US2675177A - Statistical machine - Google Patents

Description

April 13, 1954 J. SERRIN STATISTICAL MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec. 15, 1950 Inventor ./H/V PE/E/Y//V By LL Ju? A Itorey lApril 13, 1954 Filed Dec. 15,'1950 J. PERRIN STATISTICAL MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 n n ventor .f/IN PERP/N Altorrey April 13, 1954 1 PERR|N 2,675,177

STATISTICAL MACHINE Filed Deo. l5, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 fa se as /85 HG2.

S/a 78 82 82/ gg ll ll 74 H63.

72 74 a7 as es 79 70 8O es 7/ 8765 32/ s9= A-JMWML I l', K5 'f I 41-L o Invenlor JOHN PEAE//V April 13, 1954 J. PERRIN 2,675,177

STATISTICAL MACHINE Filed Dec. l5, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor .fo/-Mv Pfff/N mju/Ma;

Attorney April 13, 1954 1. PERRIN STATISTICAL MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. l5, 1950 lil l l H Inventor .I0/wv FFRP/N By JLA? Attorney Patented Apr. 13, 1954 STATISTICAL MACHINE John Perrin, Croydon,

Powers-Samas England, assignor to Accounting Machines Limited,

London, England, a British company Application December 15, 1950, Serial N o. 200,933

Claims priority, application Great Britain January 9, 1950 6 Claims. (Cl. 235-61.11)

This invention relates to statistical machines. In some statistical machines it is desired that numbers sensed from a record, such as a perforated card, according to their ordinary significance be transmitted for use in the machine according to a predetermined code. With such machines it is necessary to provide a coding device adapted to translate the sensed numbers of ordinary significance into the selected code and it is an object of the present invention to provide a coding device to translate into a predetermined code numbers sensed from a record according to their normal signiiicance.

According to the invention there is provided for a statistical machine, a coding device wherein an intermediate element of a column of intermediate elements, one for each index position representative of a number of ordinary significance in a column of a record, is settable by an impulse received as the result of the sensing of a data representation corresponding thereto in a record, each intermediate element having associated therewith a pivoted actuator movable from an activ-e to an inactive position and controllable for movement to one of said positions by its associated intermediate element, said actuators each being associated with a predetermined one of a column of translator elements and mounted for movement into and out of operative engagement therewith when in active position, the translator elements each being connected with one of a plurality of coding elements or with a combination of said coding elements whereby on actuation of a translator element by its associated actuator the coding element or elements connected therewith is or are caused to transmit an impulse or impulses giving a code representation of a sensed number of ordinary significance.

Further according to the invention there is provided for a statistical machine, a coding device comprising sensing means to sense from a record representations of numerals according to their ordinary signiiicance, coding elements to transmit impulses giving a code representation of sensed numbers of ordinary significance, translator elements each representative of a number of ordinary significance and each connected with one of said coding elements or with a combination thereof to convert a number of ordinary significance into its code equivalent, an intermediate element for each translator element, the intermediate elements being settable by said sensing means, and a pivoted actuator for each translator element, the actuators each being movable from an active to an inactive position and controllable for movement to one of said positions by its associated intermediate element and mounted for movement into and out of operative engagement with its associated translator element, whereby on movement of active actuators into engagement with their associated translator elements `sensed numbers of ordinary significance are converted into their code equivalents.

Each coding element may comprise an electrical make-and-break switch controlling an electrical circuit and in one embodiment of the invention the actuators are normally in active position and the sensing means comprises sensing pins adapted to enter data representing perforations in a record, said pins being supported for axial movement in a iixed frame and each aligned with a predetermined one of said intermediate elements, and wherein a card chamber is supported by a movable frame for reciprocation towards and away from said fixed frame whereby when the chamber is moved towards said frame sensing pins failing to pass through perforations in a record set their associated intermediate elements thereby rendering inactive the actuators associated therewith. The actuators may be supported by a movable frame so disposed with relation to the carriage as to be engaged thereby and moved therewith after the carriage has moved a distance sufiicient to effect the setting of the intermediate elements, whereby the active actuators are caused to actuate the translator elements associated therewith.

When the decoding device according to the invention is to be employed in conjunction with a calculating apparatus of the kind which employs electronic valves for effecting the calculations it is desired to use the minimum number of such valves for this purpose and to this end it is proposed in one embodiment of the invention to employ the known four iigure code according to which all numbers of ordinary significance are coded into the code represented by the four figures 8-4-21, and a coding device according to the present invention may be arranged to operate according to this code.

When a calculating apparatus operates in accordance with a code the results or answers obtained by the apparatus are transmitted therefrom in code, and when it is desired to include the result in a result field of the record from which the factors for the calculation were sensed as numbers of ordinary significance the coded result must be decoded before it can be included in the result field in terms of numerals of ordinary' significance. Accordingly, the invention also contemplates a coding device according to the invention in combination with means to feed a record to the sensing means, punch mechanism to punch the result of a calculation in a record from which the sensing means has sensed the factors for the calculation, means to feed a record from the sensing means to said punch mechanism, and punch setting means including a decoding unit to receive a result transmitted thereto as impulses according to a code and to decode the impulses to impulses representative of numbers of ordinary significance, and means actuated by said last named impulses to set the punches of the punch mechanism.

ln order that the invention may be more clearly understood one embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which,

Figures lA and 1B together are an elevation partly in section of a sensing and punching mecha ism, the sensing mechanism having associated therewith a coding. device according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a view of a part oi the sensing mechanism shown in Figure 1A and shows more clearly the coding device associated therewith,

Figure 3 is an end view looking in the direction of arrow A, Figure 2,

Figure e is a section, toan enlarged scale, on line lV--IV, Figure 1B,

Figure 5 shows, in side elevation and top plan, the arrangement of a column of decoding bars employed in conjunction with the punch mech anism, the decoding bars being shown in their normal or inactive positions, and

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic perspective View showing the manner in which the decoding bars are operated to transmit the translationof coded numbers as impulses representative of ordinary numerical significance.

