US2480228A - Tabular chart selector - Google Patents

Description

S. DIAMOND Aug. 30, 1949.

TABULAR CHART S ELECTOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 17, 1941 Z 3 6 3 O a KEY LEVERS INVENTOR. 5010mm Diamuml.

A T'TORNEY.

Aug. 30, 1949. s. DIAMOND ,2

TABULlAR CHART SELECTOR Filed Nov. 17, 1341 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.4. HgJf 19 TTORNEY,

1949- Q s. IQDIAMOND 2,480,228

TABULAR CHART SELECTOR Filed Nov, 17, 1941 5 Sheets Sheet a IN VENTOR. Solomon fliam n ATTORNEY.

S. DIAMOND Aug. 30, 1949.

TABULAR CHART SELECTOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 17, 1941 200 Fig. 20.

Fig. 10.

INVENTOR. Solo mun Dia/moncL ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 30, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TABULAR CHART SELECTOR Solomon Diamond, Great Neck, N. Y. Application November 17, 1941, Serial No. 419,365

Claims. 1

This invention relates generally to tabular chart selectors, that is to devices for locating a predetermined item on a chart on which a number of items are arranged in tabular form in rows and columns. More particularly it relates to devices of this type in which the operators attention is directed to a predetermined item, as by exposing this item to the view of the operator, while the remaining items are hidden from view.

From one aspect thereof this invention relates to a device of the character mentioned which is adapted for attachment to or incorporation with calculating machines of conventional type and for operation simultaneously with such machines, whereby their range of usefulness is greatly extended since it permits the performance of additional operations together with the regular operations of the calculating machine, as well as the performance of calculations that are not conveniently performed on such a machine, or are impossible of performance thereby.

From another aspect my invention relates to a device for conveniently evaluating a total quantity of a commodity (using this term broadly to include items, both tangible and intangible, that can be evaluated), where the unit rate or rates are also known. A particular application relates to computations in which the unit rate is variable for difierent quantities so that no uniform proportionality exists between the total value and the quantity, for which reason evaluation of the total on conventional calculating machines is tedious because it requires more than one operation. As examples of such evaluations may be mentioned electric power consumption charges, income tax computations, social security payments and computations involving wages, where the hourly, daily or weekly rate of compensation is dependent on the duration of the time of employment.

The general objective of my invention is the provision of a selector for tabular charts that is simple, effective, reliablepand low in cost and one that will prevent eye-strain attendant on the seeking out of numbers on a chart, minimize eye fatigue due to eye movements across an extended area by restricting and localizing the area to be scanned, eliminate errors due to the human factors and eliminate the necessity for rechecking the computations to discover such errors and thereby effect greater speed in obtaining accurate results.

The more particular objects of my invention include the provision in a device of the character described of means for selecting a predetermined item in a tabular chart by the interaction of a plurality of mechanisms, one serving to select a portion of the chart within which the said item is located, another serving to select a restricted portion of the chart area selected by the firstnamed mechanism, and other mechanism or mechanisms still further restricting the selected area, until this area contains nothing but the said predetermined item, which is exposed to the operators view.

Among the more particular objects of my invention is further the provision in a tabular chart selector of interacting mechanisms for selecting a predetermined item, one of which mechanisms, by way of example, may select the hundreds digit of a predetermined item, another the tens digit, and another the unit digit of said item, where the chart items are arranged in accordance with the Arabic or decimal system of numerical notation.

It is also among the objects of my invention to provide a selector for use with tabular charts having the items thereon arranged in such a manner that they can be produced on typewriters.

A further object of my invention resides in the provision of a selector of the character described which may be attached to or built into a calculating machine of conventional type, so as to be operated thereby when the calculating machine is operated in the conventional manner, and to perform operations adjunctive to those of the calculating machine.

To attain these objects and such further objects as may appear herein or be hereinafter pointed out, I make reference to the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of an example of a tabular chart, the subject of which, for purposes of illustration, is a table of kilowatt electrical consumption and the corresponding charge, the rate for the charge varying irregularly with the quantity, so that no uniform proportionality exists throughout the table between the kilowatts and the charge;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view of a chart showing the charges taken from Figure 1, arranged in tabular form so as to be suitable for use in the selector device shown in Figure 3;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a cylindrical type of selector constructed according to the prin ciples of my invention, portions of the exterior casing being broken away to disclose the underlying mechanism, and other portions being omitted for clearness;

Figure 4 is an elevational view on an enlarged scale of the end of the drum or cylinder of the selector of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a sectional view, also on an enlarged scale, taken through the cylinder of Figure 3 substantially on the line 5-5 of said figure, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the stop bars for limiting the position of the drum within a section of ten predetermined rows;

Figure a fragmentary perspective view of the release bar for releasing the depressed keys of the selector at the end of an operation:

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view, more or less diagrammatic, showing the operating mechanism for the windows overlying the hundreds columns in the selector of Figure 3;

Figures 9 and 10 are fragmentary perspective views respectively of operating mechanisms for selecting the ten rows, and the units rows of the chart on the drumofthe selector of Figure 3;

Figure 11 is a perspective view showing a selector similar to that of Figure 3,, but suitably modified, attached to a calculatin machine;

Figure 11A is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line I lA-l IA of Figure 11, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 12 is "a diagrammatic vie w showing means for effecting the operation of a selector of my improved construction from a calculating machine provided with type wheels;

Figure 13 is .a perspective view of another embodiment of my invention in which a fiat chart is used;

Figure 14 is a fragmentary plan view of a support and a chart thereon to be used with the selector of Figure 13;

Figure 15 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line [5-15 of Figure 13, looking in the .direction of the arrows, parts being omitted for clearness;

Figures 16 and 1-7 are fragmentary perspective detail views on an .enlarged scale, of mechanisms for efiecting the selection of limited areas of the chart;

