US2344497A - Time and production recorder - Google Patents

Description

March 21, 1944. P. A. cooNEY TIME ND PRODUCTION RECORDE Original Filed Aug.` l2, 1940 2 Sh'etS-Sheet 1 X X X E E E March 21, 1944.'

P. A. cooNEY` TIME AND PRODUCTION RECORDER` 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Aug. 12, 1940 af/ew.' wa@ @MM an CLUTCH RELEAJE Patented Mar. 2l, 1944 'rms AND PRODUCTION RECORDER Peter A. Cooney, Chicago, lll., assigner to Chronotype Corporation, Chicago, lll., a corporation of -Illlnis Substituted for abandoned application Serial No.

352,282, August 12, 1940. This application February 22, 1943, Serial No. 476,784

12 claims. '(01. zal-45.8)

This invention relates in general to a combined electrical and mechanical apparatus for printing a visible record Of every deviation from .an established standard production or performprovision of a simple apparatus mechanism orv equipment of this kind which may be readily applied to producing units for various types of manufacture such as printing presses, punch presses and other automatic or repetitive equipment such as used for example in the manufacture of tin cans, metal caps, paper manufactur.

ing, and the like.

A further object of the invention is in the provision of an improved apparatus of this kind by which the operation of .a producing unit may be obtained continuously from the location f the unit itself, but with the result appearing at a distance, asin the oillce of the superintendent or 'a supervisor, where the operation of that unit maybeobserved. p

A still further object of the invention is in the provision of means accessible and opera-ted by the attendant of a producing'unit to which this apparatus is applied for indicating and recording any one Of a number of reasons for lack of production which is apparent upon examination by the supervisor at a distance from the pro-A ducing u nit.

A still further object of the invention is in the g provision oi' an apparatus of this kind in which a tape record is produced which indicates production above or below'an'established standard,

g recorded at intervals together with means' operated by a producing vunit attendant for indicating the cause for any delay.

A still further object of the invention is in the provision of va mechanical cost accounting system based on the time study which compares actual production with the standard and produces'a visible record of production of a producing unit which enables a complete analysis to be made periodically of the performance of the unit to which this apparatus is applied, accessible to a supervisor at the time the record is made, and not dayseor hours thereafter, so that a correction and improvement -can be made while the work is in progress.

Other objects ofthe invention will appear in the speciiication and will be apparent from the accompanying drawings in which,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the apparatus provided for use by a workman at a producing unit, and also the recording apparatus whichl is located in a supervisory or a foremans omce; Fig. 2 shows a piece or tape with a printed record thereon, indicating the operation of a producing unit; Fig. 3 is a plan view of some of the mechanism used in printing and recording the record on the tape; Fig. 4 is a detail of the clutch operating mechanism; Fig. 5 is a detail of the tape printing mechanism; and Fig. 6 is a wiring diagram and a diagrammatic view of the connection and voperation of the parts.

In Operating this apparatus, a switch is located near each producing unit or machine to be tested, and is connected by an electric circuit to a recording and tape feeding mechanism located in the foremans oiilce. A suitable switch in connection with the producing unit opens and closes each time a piece is finished or an operation is lfinished by the unit. 'I'his sends an electric impulse into the remote recording unit which operates the mechanism.

Time and production wheels or dials are set in motion in the recording mechanism by which a certain established or standard production is expected'within a certain interval of time. If

the predetermined amount of work is actually produced within the set time, quantity production is perfect. If the standard production is not obtained in the time, an EX is printed on the tape indicating that excess time is consumed, but should the operator produce at a faster rate than the standard, the production dial will be ahead of the timing dial and a credit CR symbol will be printed.

In practice, production is gured for every tenth of an hour so that for eight working hours, there' will be eighty time intervals, but the time is purely arbitrary as any desired interval may elapse. The net result of actual performance is thus compared to the standard performance and is' recorded upon a tape in the ofllce of the supervisor, who after the appearance of the first few -EXs, can go to the particular producing unit to ascertain and correct the cause of the delay.

