US2486874A - Compensation selector - Google Patents

Description

1949 w. PLUMLY 2,486,874

COMPENSATION SELECTOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 27, 1946 Nov. 1, 1949 aw. PLUMLY COMPENSATION SELECTOR Filed June 27, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 mm m m man w FIG. 3

m w m w.

N W. wmm 8 M m MVO unm "T5. um? am T n c I Nov. .1, 1949' a. w. PLU 2,486,874

CONPENS'AT-IQE .S'EEECTQR Filed June 27, 1946 5 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. ,4? WWW JZL MM w yd;

'1949' s. w. PmJMLY COMYENSATION SELECTOR Filed June 27', 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIGS Patented Nov. 1, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMPENSATION SELECTOR George W. Plumly, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a

corporation of Delaware 8 Claims.

This invention relates to a compensation selector and more particularly to a device for use in determining the compensation to be paid salesmen.

One object Of this invention is to provide a simple device which may be used for determining a given salesmans base pay, his commission on each sale, and the bonus payments for various accomplished sales volumes.

Another object of this invention is to assist dealers in determining their average sales cost under a fixed salary plus commission and bonus plan for various accomplished sales volumes.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a simple device for appraising salesmen and dealers of the amount of money a salesman should be paid for various accomplished sales volumes under several different plans or rates of payment.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a device which makes it possible to expose, at conveniently spaced points, a few salient figures from a vast amount of compactly arranged information.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

In referring now to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front view of the compensation selector;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken through the center of the selector;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged view of the front side of the compensation selector;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with the front window element removed;

Fig. 5 is a front view with parts broken away so as to expose the back panel and portion of the indicia bearing disk; and,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view showing the rear side of the compensation selector.

Referring now to the drawings wherein I have illustrated a preferred form of my invention, reference numeral [0 designates generally the main frame of the selector which comprises a front panel [2 and a rear panel I4 spaced from the front panel l2 by means of the spacer or insert IS. A disk or dial [8 which is made of slightly thinner material than the spacer I6 is rotatably supported between the front panel I2 and the rear panel I4, The dial I8 is provided with a central bearing aperture whereby the disk is rotatably supported on a centrally located cylindrical element 22. The element 22 is rotatably supported in the main frame W as best shown in Fig. 2 and has secured thereto by means of rivets as a window element 24 which overlies the front panel l2. A manipulator element 26 which is arranged adjacent to the back panel M as best shown in Fig. 2 is likewise secured to the element 22. It will be noted that the front window element 25, the dial l8 and the manipulator element 28 are all circular in shape and that the manipulator element 26 is somewhat larger in diameter than the window element 24. The size of the manipulator element 26 is such that it may easily be operated by the fingers of anyone holding the device in his hands. Likewise, it will be noted that the size of the window element 24 is such that it may be rotated without interference from ones thumbs which naturally engage the front face of the device when the device is held in ones hands. The lower edge of the frame It is cut away as at 32 so as to expose the outer edge of the dial 8 for manipulation purposes.

By virtue of the above described arrangement it is obvious that the dial 18 may be rotated independently of the rotatable elements 24 and 26. The dial 18 has printed thereon all of the information relating to the weekly salary, commission, bonus, salesmans average earnings and dealers average cost as will be apparent from the following description. This information is arranged to be viewed through suitable openings or integral transparent areas 38, 39, 48, 4!, 42, 43 and 44 provided in the window element 24. (In View of the small scale required in showing Figures 1, 4, and 5, much of the printed matter has been omitted from these figures.) By referring to Figure 3, which is on a large enough scale to show the printed matter visible at a given setting of the selector, it will be noted that the selector conveniently displays and labels the pertinent information and that instructions for operating the selector are printed directly on the selector.

Referring now to Figure 3 of the drawing it will be noted that the upper portion of the window element 2d has been marked off by radial lines 35 and arcuate lines 31 so as to distinctly set apart the various payments to be made. All of the parts of the selector are preferably made of transparent plastic which is coated on the one side with an opaque material except for certain places that are left uncoated so as to form windows through which the desired information is Visible. All of the printed matter on the exposed parts is placed on the protected side of the transparent material so as not to be rubbed off by repeated handling. It is to be understood that the various parts of the selector may be made of a suitable plastic material which will render all portions of the parts opaque except the window portions thereof which may be in the form of openings in the parts, or these windows may be formed integrally with the parts by clear or transparent plastic material.