Figure 18 is a fragmentary elevational detail view of other mechanisms for effecting the selection of limited areas of the-chart;

Figure 19 isa plan view of a fiat chart suitable for use in a further embodiment .of my invention, the numbers thereon not indicating the actual items as they would appear on the chart, but being positionalnumbers;

Figures '20 and 2.1 are plan views respectively of windowed stencils .adapted for superposition on the chart of Figure 19 "to perform by their movements, together with the movement of the chart, the operation of selecting a predetermined area on the chart;

Figures 22 to 26 inclusive are plan views showing, on a reduced scale,the chart of Figure 19 and the stencils of Figures '20 and 21 superposed in various relative positions;

Figure 27 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of my invention operating in accordance with the principles explained in connection with Figures 19 to 26 inclusive;

Figure 28 is a fragmentary sectional View, taken substantially on the line 28-28 of Figure 27, looking in the-direction oi thearrows, and showing mechanism for actuating the chart and the stencils of Figures .19, and 21 Figure 29 is a fragmentary view substantially along the line 29-29 of Figure28,,looking in the direction of the arrows nfaiportion of the mech- 4 anism thereof, parts being added, and parts being omitted; and

Figure 30 is a fragmentary view, substantially along the line 30-30 of Figure 28 of a portion of the mechanisms of said figure.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and first of all to Figures 1 and 2, I have shown in the former a chart A having thereon a table comprising pairs of columns a and b, the first column of each pair comprising in consecutive order, numbers showing thekilowatt hour consumption of electric power, while the corresponding charge is shown in column b; for example, the charge for 8 kilowatts is found to be cents, from the chart; and that for 900'kilowatt hours $32.33.

It will be observed that the charge for a quantity of 0 to 9 kilowatt hours is 90 cents. Thereafter the charge 'is 6 cents per kilowatt hour until 99 kilowatt hours is reached. Thereafter the charge is 5 cents per kilowatt hour, while from 200 to 999 kilowatts the charge is 3 {cents per kilowatt hour. The charge is therefore not in direct proportion to the kilowatt hours throughout the range of the chart.

The columns each comprise one hundred rows, and ten columns are indicated in the chart, whereby provision is made for'one thousand items.

In Figure 2, at B, is shown a chart having thereon a table compiled from the columns I) of Figure 1, that is, it contains only the charges and not the number-of kilowatt hours. The items, one thousand in number are shown arranged in ten columns of one hundred rows each, and to show the correspondence of chart B to chart A, these charts have been shown side by side, with corresponding items thereon similarly positioned.

It will be observed that the arrangement of the items onchart B issuch that the-chart can readily be produced by typewriting, a consideration that is of great practical importance where the rates ar frequently changed, necessitating the frequent discarding of old charts and the production of new charts which-will be used for only a short time.

The selector shown in Figure 3 is intended to function in connection with the chart B of Figure 2, and the problem solved byit is to select a predetermined one of the items shown on said chart. For instance, if it is desired to find the charge for 99 kilowatt hours, the selector will be set, by suitable mechanism --to be described, to pick out the corresponding item on the chart, (which is the one hundredth row of the first column bof chart A'of Figurel) and on operating the machine the item of chart B correspond ing to the ninety-nine kilowatt hours will come into view, While the other items are hidden from view.

Referring now to Figures 3 to :10, inclusive, for a disclosure of a first embodiment of my invention, it will be observed .thatxit comprises a frame or base plate 40 on which aremounted standards 4! and Ma within whichsa shaft 42 is journaled for rotation, as by a crank.

Secured to the shaft .42, for rotation therewith, is a drum A 3 ion which the chart B may be mounted, as by clips 45. Also secured to the shaft 42 is a-dlsk 46., and journaled for rotation in said disk 46 and the end 41 of the rum M is a plurality of stop bars ltdisposed at spaced intervals along the peripheral portions of the disk 46 and the end 41.

The stop bars '43 are tenin number and each carries thereon a pin 19.. The pins All are posiiioned -ere lv :fe egche heher :4 s nd cated in Figure 6, in which the pin 49 is shown positioned at a point designated by the numeral 4. The other bars 49 have their pins 49 positioned respectively at the points marked l, 2, 3 etc. in Figure 6, and they are arranged in a series in which the position of the pin 49 of each bar is advanced one position beyond the pin on the preceding bar. This will be apparent from Figure 3 in which the lowermost bar 48 at the front side of the selector has its pin 49 in the I position, the bar next above has its pin in the 2 position, the bar next above has its pin in the 3 position and so on.

Each bar 48 is provided with rounded journal portions 50 and 5! and on the end of the journal portion 50 is mounted a squared portion 52 in the head portion 53 of which is mounted a transversely disposed pin 54 which extends outwardly on both sides of the head 53. The pin 54 is disposed at right angles to the pin 49 as well as to the bar 48.

Leaf springs 55, anchored in posts 55, one of which is positioned adjacent the end of each rod 48 (see Figures 4, 6) are carried by the disk 46 and each bears with its free end against one of the squared portions 52 and thereby determines four equilibrium or dead center positions thereof. Stops 51 (see Figure 4) carried by the disk 45 and one positioned adjacent to each pin 54 limit the position of the latter to two of these dead center positions, one of these positions being a radial or active position in reference to shaft 42, and the other an inactive position which is tangential to the periphery of disk 46, and at right angles to the said radial position. The radial position is shown at 542) in Figure 4 and the tangential one at 54a, all the pins except the lowermost one, which is shown in an intermediate position 540, and the pin at 54b, being shown in the tangential position.

The positions of the pins 49 corresponding respectively to these positions of the pins 54 are shown in Figure 5 and marked 49a, 49b and 490.

The movement of the pins 54 from the radial position 54b into the tangential position 54a is eiiected by a stop 58, mounted on the standard 4i (see Figures 3 and 4).