An important object of the tape record is that it aiords an analysis of idle time. Frequently machines are idle or are forced tostop for reasons beyond the control of the operator. By providing a series of code numbers. the causes :for such idle periods are shownpon the tape. For exam` ple, in the printing industry, the following numbers may be used: I-make ready, 2--changes on form. 3-color wash up, l-wait for material, S-ieeder trouble, B-iorm trouble, 1--repairs, l-paper lift period, D-general wash up, and Il-no work.

These or additional causes may also be listed, and for each different industry or machine to which this apparatus is applied, a different set of reasons or causes is used. Code members may be printed'on the tape in the same column, or in diflerent columns to indicate which causes are chargeable against the operator, the machine, or the management.

When such delays occur, the operator dials the number representing the cause and this nurnber is printed on the tape, the time recorder showing the duration of such delays. A- dial, such as an automatic telephone dial, is mounted at each machine by which the operator can report and record on the tape in the supervisors omce the cause for any delay in a few seconds.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the apparatus comprises an operators signal box I 2, which is located adjacent the producing unit which is being tested and a tape discharging and recording unit I3, usually located in the superintendents or supervisor's oflice. These parts are connected by electric con.

ductors Il. The recording unit has an electrical plug-in connector Il for supplying current thereto, and the signal box has an electrical plugin connector Il for connecting it to a suitable switch or counting device on the machine being tested.

In the face of thesignal box is an arm or pointer I1, movable over a graduated dial with points designating the delay code numbers as from 1 to l0. This pointer may be operated or set by a separate knob Il with a knob Il which may be pressed to close a switch 3| when the pointer is set at any desired point, this entire mechanism being represented as an automatic telephone dial 23 in Fig. 6 with a separate manually closable switch 2 I A y Operation or setting of the cause pointer arm l1 by the machine operator energises and correspondingly steps a cause advance relay 32 located in the tape discharge and recording unit I3 to set up a prearranged code number, as from l to 10, which indicates the cause for delay. Likewise, the manual closing'of switch 2| actuates a cause printing relay I3 which is also located in the recording unit I3, so that the delay cause. set up at the operator's signal box is reproduced and recorded upon a tape Il automatically discharged from the recording unit.

Assuming that current is supplied to conduc-4 tor mains 3l and 3l, a circuit is traced through the cause advance relay from main conductor Ilthrough conductor 31, pointer arm I1, cause indicator dial contacts 2l, conductor 23 and cause each operation of the unit. A circuit for this production coil is traced from conductor 2B through switch 31, conductor 39, production coil 36 to the opposite current supply main 25. Each operation of the production coil produces a movement of the pawl 3l and its ratchet wheel 35 which is communicated to the production disk 3l.

irojecting from the time disk are contact pins lo and 4I adapted to engage switch spring fingers 42 and I3 respectively in the starting position oi the disk for closing a switch with the first linger l2 and for opening a switch with the other ringer 43. When this disk is driven a predetermined distance in the direction of the arrow, foremost contact pin li engages a spring contact linger 4I to close a circuit with the spring finger ll and continues until the latter engages a contact linger 4B.

Likewise, the production disk 3| which is represented as driven by the driving connection 33, has projecting contact pins and 5I which engage spring fingers '52 and '53 respectively for closing and openingswitch connections with contacts 54 and 55. As this disk is driven in the direction oi the arrow, the foremost contact pin engages a spring finger 56 which forms an electrical connection with a spring linger 51 and the latter with a contact linger 5B.

In their zero positions, the time disk 3l and the production disk 3l are held against movement by a time locking clutch coil 8D and a production locking clutch coil il respectively. these coils controlling and operating yokes I3 and B2, movably engaging clutch collars 65 and 8l respectively for holding Ithem out of driving engagement with disks and 3l against the pressure of clutch springs Bland 8B. The result is that when these coils are energized, the clutches are drawn out of driving engagement but as soon as the circuit is broken by opening machine switch 31, the clutches are forced in advance relay 22 to the other supply main 25.

Likewise. a circuit is traced from main 2B through switch Il, conductor 23, cause printing relay 23. to the other supply main 3l.