In order to operate the compensation selector the first step to be taken is to turn the dial l8 until the salesmans estimated yearly volume (which should. b his yearly quota) appears in the top window or transparent-portion 3 provided in the front panel i2. The-numbers designating the salesmans estimated yearly volume are placed at spaced points adjacent the outer periphery of the dial it as best shown in Figure 5. With the particular setting of the dial indicated in Figure 3, the number 30,000 appears in the window as as the .salesmans estimated yearly dollar-volume. The second step to be taken is to:set the arrow 36 to what is called the desired plan. -The arrow 36 is in the form of a'transparent arrow-shaped window through which the percentage members appearing on the front of the panel l2 (see Figure 4.) may be viewed. Certain. establishments-operate on one percentage basis or. percentage plan whereas other establishments operate on a different percentage plan and since "the: salesmans compensation is different for each difierent percentage plan, it is obvious that a differentset of figures is necessary for each percentage plan.: The shifting of the window element 24 so as to shift-the arrow from one percentage. plan to another percentage plan causes shifting of the windows 38 through A l from one set offigureson the dial [8 to another set of figures. As explained by the printing ontthe-window element 24 (Figure 3) the windows 38- through designate respectively the salesmans weekly salary in terms of dollars, the salesmans commission on each sale in terms of percentage, the salesmansmonthly bonus on a months saleslif monthly quotais made, the minimum yearly bonusin terms of percentage if quota is made-theminimum yearly bonus in terms of dollars ifquota .ismade, the average yearly earnings if the exact quotaslare. made, and the average \monthly earnings if .the exact quotas are made.

.The fi ures that are exposed through the windows through '56 are all on the dial l8 and are arranged as bestshown in Figure 5. It will be noted that the figures are very compactly arranged in a definite order and that while a large number of figures are present onthe dial l8 only a few scattered figures are visible through the windows 38 through 44 at any one setting of the window element 2 3. As best shown in Figure 4, the front panel i2 is provided with a plurality oftransparent window portions 46 which expose only every other one of the radially arranged columns of figures on the .dial l8. .Whereas only the one column of, numbershas been shown in Figure 4, it is obvious that a complete column of numbers would be visible through .each one of the windows. 36. Dashes havebeen used to designate the locations of the various numbers in these drawings where the scale of the drawing is too small to justify showing the actual numbers.

As indicated by the instructions on the front face of the window element 24, the fourth step in using the selector is to turn the selector over.,,

adjacent the window 58.

4 As shown in Figure 6 of the drawings, the rear disk or manipulator member 26 is provided with a window element 56 which is adapted to line up with any one of several window elements 52 provided in the rear frame element M so as to expose a series of figures 54 placed on the rear side of the dial E8. The figures 56 which are exposedt-hroughthewindow 5B designate the salesmans average earnings for various sales volumes as given by the bracketed figures 55 appearing The average earnings are given on. the dial [8 both in terms of dollars per month and in terms of dollars per year. In

:order todetermineathe average earnings for a givensales volume in thousands of dollars, it is a necessary to read the figures given opposite the numbers filiowhich correspond to a given salesmans sales volume. Thus, if a given salesmans sales volume in thousands of dollars for a given year has been $20,000, his average monthly earnings (asrshownopposite the number 20) .will have been and his average yearly earnings'will have beenv $2,520v for-the setting of the selector shown in Figure 6. Radial lines St on the dial t8 divide the columns. of numbers designating the average earnings per month from the columns of numbers designating-the average earnings per year.

Step number 6 in using'the selector is to refer to the window 68 in the element 26. These values reveal the dealers average cost in percent. The figures designatingthe dealers average costare carried on the rear side of the dial is as indicated in Figure 6- The rear panel i i of the frame H3 is provided with transparent window portions 52 through which the dealers average cost figures are visible. By virtue of the window arrangements explained hereinabove, it is obvious that the various indicia or numbers carried by the dial i8 are fully protected against wear and alteration by virtue of the fact that the-numbers are only visible through the transparent portions of the panels l2 and M which enclose the dial l8.

While the form of. embodiment ofthe invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to bev understood that other forms might be adopted, as maycome within the scope of the claims. which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In a salesmans compensation selector, a frame, an indiciabearing-membermovable relative to said frame, said frame and said member having complementary indexing means whereby said member and said frame may be set. in different relative. positions in which each position is indicative of adiiferentestimated sales volume, and a window elementv disposed in overlapping relationship to said. indicia'bearing member andsaid frame, said frame and said window element.v having complementary indexing m ans whereby said frame and. said window element may be set in differentrelative positions in which each position isindicative of a different compensation plan, said indicia bearing member hav ing thereontabulated compensation information for each of said estimated sales volumes and-each of said compensation plans,.said window element having window means arranged to display compensationv information forcnly one estimated sales volume and for only one. compensation plan for any .one setting of said window. element relative tosaid frame andsaid indiciabearing member, and a manipulator element secured to said window element anddisposedat the rear of said frame, said.v frame and said. manipulator element having registering window means for exposing indicia on the rear side of said indicia bearing member.

2. In combination, a frame having a front panel and a rear panel, said panels having opaque and transparent portions, a rotatable dial disposed between said front and rear panels, said dial having indicia thereon movable into and out of registry with said transparent portions in said panels, a rotatable hand engaging element disposed adjacent the rear of said rear panel, a window element disposed in front of said front panel, means for securing said hand engaging element to said window element so as to cause said elements to rotate in unison, said rotatable dial having an exposed portion for manipulating the dial, said hand engaging element having window portions movable into registry with indicia on the rear side of said rotatable dial, and indicia on said hand engaging element adjacent said window portions arranged in alignment with indicia on said dial.