The movement of the pins 54 from the tan gential to the radial position is effected by a set of stop levers 59, the nose portions 60 of which engage the pins 49, as will now be explained.

The stop bars 48 are so mounted in disk 45 and drum 41 that when the pins 54 are in their tangential position 54a, the pins 49 will be in their radial position 49a in which they project outwardly. The stop levers 59 are pivotally mounted at an intermediate point 6! thereof on a support 82 (see Figure 3) suitably mounted on the bed plate 49. Below each lever 59 is a key lever 63 pivotally mounted on the bed plate 49, as at 64, and carrying a key 65 at its free end (see Figures 3, 9). A link 66 pivotally secured at one end to the lower end of stop lever 59, as at 59a, and at its other end to the key lever 63, as at 8?, serves to transmit movement from the key lever 63 to the stop lever 59. A compression spring 59 normally holds the key lever in its raised position and thereby the nose 59 of lever 59 is kept out of the path of the pins 49. When the key 85 and its lever 63 are depressed, as indicated by the broken line position in Figure 9, lever 59 will move into the broken line position of Figure 9, and its nose will move into the path of one of the pins 49.

The stop levers 59 are arranged in a row and are spaced laterally from each other correspond ing to the spacing of the pins 49 so that the nose 60 of each one of the levers 59 may project into the path of one of the pins 49, and when it does so the lever 59 will engage the pin 49 and will move it, whereby the bar 48 on which the pin is mounted will be turned through 90 and the pin 54 thereon will be turned from a tangential position into a radial position, in which one end thereof projects into a region into which also project a series of stops 69 to be more fully described hereinafter.

It will be observed that the keys 65 are arranged in two banks (see Figure 3) in the conventional manner, because of space considerations.

In order to hold any desired key 65 in its depressed position a detent 10 is provided for each lever 63 which has its nose portion H urged against the key lever 53 by a compression spring 12, and when the key 65 is depressed sufiiciently the nose 7! of the detent will move over the lever 63 and will hold it in its depressed position, from which it may be dislodged by release of the detent 1'9 by suitable release mechanism to be hereinafter described.

The stops 99, already mentioned hereinbefore, are in the form of hell crank levers (see Figure 10) pivotaily mounted as at 73 on the outer face of the standard 4|, and having their nose portions '54 extending through slots 15 in the said standard and into the path of the end por tions of the pins 54 when they are in their radial position. The nose portions '14 of the levers are arranged along an arc corresponding to the travel of the said end portions of pins 54 and they are spaced from each other by a distance equal to the width of one of the rows in the chart B, whereby it will be observed that the stops by suitable selection of one of them, may be caused to engage a pin 54, when it is in its radial position and to cause it to stop in any one of ten different positions, each corresponding to one of ten consecutive rows or" the chart B, mounted on the drum 44.

For operating the stops 59 selectively, I have shown a bank of keys l9, arranged in two rows to save space (see Figure 3) and each one of these keys is connected to one of the stops 69 by mechanism indicated in Figure 3, and shown more in detail in Figure 3.0. Said mechanism comprises for each stop 99 a key lever Tl pivotally mounted, as at i8 on the base plate 49 of the selector, and having a key i9 mounted on its free end. A link 79, pivotally connected at its upper end, as at 80, to the arm 8! or stop and at its lower end, as at 532, to the key lever 'ii, serves to transmit movement from the latter to the stop 69, so that when the key lever is depressed into its broken line position of Figure 10 the nose portion 14 of stop 99 will move into its broken line position of Figure 10, in which position it acts as a stop for the pins 54, as already mentioned.

A compression spring 83 acts to hold the key lever Ti normally in its raised position and thereby to hold the nose portion 14 of stop 69 in its inactive position.

A detent 84, having its nose portion 85 pressed against the lever 'ii by a compression spring 89, serves to hold the lever ."1 in its depressed position when the lever is depressed sufficiently for the nose portion 85 to pass over the upper edge of the lever Tl.

To summarize the function of the mechanisms so far described, it will be observed that any desired one of the'pins" 54 may be broughtrinto its" radial or active position and this pin may be caused to stop at any one of the points determined by the stops t9, which determine the position of individual rows on the chart B while each of the pins corresponds to a set of ten adjacent rows, this set being selected by the stops 59, and any desired row of this set is selected by the stops 52. By depressing one of the keys '65 and one of the keys l5 and rotating the drum A l by means of crank it in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 3 (clockwise as viewed from the left of the figure), the drum 4 3 will be brought to a stop in a position corresponding to the keys 55 and it that are depressed, and which may correspond to any predetermined one of the oneliundred lines of chart B.

This predetermined line is brought into registration with a row of windows 81' (see Figures 3 and 8) provided in the housing 53 (which covers substantially the entire selector and which may be arranged to seat on the base plate to as shown in Figure 3) which is normally closed by a set of ten shutters $5 which may be selectively moved into open position. in which they expose an area of the underlying row of chart B which is equal to the width of one column of said chart, it being understood that this chart is mounted so that each column thereof is in registration with one of said windows.

The shutters so, as can best be seen in Figure 8, are slidably mounted in the housing as, for which purpose I have shown rollers ti between which the shutters are guided, and operable by one or more operating levers 92 which are hinged to the housing 88' at 52a and receive pins 9% carried by shutters S8 in a slot tie on the free end thereof. A key lever 93, hingedly mounted on the base plate it at dd and carrying a key 9'3 at its free end, is provided for each shutter d8. A link 95 pivotally connected at its upper end at 9? to the arm 92 and at its lower end at 58 to t1 e key lever Q3, serves to transmit movement from the key 95 to the shutter A tension spring 9% acts to hold the levers 2 and 93 in their raised positions and the shutter $5 in its closed position. A detent I09, which may be similar in construction and operation to the detents it and 8% already described and shown in Figures 9 and 10, serves to hold each lever 93 in its depressed position when its nose portion rides over the upper edge of said lever.