In the tape discharging and recording unit, there is a rotatable time disk3l and a rotatable producidondisk 3l, the former operated by a synchronous motor 32 and the latter operated through a reduced driving gear connection 33, with a pawl 34 and ratchet wheel 3l connector, operated by a production coil or relay 36. This production coil is connected through a switch 31, actuated by a suitable cam or counter arm 3l, usually located on the producing unit under test and operative to close the switch 31 for by the springs 61 and "land the disks 30 and 3l are driven competitively for a predetermined time and production. i,

The holding circuit is traced from supply main 2B through machine and contact switch 31, conductor 33, conductor BI, switch :linger l2, contact finger 89, conductor 10, contact ringer 5I, switch linger 52', conductor 1I to production coil BI and time `coil Bil in parallel, thence through conductor 12 to the opposite supply main 2l. At the beginning oi' their operation, the disks 30 and 3l move away from their zero position together when switch 31 is opened, thereby opening the switch fingers 42 and 52v in the above circuit which is not re-established until the disks reach their outer driven or limiting position, are re leased from their clutches and are returned to zero position. Each disk is driven in the direction indicated by the arrow against the tension o! sA returning spring 13 which tends to return the disk to zero position but cannot do so against the action of -the clutch springs Il and l1.

Iithetimediscisfirstreturnedtoitsstarting position, the other disc 3I will continue to be driven by its clutch connection until i-t too reaches its limiting position whereupon it will be released as hereinafter described, returned to its starting position by spring 13 and the EX time will be printed on the tape after the six minutes time. In the same manner, i! the production disc 3I reaches the end of its, path of travel be fore the time disc, a CR designation and the time will be printed on the tape, and the time disc will continue its movement until it reaches the when the time disk or the production disk reaches its limiting position which may be reached, for example, in six minutes by the time disk or in a corresponding standard" production, indicated by the production disk, the foremost contact pin 4.| or reaches the contact linger 44 or 56, and first closes the circuit with the time printing and tape advance relay which is as From circuit main 26 -through conductor 16 and from current main 26 through conductor 16, spring fingers 44, 45, 46, conductors 82 and 88, contact fingers 53 and 55, conductor 88, EX pninting relay 88 to the other conductor main 25.

The contact fingers 53 and 55- will be closed inv this case because the production disk and its pin 5| have not returned to zero. In the other cony dition, the circuit is closed from conductor main fingers 56 and 51 to conductors 11 and thence to one side of the relay 15 and from the other side of the relayto the opposite current supply main 25. l

This relay 15 thereupon automatically prints the time on the tape 24 and the tape is advanced one step ready for the next printing.

This movement of either diskv 38 or 3| also causes the engagement of fingers and 46 or 51 and 58 and completing a circuit thereby through a -time release clutch magnet 88 or a production release clutch magnet 8|, depending upon which disk and therefore which pair of contacts are first engaged.

If the time clutch contacts 45 and 46 are first engaged, a circuit is closed from the current supply main 26 through conductor 16 and spring lingers 44, 45 and 46, then through conductor 62 and 83 to time release magnet 88 and thence to circuit main 25. If the production contacts are rst closed, acircuit is traced from circuit main 26, conductor 16, contact fingers 56, 51, 58, conductors 84 and 85 lto production magnet 8| and thence to the other circuit main 25. I

These release magnets 88 and 8| are operative l in effect to disengage the clutch members and 64 from the corresponding disks 38 and 3| as diagrammaticaily or conventionally represented in Figs. 3 and 6. Pivoted armatures 81 and 86 have wedging extremities and are movable by` the relays 88 and 8| respectively, the said extremities being inserted between the discs 38 and 3| and their clutch collars 65 and 64 when the relays are energized to separate them from the driving engagement into which they are urged by their springs' 61 and 66 respectively. v

Even after the operating current to the magnets 88 and 8| is cut cil', the wedging extrerni ties of the armatures 81 and 86 are retained in their separating positions by the pressure of the corresponding clutch springs 61 and 66 until both disks 38 and 3| 'return to zero position. When 'the clutch coils '68 and 6| are then-momentarily energized at the same time, -.the release armatures 81 and 86 are freed from frictional contact with the clutch members allowing the driving connections of the clutch members with the disks 38 and 8| to be restored.

The effect o! such release is to disengage the disk 88 or 8| from its clutch driving engagement to place it under the influence of its spring 13 which returns'the disk'quickly to its zero posi-'- tion.