3. In combination, a frame having a front panel and a rear panel, an indicia bearing dial disposed between said front and rear panels, means for rotatably supporting said dial between said panels, a first window element disposed in front of the front panel and a second window element disposed behind the rear panel, said front and rear panels having radially disposed areas for exposing indicia on said dial, said first and second window elements having windows for exposing a portion only of the indicia exposed by said areas in said panels, and means connecting said window elements to one another and serving to permit movement thereof in unison relative to said panels.

4. In combination, a frame having a front panel and a rear panel, an indicia bearing dial disposed between said front and rear panels, means for rotatably supporting said dial between said panels, a first window element disposed in front of the front panel and a second window element disposed behind the rear panel, said front and rear panels having radially disposed areas for exposing indicia on said dial, said first and second window elements having windows for exposing a portion only of the indicia exposed by said areas in said panels, said window elements comprising a pair of circular disks, said means for rotatably supporting said indicia bearing dial comprising a cylindrical element journaled in said front and rear panels and serving to connect and rotate said disks in unison.

5. In combination, a frame comprising a front panel and a rear panel, said panels having transparent window portions, said front and rear panels each having a substantially centrally located bearing aperture, a rotatable unit comprising a manipulator element disposed adjacent the rear of said rear panel and a window element disposed in front of said front panel and secured to said manipulator element for rotation therewith by means of a cylindrical hub journaled radially inward of said apertures provided in said front and rear panels, a rotatable disk disposed between said front and rear panels and journaled on said hub for rotation relative to said rotatable unit and relative to said frame, and said disk having indicia thereon movable into and out of registry with said transparent portions in the front and rear panels.

6. In a salesmans compensation selector, the combination; a frame having a front panel and a rear panel; said panels having transparent por- 6 tions; a rotatable indicia bearing disk disposed between said front and rear panels; said disk having radially disposed columns of numbers on the front side thereof; said numbers being arranged in sets designating the bonus to be paid on a months sales if monthly quota is made, the minimum yearly bonus to be paid if yearly quota is made, the average earnings for a year if exact quotas are made, the commission to be allowed on each sale and the weekly salary to be paid; a rotatable window element disposed in. front of said panel having circumferentially and radially spaced transparent windows arranged for exposing said sets of numbers; said disk having radially disposed columns of numbers on the rear side thereof designating salesmans average earnings for various accomplished sales volumes and dealers average cost for various accomplished sales volumes; and a rotatable window element disposed at the rear of said rear panel and secured to said first named window element so as to rotate therewith; said last named rotatable window element having columns of numbers indicative of various sales volumes arranged adjacent windows through which certain of said columns of numbers on the rear side of said disk are visible.

7. In a salesmans compensation selector, the combination; a frame having a front panel and a rear panel; said panels having transparent portions; a rotatable indicia bearing disk disposed between said front and rear panels; said disk having radially disposed columns of numbers on the front side thereof; said numbers designating the bonus to be paid on a months sales if monthly quota is made, the minimum yearly bonus to be paid if yearly quota is made, the average earnings for the year if exact quotas are made, the commission to be allowed on each sale, and the weekly salary; a rotatable window element disposed in front of said panel having circumferentially and radially spaced transparent windows arranged for exposing numbers from a plurality of said columns; said disk having radially disposed columns of numbers on the rear side thereof designating salesmans average earnings for various accomplished sales volumes and dealers average cost for various accomplished sales volumes; and a rotatable window element disposed at the rear of said rear panel and secured to said first named window element so as to rotate therewith; said last named rotatable window element having columns of numbers indicative of various sales volumes arranged adjacent windows through which certain of said columns of numbers on the rear side of said disk are visible; said last named rotatable element being larger in diameter than said first named rotatable element so as to serve as the operator for both of said elements.

8. In combination, a supporting frame having a front panel and a rear panel, said panels having transparent portions, a rotatable indicia bearing disk disposed between said front and rear panels, said disk having radially disposed columns of numbers thereon movable into and out of registry with said transparent portions, a rotatable manipulator element disposed adjacent the rear of said rear panel, and a rotatable selector element having transparent portions disposed in front of said front panel to selectively conceal and expose numbers on said disk, means for securing said manipulator element to said selector element so as to cause said elements to rotate in unison, said 7 manipulator element havmg h'ansparent por- I UNHED STATES PATENTS tmns movable mto reglstry wlth transparent portions of said rear panel so as 'to expose indicia on u b Name Date the rear side of said rotatable indic'ia bearing 798,987 Whitaker Sept. 5., 1905 disk. 5 1,253,562 Appelbau-m Jan. 15, 1918 1,360,726 Crook Nov. 30., 1920 GEORGE W. PLUMLY. 1,453,100 Fulgora, Apr. 24, 1923 1,519,253 Harper Dec. 16, 1924 CES CI D 1,593,484 Bonzer July 20, 1926 The following references are of record in the 10 1,751,835 Rlehle 251 1930 m this p t Huber Dec. 15,

Images