It will now be clear that by suitable manipulation of the keys and 95, and by turning the crank in the pro-per direction any desired item on the chart B may be caused to become visible to the operator, though the window Sl while the other portions of the chart are hidden from his view.

For example, if the 839th item on the chart is desired, the operator depresses the key marked tilt! in the 95 key set, the key marked Bil in the 65 key set, and the key marked 9 in the '76 key set. He then turns the crank it in the direction of the arrow of Figure 3 until the stop 59 that was projected by the 9 key prevents further turning. In the window 8'5 that was openedby the depressed ilasil key, which raised the eighth shutter 9t, he then sees the 839th item, which in the case of the kilowatt hour chart shown in Figure 2, would be the charge for 839 kilowatt hours of electricity.

To render the selector available for the next operation, a release mechanism is provided. Thisis shown by way of example in Figure 7 as a rod I03, mounted for sliding movement onthe base plate w'orotherfixed part'of the selector, and provided with arms ltd, each adapted to engage one of the detents (lo, 84 and Hill) so that when the rod 153 is slid the detents will be movedto cause them to release the key levers. The detent springs serve to cause the rod 193 to return to its initial position. A head or button not (see Figs. 3 and '7) serves for manipulation of the rod H33.

If desired, obviously, a separate release may be provided for each one of the sets of detents i0, 85 and I00.

It will now be understood that after the desired reading has been obtained the keys will be released and then set for the next reading, which is obtained byagain turning the crank 33 in the appropriate direction. The stop 58, it will be observed, serves automatically to reset the pin 5d, previously set into its radial position 5% for the previous reading, into its tangential position upon striking engagement occurring as a result of turning of the crank at, as above indicated.

The arrangement of items on chart B of course may take forms other than those illustrated. The selection of the vertical columns for the hundred has some advantages for the kilowatt hour chart where most of the kilowatt hour figures lie within a small range (say, up to 199), since it reduces the eye movements of the operator, but obviously other considerations might call for other arrangements. For example the columns might be arranged for the units so that numbers from G to 9 would read across the chart on the first line. ihe other keys instead of being tens and unit keys would then be hundreds and tens keys.

The device just described is intended for manual operation. In Figures 11 and 12 I have shown means to effect operation of the selector automatically from a calculating machine. At the same time, if desired, as indicated in Fig. 11, the machine is also provided with keys for manual operation, which may be carried out on the machine in lieu of the automatic operation. Means to effect the latter is shown in Figure 12. Instead of the crank 63 of Figure 3, a motor drive has been shown to effect the rotation of the chart.

In Figure 11 a calculating machine of standard type is shown at lit and on the shelf l H thereof is shown positioned a selector H2 of my improved type, which is electrically connected through the cord 1 IS with the machine I it], which in turn, is connected to a source of electricity by a cord H4. The selector H2 is shown as driven by a motor of any suitable or preferred type continuously running in the same direction, which transmits movement to the selector H2 by a suitable arrangement, such as the slip clutch arrangement shown in Figure 11A. In this figure the main shaft of the selector is shown at 42' and keyed thereto is one member H212 of a friction slip clutch, the other member H20 of which is mounted for sliding movement on, but held against rotation relatively to the shaft [12d of the motor I i211, and is urged against the member 76 H5; and spaced circumferentially so that each one corresponds to one of the characters on the type wheel, and to one of the keys of the selector II2. Only two of these brushes (of which ten are required) have been shown, as that is surficient to explain the action of the entire arrangement.

A fixed insulating disk II I has a conducting bar H8 therein which is connected through conductor I'I9 to one side of a source of electricity I20, to the other side of which are connected, through conductors I2I the solenoids I 22, each adapted, when energized, to render operative one of the keys I23 of the selector. The other side of each solenoid I22 is connected by conductors I24 diagrammatically shown to one of the brushes II3 by means of usual commutator arrangements, not shown. A switch I25 is interposed between the source I20 and the bar H8, and this is adapted to be closed whenever the totaling device of the machine is operated, as by a rod I26 moved by said totaling device. As the type wheel H turns the brushes II B are consecutively brought into contact with the conducting bar I I8, and on each contact a circuit is established, serving to energize that one of the solenoids I22 that is connected to the contacting brush, and thereby one of the keys I23 is rendered operative, as soon as the switch I25 is closed through the operation of the member I26 by-the totaling mechanism of the calculating machine.

Obviously instead of the electrical connection shown by way of example other types of connection, such as direct mechanical connection, may be used.

On the other hand instead of the direct mechanical connections of the keys, remote control may be used therefor, such as one resembling the electrical arrangement of Figure 12. This would permit greater flexibility in the groupin of the keys to secure greater efliciency without necessarily complicating the mechanism.

It will be understoodthat in addition to more eifective arrangements of the keys, the various sets of keys may be distinguished from each other by color or by configuration or in other ways, so as to minimize the chance of error by striking the wrong key.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in Figures 13 to 18, use is made of a chart C (see Figure 14) which may be identical with the chart B of Figure 2, but which is mounted fiat on a fiat slide I33 which is arranged for sliding movement in guideways I3I mounted on the frame of the machine, which is of suitable construction and configuration, the details thereof not being comprehensively shown, other than the bed-plate I32.

The guideways I3I are preferably of the frictionless type, such as the ball-bearin type, which might include balls such as shown at I33 in Figure 16 in broken lines, which are mounted on the guideways I 3I and engage grooves I34 provided in lateral extensions I35 of the slide I30.