If the time disk iirst reaches its limiting position, it means that production is not up to the expected standard and if the production disk first reaches its limiting position. it means that the standard. In the first case, a circuit is traced 26 through conductor 16, spring lingers 56, 51 and 58, conductors 84 and 8|, spring lingers 48, 82 and conductor 88 to CR printing coil or relay 84 and thence to the other current main 25. case, Ithe conductors v43 and 82 will be closed because the time disk has not yet returned to zero position to separate them by the engagement of contact pin 4|.

As soon as the time disk is returned to zero, contacts 43 and 82 are separated by pin 4| which prevents the CR relay from printing, and similarly, the return of th'e production disk to zero position separates contacts 53 and 55 by the engagement ci' pin 5|, thereby opening the circuit to the EX relay 88.

Actual .printing upon the tapemay be eiected by means of any time recording register in connectionI with printing'relays 23, 84, 88 and 15 as shown in Figs. 2, 5 and 6. Since motor 32 is a synchronous motor, it may be also av clock or timing motor having a driving connection |8| with time registering mechanism |82 which has numbered wheels |83 vfor indicating minutes and fractions thereof, CR and EX designations, and

- a number wheel |86 for designating delay causes.

An inking ribbon is movable transversely in front of these number wheelsand the other designations, being mounted on rollers |81 at the ends of the register mechanism |82 and moves -v between them and the record receiving tape 24. sn

Each of the relays 84, 88 and 15 has a pivoted armature (not shown)` similar to armature |88 of relay 23. Armature |88 operates a printing.

ing designation is imprinted on the tape.' As the time printing block returns, the tape is advanced one step to the next position thereof.

In operation, it is in effect a race between time and production. The time disk is arranged to move to close its contacts 44, 45 and 46 in a predetermined time, for. example, every tenth of an hour, and the production disk is connected to move for the standard -productionxpected of it in that'time, that is, every six minutes. When either the time disk or the production disk reaches its limiting position, corresponding contact fingers 44, 45 and 46 or 56, 51, 58 are closed and a circuit is closed as previously traced through the time printing and tape advancing relay. If the elapsed time contacts are reached .first,'the letters EX (indicating excessive time required to produce the unit) will be printed on the tape because six minutes has elapsed before the produation'contact is made. When the-production contact is made which indicates when the quantity Ithat should have been produced actually was produced, the production contacts close, and time is again printed on the tape, but

- the'CR relay is not energized. If the time disk contat; are made first, then the production contact must come later and the difference between the two is the excess time consumed over the Inthisv duction disk On the other hand, if the production comes in ahead of the allowed time, the CR relay is energized and CR. will be printed on the tape because the production was finished before the allowed time of six minutes had elapsed. When both contacts are closed simultaneously, time only is printed and the tape advanced'one step.

This race between time and production goes on continually all day or during the progress of a job, printing the results of actual against standard performance approximately every tenth of an hour depending of course upon the additions or subtractions of the EXs or CRs. Any stop time which must be taken out by the operator is represented by an operation number from l to (or more) which is the code number for the designated cause and appears on the tape by the operation of the cause printing relay 23. When an operating machine is stopped, the op erator or press man dials thev operation number and switch 2| is closed manually which causes the corresponding code number and the time to be printed on the tape.

The joint operation of th'e time and production disks is resumed only when both of the disks have returned to zero position, and this takes place immediately after both of them reach their limiting positions from which they are returned by their springs 13; for if either one is not returned to zero position, corresponding contacts I2 and B9 or 52 and 54 will keep open the circuit which includes them and the time and production coils 80 and 6I which control the clutches for the corresponding disks 30 and 3|.

The disks are held out of engagement with their respective clutch members 65 and 64 by the armatures B1 and 86 of the release magnets 80 and Il, until the circuit through both clutch controlling coils 60 and 6| is completed, which can only take place when both of the disks have returned to zero position, as previously set forth.

As it is desirable to print the time on the tape at which any of the delay or stop code signals are printed, an electrical connection is also closed to the time printing relay by means of the switch 2l which also actuates the cause printing relay 23. The energizing circuit for the time printing relay under these circumstances is traced from conductor main 26 through switch 2i, switch contact 96 normally open but closed by the switch and conductor 91 to one side of relay 15, the other side of which is connected to conductor main 25. 'I'his circuit will be open except when the switch 2| is closed and is closed at the same time that the cause printing relay 23 is energized to print one of a stop or delay code numbers.

