and typed, is important.

The clear sign printing mechanism may be of the kind shown in the Hoyt Patent No. 1,256,309 of February l2, 1918. Brieiiy described, said mechanism includes, for each pinion 401 a scalloped detent disk 01 fastened to said pinion, and a spring pressed detent |08 engaging said disk. The detents |00' enter deeper into the notches of said disks |07 when the pinions 401 stand at 0 than when said pinions stand at any other position. Thus, when all the pinions 401 stand at 0, the detents |08 universally permit a detent pressing universal bar |09 to stand clear of a star key 0 so that the latter may be depressed. The depression of the star key ||0 operates to release a normally latched spring pressed train to cause said train to operate a lever ||2 of a star printing type action which is included in the typewriter and includes a bell crank and star printing type bar like 23, 24. A cycle of the general operator mechanism may follow the printing of the star and said train and type action are restored during the cycle. The universal bar |09 may be independent of the spring pressed detent |08 engaging the detent disk 94 for the extra pinion 4011 and for this purpose, said detent |08' associated with the extra pinionJlilE may have a wide slot ||3, Figure 3, to clear said universal bar |09.

The punctuation jack 84 and the two jacks 46 at the left thereof may have the forward parts of their top end portions cut away as at I I6, Figures 3 and 6, so that they will not be depressed by the teeth 'Vi of the column blocks |00, |04 or by the tooth T1 of the column block 15 for the Insurance column. These three teeth Il are narrowed and placed longitudinally of their respective blocks so as to engage only the forward half portions of the tops of the other jacks 46. The tooth 'H in the block 75 for the Premium column need not, in consideration of the usually comparatively limited magnitude of a premium entry, engage the two jacks 46 at the right of the group and therefore these two jacks are cut away as at lli, Figures 8 and 6, at the rear halves of their top ends and the Premium column tooth 'll is narrowed and placed longitudinally of its block so as to engage only the rear half portions oi' the remaining jacks which include the punctuation jack 'a4 and the two dollars-andcents jacks immediately to the left of said jack 84. These dollars-and-cents jacks are usually used in the Premium column.

.The tabulating stop reeds 38 are mounted to slide vertically in a nxture 8. The group 52 of cam plates and the cooperative lower plates 53 are mounted to slide vertically in a fixture 9. Said fixtures ||8 and ||9 are suitably supported by the frame 3S of the typewriter.

The extra register bar 44E may have associated therewith a link 69T and its lever 'il' presenting a stud Itl for controlling the general operator cross bar lever 62 associatedl with said extra register bar 44E. Said link 69 is permanently latched over the bar 'i0 and is never released therefrom and is provided with an index pin engaging stop, such as 127D-, Figure 2, for preventing overthrow of the extra register bar ME.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

What is claimedeis:

1. In van accounting machine, the combination of selectively operable character agents and a step-by-step feeding carriage cooperative therewith, a plurality of jacks operable seriatim by said carriage when aneentry is made, a single rack -indexable by means of said agents, under control Yof said jacks, to determine a movement of the rack which varies according to the agent operated, said rack having operative connection' to'each of `said jacks whereby carriage operation of any jack renders the rack indexable by any oi said character agents, an entry counter, andl means responsive to each rack movement irrespective of its variance toenter a uniform count inY said counter.

2. In anI accounting machine; the combina'- tion oiselectively-operable digit indexers, a stepby-step -eedable carriage cooperative with said' indexers, a register comprising a plurality of orders of computing wheels, an indexable driver for each wheel, jacks corresponding in number and order to the drivers, an operative connection, including a switchable coupler, between each jack Aand its driver, means operable under control of the carriage t0 switch the couplers jointly to position -to cennectsaid jacks to their corresponding drivers, said jacks 'being operable seriatimby the carriage to move the drivers to' position for indexing by said indexers, an' extra indexable element movablerto Vposition for index-- ing bysaid `indexers, said element being subsequently operable to a variant extentcorresponding to the index-ing, means responsive to the variant extent of operation ofsaidelement to enterauniform count -insaid wheels, an operative connection, including a switchable coupler, between `said element and all of said jacks, and means, operable under control of said carriage to switch said last-named coupler to vposition `to* connect said. element `to all of said jacks torender said element movable tok indexing position byrmeans of the carriage and any one of the jacks.

3. In a .machine of the character described, in combination, numeral keys, a .stepebyestep feed-y able carriage cooperative therewith, a plurality of computing wheels of different denominations, a drive rack for each wheel, each drive Vrack having settable Vindex pins, indexers corresponding to an operable by means of said keys, anciement having -settable index pins, a set of Viat-iks, one for each drive rack, operable seriatilm -by said carriage, connections, including two devices selectively operable by the carriage, one device being operable tov connect 'said drive racks individual'ly to corresponding ones of sali-d jacks, the other device being operable lto 'connect said element -toall of said -jacks jointly, `to enable the carriage to move said racks and element to index-receivingr position relatively tol said-indexers, cycling mechanism for said racks and element, and means responsive to the cyclingof said element -to make a uniform entry iny said computing wheels irrespective of the val-ue indexed in said element.

4; In a machine of the-'character described, in combination, selectively operable numeral-value indexers, a member, means advancing said member a stepY at each operation of an indexer in respect to an amount of more than one order, said member being advanceable in anamount zone and being positionable outside of such Zone, a computing wheel, an actuator indexable for diierent extents of subsequent operation, means enabling the member to place -t-he actuator -in index-receiving relation to sa-idindexers foreach denomination in the amount zone, said actuator and indexers being out of lsaidl vrelation when the member is positioned outside of such zone, and means for translating the Ysubsequent Voperation of the actuator into uniform entry in said wheel irrespective of the indexed extentof actuator operation.

5; In a machine of the character described', 'in combination, -a computing wheelyan actuator indeXable for different extents 'o- Vsubsequent operation, a set of numeral-value agents operable one at a time for each order of'an amount of more than one order, means cooperative `with said agents for'indexin'g the actuator at each operationY ofan agent for each orderv of the amount, and means for translating the subsequent operation of `the actuator 'into uniform entry in said computing Wheel irrespective of the indexedI `extent of actuator operation.

L. PITM'AN.

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