A counterpoise arrangement of conventional type may be provided (see Figure to counterbalance the weight of the slide I30, where the latter is mounted, as shown in Figures 13 and 15 for movement approaching the vertical. This counterpoise is shown in Figure 15 as of the spring type, comprising one or more coil spring actuated spools I'36 on which are wound straps I31 which are led over suitably disposed guide rollers I38 and which have their free ends connected to the slide I30. The springs are so arranged that they will tend to wind up the straps I31 and thereby 10 to raise the slide I30. The tension of the springs is however insufiicient to overbalance the weight of the slide I30, so that when the same is released it will tend to move downwardly.

The slide I is provided with thumb pieces I39 which protrude through slots I40 in the walls of the housing I4I which encloses the mechanism of the selector and which seats on the base-plate I 32. The thumb-pieces I39 serve for raising the slide I 30 into its initial position, which is also its uppermost position, and hooks I42 are provided at the top of the slide (see Figure 14) which are adapted to engage hooks I43 on a bar I44 (see Figure 13) which is mounted for transverse sliding movement in the top of the housing I4I. This bar I44 is urged to the right, as seen in Figure 13, by a spring I45, which engages a lug I46 on the bar. When the bar is pushed to the left, as by manipulating the thumb-pieces I41 on the bar, the hooks I43 also move to the left and become disengaged from the hooks I42 on the slide I30, whereby the latter is released and moves down.

The downward movement of the slide is limited by a system of stops, which in general are similar to the stops of the embodiment of Figure 3, and which determine the row of the chart C on which the desired item is located. As in the embodiment of Figure 3 a set of windows is used to select the desired column.

The windows I48 are shown in Figures 13 and 17 and the details of the operating mechanism therefor are shown in Figure 17. Ten windows I48, arranged in a row, are provided, and a shutter I49 normally closes each window, but may be opened by manipulation of a key I50, these keys being arranged in a row, as shown in Figure 13. The shutters I49 are flat strips (see Figure 17) suitably mounted for sliding movement as in grooves indicated at I5I. A key lever I52 of bell crank type, carrying a key I at its free end and pivoted at I53, is provided for each shutter I49. The end of the short vertical arm I54 of the lever I52 engages one end of the shutter I40 and as the key I50 is depressed the shutter I49 is drawn to the right, as shown in Figure 17, and the window is opened.

A tension spring I55 tends to hold the key I50 in its raised position and the shutter I49 in its closed position. A detent I56 is provided, the nose I5! of which is urged against the lever I52 by the tension spring I58, and is adapted to ride over the upper edge of said lever when the lever is suiiiciently depressed, and to hold it in its depressed position until released from the detent. For the latter purpose a release is provided, which may be of the type shown in Figure 7 and which is indicated at I59 in Figure 13.

As in the embodiment of Figure 3 the shutters I49 preferably select the hundreds, which are accordingly arranged in vertical columns on the chart C, each of which moves under one of the windows I48.

The selection of a particular row on the chart C is efiected by two sets of stops, one determining ten consecutive rows and the other determining a particular row of this set of ten consecutive rows. The first-mentioned stops will therefore be the tens stops and the others the units stops.

The tens stops are manipulated by a set of ten keys I60 each carried on the end of a lever I SI (see Figure 15) pivotally mounted, as at I62, on the frame of the machine, urged upwardly by a tension spring I62a, and serving by means of a link I 63, pivotally connected thereto at I 64, to actuate a bell crank lever I65, pivotally mounted on the frame of the-Inachineat [66,;to one arm of which bellioranklever the-linkis pivotally-connectedat' It]. The free end I E8;o f the other arm of the lever I65 acts as :a stopfora pin I69 carried by the back of-the slide I30, andishown in Figure 15 and in greater detail in Figure'16.

Onepin I69 is provided for. each lever I55 and is positioned in ali nment therewith. The pins I69 correspond-to the pins 249 of the embodiment of Figure 3, and the levers I65 correspond to the levers 59 ofsaidembodiment. As will be observed. from Figure '16, each pin I369 is carried by a rod I15 pivotally mounted on the back of the slide I30 and running-transversely thereof. The rods I10 are mounted parallel to each other and are spaced from each other 1a,distancecorresponding to the-vertical distance covered by ten horizontal rows on the chart C and they are provided with squared portions :IIGa engaged by leaf springs I181) whereby four equilibrium positions are secured, this construction being similar to that shown in Figure 6, and already described hereinabove (parts 52,55,155), Ifhe pins 169 are offset from each other in ahorizontal direction, the horizontal distance betweenthem corresponding to the spacing of the levers I65 and the positioning being suchthat the nose portion IE8 of one of the levers [55, Whfl11' 5311d nose portion is depressed by the key IE0, is in the path of the free end portion of one of the-pins I69, when the pin is in a position projecting outwardly from the slide I30 such astheposition shownior the upper' most two pins 1 69 in'Figure 16, which pins are numbered I690. and I691) respectively.

Five levers I65 are shown in Figure 16, the

four shown in broken lines being numbered IfiEa,

I552), I650 and I-Bfid respectively, while the fifth one is shown in full lines and numbered I65. This latter lever is shown in its depressed position, and the pin marked I69;has just passed the nose portion I68 of the lever I65 and has been moved through 90 so that it no longer projects outwardly from the slide I30. In doing so it has turned the rod through 90.

The levers 165a "and [6519 are shown in their raised position so that they will permit the pins I69a and I691) to pass without moving them as the slide continues its .downward movement. If depressed, however, the lever 165a would engage the pin I591; and the lever I55?) would engage the pin I691) and these levers would move the respective pins so as to rotate the rods I10.

On the-end of each rod I is positioned a' transverse pin III which is at right angles to the pin I69, and changes its position together with the pin I 69. When the pins I69 are in their posttion as shown at I IiIJa in Figure 16 in which they project outwardly from the slide, the pins I'll will lie in the direction of movement of the slide I33, and this position their inactive position.