'I'he tape 2l is printed step by step and discharged from the unit I3 in the oflice of the superintendent, production manager, or any other suitable place. The particular `construction and operation of the printing, time recording and tape feeding is not material to the successiul operation of the invention as a variety of such means, both mechanical and electrical, might be assembled and connectedA for producing the desired result. Certain of the mechanical parts are shownin Figs. 3, 4 and 5 and a complete diagrammatic assembly and arrangement ia shown in Fig. 6 with the electrical connections necessary for producing the desired results.

A discharged record tape is read from the bot.

' standard production as provided for on the protom up, 480 minutes being for an 8 hour day.. In Fig. 2 are shown broken portions or a complete tape which indicates that the press was idle for 44.6 minutes ior cause #10, waiting for work, which is an avoidable delay. When a Job was finally assigned to the press, it required 167.7 minutes for make ready, cause #1.

In any run of a Job, a number of EX's are usually shown at the start indicating, for example, that some minutes oi running time are lost for slow speed. This kind of a loss should be corrected at once alter the iirst few EXs appear, and the machine speeded up. This is indicated upon the tape by the EX indications, and the amount must be figured by deducting the difierence between the time designated at any EX mark and the next time indication, in this case 219.8 minus 218.3 or 1.5 minutes. 1f the machine speed is greater than the expected standard, a CR notation will appear for each credit period.

The time lost on any EK notation and gained on any CR notation is recorded on the tape and may be figured by deducting any Eli or CR minuta from the next appearing minute notation. The lower EX loss on the tape is therefore 1.5 minutes, and one noted CR gain is .5 of a minute. The EX losses are marked on the tape after the job is run and the tape is being examined for an analysis of the particular job. In the entire tape of the example shown, there are a number of losses and credits (of which only the ones mentioned are shown) and subtracting the CR gains from the EX losses, the net amount of time lost was 30.8 minutes.

Evidently this job was completed in a total time of 391 minutes after which there were a number of delays making up lthe total time for one day of 480 minutes. The 89 minutes at the top ci the tape may be charged to the next job. An analysis of this as a complete job from the tape, Fig. 2 might be somewhat as follows:

Mins. Total time for job 351i. Unavoidable delay, make ready 167.7 (212.3*44-6l Total time left (subtract) 223.3 Avoidable loss (cause 10) 44.6 20-% Available productive time 178.7 Operators loss o! time (EXs-CRS) 30.8 17.3%

Net production time (subtract) 147.9 66+% In other words, time chargeable to actual completlon o! the job is 147.9 minutes, the time chargeable to make ready is 167.7 and the total avoidable lost time is 75.4 minutes which is 34% of the total time oi' 223.3 minutes for completing the job. I

With this kind of a record, it is not necessary to ask the foreman or an operator what was wrong, the tape tells that with unerring accuracy. A foreman should be able to prevent most of it as it is occurring; to speed up production if necessary, to have work ready, to prevent delay waiting for paper or material, and to enable him to decide what to do to convert this 34% loss into productive time. The tape will show an actual average production per hour much lesa than the normal to be expected. which should cause an investigation, resulting in the elimination of wasted time as explained. The tape shows the conditions immediately as they occur which enables correction to be made at the start and during the continuation of a job rather than a post mortem after a long time serious loss has been sustained. 'I'his will increase emciency not only of the machine. but also of the operator and the etilciency of the management itself. I t should naturally result in better working conditions, more pay for the operator, and in the production of useful work at a lessl cost to the management.

While the invention has been explained more particularly as applied to a printing machine as .a substitute for my application Serial No. 352,282 filed August l2, 1940, it is equally applicable to many other types of manufacture, particularly the lines that are repetitive and adapted to mass or quantity production.

I claim:

1. In a time and production recorder, movable timing means and movable means indicating production, a separate printing device actuated by one of said means to indicate the completion of a predetermined time before the completion of expected production in that time and another device actuated by said other means to indicate the completion of production in less than the predetermined time.