Pins in this'positionare marked 111a and Ilib in Figure 16, The lowermost pin I1I in Figure 16 has assumed a position at right angles to the direction of movement of the-slide I because of the turning through 90 of its rod I10 eifected by the engagement of the nose portion I 68 of the lever I65 with the :pin I69. This is the active position of th pins I. As the slide continues the downward movement the pin Ill which is in its active position will engage a stop I12, shown in full lines in Figure 16, which is one of a set of ten stops '(see Figures 16, 18) selectively controlled by a set of ten keys I13 (see Figures 13, 18). The stops I12 are in the form of slidable flat rods arranged parallel to each other in a 12 suitable support I14, and are adapted by the keys I13 to be selectively protruded into the path .of the pins I11 as the slide'movesdownwardly, when said pins are in theirposition' at right angles to the direction of movement of the slide I38.

The stop I12 shown in full lines in Figure 16 is inits protruded or active position, while the other stops I12 shown in broken lines, are in their retracted or inactive position. When an active stop I12 engages an active pin I1I further downward movement of the slide 13% is prevented. In this manner it will be observed that the vertical position of the slide IBII may be controlled so that any desired row of the chart C may be brought to the levelof the windows Hi8.

key I13 is depressed the lever I15 will assume its broken line position and the stop I12 will be projected as indicated in broken lines at I120, in Figure 18.

To hold the keys I 60 and I 13 in their depressed positions I have shown detents IBI and I82 respectively, each associated with one of the key levers. These detents may be of the-type shown at its in Figure .17 and may be moved into their released position by a control rod indicated at 183 in Figure 13, and which may function like the rod 185 of Figure 7.-

In order to reset the pins I69 into their inactive position stops 185 have been shown in broken lines in Figure 16. These are pivoted to the frame of the'machine at Hit and are pivotally connected to a rod I81, pulled downwardly by a spring I88, but this movement is limited by stops I85, one of which is associated with' each rod. When the slide I3!) is moved up into its starting position the stops will engage the outer ends of any pins 11! that are in their active position and will restore them to their inactive position.

It will be observed that the functioning of this embodiment of my invention is substantially the same as that of the embodiment of Figure 3, the hundreds being controlled by keys I53 which control the windows I48, while the row is selected by the tens keys IE9 and the units keys I13.

After an initial setting of the slide 13d, accomplished manually by raising the slide by means of the thumb pieces I39 until the hooks Edi. and M3 interengage the keys are manipulated for the desired setting, and the slide is released by the moving bar I 44 by means of the thumb-pieces I 31, after which the slide automatically moves into its desired position, and the predetermined item appears at the window I48 that has been opened by the keys I60.

In Figure 19 I have shown a chart D which is arranged on adiiferent principle from the charts B and C. It is divided into ten sections of one hundred items each, which have been lettered f, g, h,- i, y, is, Z and m. They are arranged on the chart in two columns of five sections each, and each section has ten columns and tens rows of items. These items have been numbered consecutively, in the drawings, the numbers there: fore indicating not the actual item, but merely the 13 position of the item in relation to the operation of the machine.

The numbers in each section begin at the upper left hand corner and continue horizontally across the row and then continue beginning with the first item on the left of the next row. For instance, in section a, the first number at the left of the first row is 000 while 001 is found to the right of this and 009 at the end of the first row. The second row commences with 010 and ends with 019, while the third row commences with 020.

To give another instance, the section k commences with 700 on its first row, which ends with 709, while its last row commences with 790 and ends with 799, which also marks the end of the section.

The order in which the sections are arranged follows their lettering. Section d commences with 000 and ends with 099, and section 6, on the same line, commences with 100 and ends with 199. The next section commences with 290 and ends with 299, and so on.

For selecting any desired item, I make use of two stencils, one being shown at 278i! in Figure 20, and the other being shown at 20] in Figure 21.

The stencil 200 has a set of ten windows provided therein, each of a size to expose one of the items of chart D, and these are arranged in two columns. The windows are spaced from each other so that the distance p--q in Figure 20 is equal to the horizontal width of one of the sections of chart D, while the distance 12-1" is equal to the vertical height of one of said sections, so

that the rectangle pc'-r--s is identical in configuration and area with one of said sections. It follows that when the stencil 2% is superposed in appropriate position, on the chart, that is with its rows parallel to those of chart D, the items visible through its windows will be corresponding items in all the sections. For example if item 001 appears at the uppermost left hand window, item 101 will appear at the uppermost'right hand window, and the other windows will show items 201, 301, 401, 501, 601, 701, 801 and 901 respectively. When the chart D is shifted to theleft relatively to the stencil 200, a distance equal to the width of one column, the item number increases by one;

when it is correspondingly shifted to the right the item number decreases by one.

If the stencil 260 is moved down over the chart D through a distance corresponding to one row, the item increases by ten; when it is moved in the opposite direction it decreases by ten.

The stencil Zlll has ten windows 203 therein, each of a size to expose ten vertically consecu" tive items and these are arranged in two laterally spaced staggered columns. The spacing of the columns is such that the rectangle contained within the two uppermost windows and the broken lines in Figure 21, and which is determined by the points if, u, o and w of said figure is identical in height and width with one of the sec tions of chart D.

The lateral horizontal displacement of the win dows 203 is equal to double the horizontal width of one of the windows 203 or to double the horizontal width of one of the items of chart D. The bottom of one row of windows 2il3 is on a level with the top of the next row.

If the stencil 2B! is appropriately superposed on the chart D with its rows parallel to the rows of chart D, then when the item 000 appears at the top in the uppermost left hand window the uppermost right hand window will show item 009 at its top. The second row of windows will show no item in the left hand window and will show item 207 at the top in its right hand window. The left hand window of each of the remaining rows will be blank, and the right hand window will show respectively items 405, 603 and 801 at the top.

If now stencil 200 is superposed over stencil Hill with the rows thereof in parallel relation to each other, it will be found that only one window 202 at a time can be brought into registration with a Window 203, and therefore only one item at a time of the underlying chart D will be exposed through the two stencils.

By an arrangement to be described hereinafter the chart D and the two stencils 250 and 26'! are mounted in a support for movement therein, the chart D for sliding movement in a horizontal direction, the stencil 20! overlying the chart D also for movement in a horizontal direction, and the stencil 200, overlying the stencil 28L for move ment in a vertical direction.

The effect of relatively moving the chart and the stencils will be understood by reference to Figures 22 to 26 inclusive.

In Figure 22 the chart D is in its extreme right hand position, the stencil Zfil is in its extreme left hand position and the stencil 2% in its extreme uppermost position. The item 000 appears in the uppermost left hand window.

In Figure 23 is shown the effect of moving the stencil Zill to the right by a distance equal to the horizontal width of one item. The item increases by 100, so that 100 appears at the uppermost right hand window 2&2 and no other item is exposed. If the stencil 2G! is shifted to the right by another distance equal to the hori zontal width of one item, the item 200 is the next to appear in the left hand window of the second row. In the same way by stepwise movements of the horizontal width of one item the items 300, 400, 500, etc. appear, each at another window, until the item 900 appears at the lowermost right hand window. This marks the limit of movement of the slide 20! to the right.

If from the position of Figure 22 chart D is moved to the left by a distance equal to the width of one item, the item number is increased by one, as can be seen from Figure 24, in which item 091 appears at the upper left hand window.

Further stepwise movement of the chart D to the left will successively expose items 002, 003, 004 etc. until item 009 is reached which marks the extreme limit of movement of chart D to the left.

If the stencil 20K! is moved downward from its position of Figure 22 in a vertical direction by the vertical height of one item, the item will increase by ten, and further stepwise movement will result in successive increments of ten. The limit of movement of the stencil is ten such steps so that if in Figure 22 it reaches its bottom position the item 090 will be exposed in the uppermost left hand window 202.

The effect of simultaneous movements of the chart and the stencils is shown by way of example in Figures 25 and 26.

In Figure 25, the stencil 2953 has been moved down nine steps, the chart D has been moved to the left five steps and the stencil 25! has remained in the position of Figure 22. The item 095 appears in the uppermost left hand window 202.

In Figure 26 the stencil 259 has been moved down nine steps, the stencil 2E has been moved to tl ie rightflve's't eps', and the chart D has been moved to the left four steps, so that the item 594 appears at the extreme right hand window of the middle row.

It will be observed that the arrangement of the windows in the stencils S and 2G9 is peculiarly coordinated to the arrangement of items on the chart D so that by predetermined movements, following a convenient order, of the stencils and the chart, any predetermined item of the chart will be exposed. It will further be observed that by providing a plurality of stencils having a plurality of windows in each the necessary movements of adjustment are reduced in extent, whereby speed and convenience are gained.

In Figure 27' I have shown an embodiment of my invention in which the chart 3 and the stencils 20%] and 2E?! are assembled in a form convenient for manipulation.

The outer casin or housing which covers substantially the entire mechanism, provided with a window 285 through which the stencil is visible, so that the items of the chart D are visible through its windows In Figures 28, 29 and 30, details of the mounting of the stencils 206 and Ziiii and the chart D, and the mechanism for moving them are shown. The chart D is shown mounted for horizontal movement along guideways 28S and 29?, which may be of the ball-bearing type provided with balls 28%, while the stencil 253i is similarly mounted for horizontal movement on guideways 26s and 2m provided with balls 2 i i.

The chart D is provided with teeth it? (see Figure meshing with the teeth of a spur gear 2l3, which is mounted on a shaft El i on which is also mounted a bevel gear 2i5 which meshes with the bevel portion Bit of a combined bevel and spur gear, the spur gear portion 2 i of which meshes with a rack bar 2H8, shown in cross-section in Figure 29. This rack bar is one of a set of three comprising the rack bars 2 l8, 2 as and 22%, all shown in section in Figure 29, the rack bar 22E! shown in elevation in Figure 23. These rack bars may be extensions of or be connected to the type bars of a calculating machine, or they may be manually controlled as by adjusting knobs22i, 222 and 223 (see Figure 22) suitably connected thereto. provided as shown at 22%, 225 and 226 in Figure 22, the numbers appearing in each one of these "being determined by one of the bars 2 i8, and 220. This number would be the positional item number (for instance the number of kilowatt hours where the chart is a kilowatt hour chart) while the number appearing in the windows 2522 would be the desired item of the chart.

The stencil 283i is provided with rack teeth 221 (see Figures 28 and 30) which mesh with the teeth of a spur gear 228 mounted on shaft 229, which also carries a bevel gear 23%; The latter is driven by the bevel portion 23! of a combined bevel and spur gear, the spur gear portion of which is actuated by the rack bar 2 i 9.

The stencil 20B is mounted for sliding in a vertical direction, for which purpose paired guide rollers 233 and 23:3 are shown between the upper pair 233 of which the stencil 28B slides, while be- "tween the lower pair 234 an extension 23% provided with rack teeth 236 slides. The teeth 238 mesh with a pinion 237 which is actuated by the rack bar 222:.

In Figure 29 the combination bevel and spur gears 2I6'2Il and 23l--232 and the pinion 231 are shown mounted on a stub shaft 238. It will Indicating windows may be 16 be understood that they are operable independently of each other and that therefore not more than one maybe keyed: to the shaft while the others are free to rotate thereon; of course all of them may be mounted to rotate on the shaft.