2. In a time and production recorder, movable timing means and movable means indicating production, a common printing device actuated by eitherone of said means to indicate the expiration of a predetermined time and to indicate the time when the expected production is obtained, and separate printing devices in connection with-the timing and production means to indicate which of said means was rst actuated. v

3. In a time and production recorder, movable timing means and movable means indicating production, a separate printing device for and actuated by each of said means respectively, and a switch device in a circuit connection with each of said means for preventing the actuation of the printing device for the other means when the printing device for the first means has been actuated.

for returning each of the disks from stop to zero v position when the releasing relay is operated, and a time printing relay in a joint circuit with the said switches for the two disks at the stop position for indicating the time at which either of the switches is closed at one end of the movement of its respective disk.

7. In a time and production recorder, a movable timing disk and a movable production disk. means for separately movingA the disks from a zero to a predetermined stop position' respectively, a clutch locking relay for connecting each disk for such movement, clutch releasing means including a relay and a switch therefor at a stop position for each of said disks, spring means tor returning each of the disks from stop to zero y position when the releasing relay is operated, a

time printing relay in a common circuit with the said switches for the two disks at the stop position for indicating the time at which each of the switches is closed by the movement of its respective disk, and a circuit including two switches in series, one opened by each of the respective disks at its zero position for controlling the clutch operating relays for both disks and insuring that l both of the disks are at their zero position before 4. In a time and production recorder, movable production has been reached, printing means respectively actuated by both of said movable means to indicate the expiration of a predetermined time and a predetermined production, a

clutch operating device for actuating each of said movable means and a locking circuit for said clutch operating device having switches in a common circuit each closed respectively by oney of the moving means at its zero position.

5. In a time and production recorder, movable timing means and movable means indicating production, a diierent drive including a clutch and clutch operating means for moving each of said movable means from a starting to a predetermined stop position, a switch means at the stop position of each of said movable means in circuit with a releasing relay for that. movable means, a spring for returning each movable means to its starting `position and switches in a series circuit with the clutch operating means and one switch being closed by each of the movable means at zero position for insuring= that their moving means can be again operated to drive the disks from zero to stop position.

8. In a time and production recorder, a movable time disk, a movable productiondisk, separate means for driving each of the disks from a starting to a predetermined stop position, a time printing and tape advancing relay included in the circuit comprising a switch a't the stop position of either of said disks, and a tape actuated and' the time printed thereon by said relay when either oi' said switches is closed.

9. In a time and production recorder, a movable timing disk and a movable production disk, means for moving each disk from a starting to a predetermined stop position, a time printing and tape advance relay for a record receiving tape, a switchat the stop position of each disk, the switches being connected in a joint circuit with the said relay for actuating it to print upon and advance a tape, a printing relay for each disk having a switch in circuit therewith at the stop position and actuated to print on a tape when the switch is closed prior tothe closing oi the corresponding switch bythe other disk.

10. In a time and production recorder, a movable timing disk, a movable production disk, a time printing and tape advancing relay, a time excess and a production credit printing relay for the time and production disks respectively, means for separately moving the disks from a starting to Ia predetermined stop position, switch means at the stop position for each of the disks, one

. switch lfor each disk connected in a circuit with the time printing and tape advance relay and another switch for each disk being connected in a circuit to one of the other printing relays, each ot said circuits including a switch closed when either disk is moved from its zero position to insure operation of only one oi the excess time and credit relays.

11. In a time and production recorder. a movable timing disk and a movable production disk, means for actuating the timing disk for the duration oi an expected production and ratchet means for operating the production disk, including a relay and a circuit therefor including a switch actuated by the production being performed, a time printing and tape advance relay `for a re-l cording tape, switch means in connection with the disks for actuating the time printing and tape advance relay, and time excess and, production credit printing relays respectiveiy marking on a tape when the predetermined time expires before the expected production is reached and when expected production is reached before the predetermined time.

12. In a time and production recorder, a movable time disk, a movable production disk, a time printing and tape advancing relay for a record receiving tape, a time excess and a production credit relay for also printing on the tape, means including a switch at a machine under production for controlling the operation ci the production disk, a cause printing relay for printing on the tape and means including a selective switch at the machine under production for indicating any one oi' a number of causes for lack oi production which are printed by said 'cause printing relay on the tape.

PEI'ER A. CDONEY.

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