The operation of the embodiment of Figures 2? to 30 may be briefly summarized by statin that the position of the chart D- and the stencils 2st and 20K is adjusted by means of the rack bars 218, 2 l9 and 226 so that the desired item appears in one of the windows 262 in accordance with the principles explained in connection with Figures 19 to 26. The rack bars may be controlled either from a calculating machine by direct or indirect connection to the type bars or other'totaiing mechanism thereof or by remote control therefrom, or they may be controlled manually by controls such as the knobs 22 I, 222 and 225.

It will be understood that the various elements of the selector mechanisms may be used in cornbinations other than the exact combinations shown and described.

While I have herein disclosed several illustrative embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that the same may be embodied in many other forms without departing from the spirit thereof, as will be obvious to those skilled in the art. It will further be understood that the disclosure herein is by way of illustration merely and is not to be interpreted in a limit ng sense, and that I do not limit myself other than as called for by the language of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In combination with a unitary tabular chart having items thereon arranged in rows and columns, each of said items corresponding in tion to a definite quantity of a commodity and corresponding in magnitude to the value of said definite quantity of the commodity, and the ate on which said value is based being different for different quantities of the commodity so that there is no proportionality between the quantity and the value throughout the range of quantities covered by the chart, the combination therewith of a mounting for said chart whereby it r able, stop means for said chart mounting including key operated means for controlling tne movement of the chart mounting means to a predetermined position, a member for shielding the chart provided with a plurality of windows through any one of which a single one of the items of said chart may be seen, each window being associated with a definite portion of said chat so that a predetermined item can only be see; through the particular window which is associ ated with that portion of the chart in which the item is located, a movable closure associated with each window to unmask or to mask the window, means for selectively moving any one of the closures into its unmasked or its masked position, and visible indicia bearing control means cooperating with co-acting stop means on the mounting means of said chart for predeterminedly moving the chart and positioning that portion of the chart on which a predetermined item is located to a position corresponding to a selected definite quantity of a commodity so that said predetermined item is in registration with that window which is associated with the portion of the chart on which the predetermined item is located whereby when a selected movable closure is operated by the selective means therefor, the item of corresponding magnitude as to value maybe viewed, to the exclusion of other items on the chart.

2. A selector comprising a frame, a rotatable cylindrical support on said frame, a tabular chart on said support having items thereon arranged in rows extending axially of the support and in columns extending circumferentially of the support. a first set of stops in a common plane movably mounted on said support for selective movement into an operative position and spaced circumferentially thereof at intervals corresponding to a predetermined number of rows of the chart, a second set of stops on the frame, each stop being mounted for selective movement into an operative position in which it protrudes into the path of a selected one of said first set of stops when it is in its operative position, the number of said second stops corresponding to the said predetermined number of said rows and said stops being spaced circumferentially relatively to said support and spaced apart distances corresponding to the distances between rows of said charts, means for selectively bringing any one of the stops of the first set into its operative position, and means for selectively bringing any one of the stops of the second set into an operative position in which it protrudes into the path of said operative stop of the first set.

3. A selector for tabular charts having items thereon arranged in rows and columns, a chart, a support for said chart, a mounting for said support whereby it is movable rectilinearly, a stencil provided with a plurality of windows, a mounting for said stencil whereby it is movable over said chart rectilinearly in the same direction as said support, a second stencil overlying said first stencil and provided with a plurality of windows, a-

mounting for said second stencil whereby it is movable rectilinearly in a direction at right angles to the movement of the other stencil, the windows of the second stencil being disposed relatively to the windows of the first stencil so that only a single window of each stencil may be brought into registration at one time with a single one of the windows of the other stencil, and means for selectively mowing said chart and either of said stencils from the totaling mechanism of a calculating machine.

4. In a selector for selecting an item on a tabular chart having items thereon arranged in rows and columns, a base, a support for said chart mounted for movement on said base in the direction of the columns thereof, a set of stops on said support, a second set of stops on said base, the stops of said two sets being arranged for coaction to determine the position of said support and 18 means on said base for selectively causing coaction of any stop of one set with any stop of the other set, whereby said support may be brought -.to a stop in any one of a number of positions, the number of said positions being equal to the product of the number of stops in one set and the number of stops in the other set.

5. In combination with a selector as set forth in claim 4, apertured means for concealing said chart from the view of an operator, closure means for each of the apertures in said concealing means, and means for selectively rendering any one of said closure means inefiective whereby the portions of the chart registering with the corresponding aperture will be visible to the operator, said apertures being arranged in a row disposed transversely to the direction of movement of said support whereby the portion of the chart visible through a predetermined aperture is a strip having the width of the aperture, whereby the number of individual predetermined areas of the chart that may be exposed to the view of the operator is equal to the aforementioned number of positions of said chart multiplied by the number of said apertures.

SOLOMON DIAMOND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 393,478 Lorenz Nov. 27, 1888 550,030 Stonebraker Nov. 19, 1895 695,099 Fleishman Mar. 11, 1902 829,526 Hines Aug. 28, 1906 964,296 Moe July 12, 1910 987,186 Stilwell Mar. 21, 1911 1,088,207 Clarke Feb. 24, 1914 1,467,042 Joksch Sept. 4, 1923 1,502,952 Herlitz July 29, 1924 1,540,895 Moir June 9, 1925 1,653,655 Pike Dec. 27, 1927 1,732,983 Orchard Oct. 22, 1929 1,834,562 Watson Dec. 1, 1931 1,867,888 Obidine July 19, 1932 1,942,106 Kottmann Jan. 2, 1934 1,960,636 Knotz May 29, 1934 1,975,694 Knotz Oct. 2, 1934 2,189,825 Waugh Feb. 13, 1940 2,194,382 Cherry Mar. 19, 1940 2,228,274 LaFever Jan. 14, 1941 2,288,520 Geller et al June 30, 1942 2,293,127 Fishack et a1 Aug. 18, 1942

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