Referring to the drawings perforated record cards are ed from the bottom of a pile contained in a magazine 2t, Fig. lA, by a `picker 2l mounted for reciprocation beneath the magazine. The i...

picker is oscillated by arms 22 pivoted to the machine frame 23, the arms being oscillated about their pivot 24 by a link 25 actuated by an eccentric 2t mounted on the main shaft 21 of the machine. The main shaft 21 is rotated in any suitable knownv manner, such for example as by an electric motor and clutchr mechanism oi known construction.

As each card is fed from the bottom of the magazine it is received between feed rollers 28 which deliver it into a cardchamber 29 forming part of a sensing device. The leading edge of the card entering the cardchamber is arrested by a locating stop il!) which is reciprocated into and out oi the path of the cards by a cam 3| and link mechanism 32, 33, the cam 3i being mountedfon an auxiliary shaft-34 driven through the intermediary of gears 36, 31 at the same angular speed as that of the main shaft 21.

The card. chamber comprises a top plate 38 and a bottom plate 35i each of which is apertured, the apertures in the two plates being aligned so that sensing pins 4!)V can pass through the aligned apertures and an aperture is provided for each data index position on a record card. The apertured plates 38, 39 are spaced apart from each other bya distance sufiicient to accommodate the thickness of areoord card and the plates are mounted on a carriage 4| which is guided for vertical reciprocation between the side frames of the machine. Reciprocation of the carriage is eilected a cam mounted on the auxiliary shait a pivoted link 43 connects the carriage with the cam. The end of the link which is connected to the c i'- riage is preferably mounted on eceen 'c p i 44 to permit ne adjustment of the stroke o the carriage.

Above the card chamber there is a number of sensing pins t@ mounted for asiat movement in a fixed frame compris horizontal guide plates 45 and it, each pin haring a collar 41 to determine the extent oi downward movement of the' pin by engagement with the lowermost guide plate 45. Ii desired, sensing pin may be provided for each card index position or sensing pins may be provided only for certain card columns in certain predetermined fields of a card.

The sensing pins 40 are arranged in columns as 'is well understood in the art, one such eolumn of pins being shown in Figure As the details for each column are the same, as wiil be well understood, only one such coli nn and its associated mechanism will be describedA in detail herein although in Figure S there is shown a cross-section of the machine employing eight columns of sensing pins and associated mechanism.

To facilitate the selection oi elds to be sensed the sensing pins and guide plates may supported by side plates d8 slidably mounted on bars 49 extending between the side frames of the machine.

The upper ends of the sensing pins connected with an intermediate element comprising arigid connection wire o and the upper and ylower ends of the connection wires pass through horizontal guide plates el, 53, Figure 3, so that the connection wires can be rociprocated axially as a result ci the movement of the sensing pins. Each connection w' provided with a collar 5d and a spring th springs acting against the collars 5d and th upper guide plate 53 and tending to urge th connection Wires and the sensing pins downwards.

The plate 53 forms part of a movable frame 5B slidable in .guides 51 secured to fixed frames. 58 supporting the coding mech i. From the carriage 4l there extends upwa two arms 59 having at their upper ends adjustable members 65. When the carriage in its lower position, ets-indicated in Figure 3, the adjustable members 60 are spaced from the lower ends ci. the movable frame members 6l which siide in the guides 51. Thus on upward movement oi the carriage 4i the card supported in the car-fi chamber 29 moves into sensing relation with the sensing pins 40 and those pins which arp aligned with perforations in the record card pass t u "i the card so that such sensing pins are 'not 1o, o axially and consequently do not effect axial movement of the intermediate elements associated therewith. On the other those sensing pins which are not aligned w h the perforations in the card are engaged by the card as it is raised and are moved axia r .i thereby effecting upward movement or" their associated intermediate elements 63 against the action of springs 5.5. When the sensing of the card has been so eiected the carriage is raised. tothe position at. which the adjusting 60 thereonengage the lowei` ends oi the mov- (D CD (l) anun?? able frame members 6| and continued upward movement rof the carriage 4i effects upward movement of the frame 56.

Secured to the plate 53 is a plurality of actuators 62, one for each intermediate element 58, each of which is pivoted at 63 to a support 64 secured to the plate 53. Each actuator 62 is provided with two shoulder members 65, 66 of which the shoulder 65 is engaged by its associated intermediate element 56. The shoulder 66 is connected with a spring 61 which urges the actuator to the position shown in Figure 3 and in which position the shoulder 66 is engaged with the undersurface of an overturned portion 68 forming part of the support. 64,. As shown in Figure 3 each of the actuators 62 is in its normal or active position in which position its upper end is aligned with the lower end of a translator ele ment 69, shown in the drawing as a pin adapted to operate Bowden wires 10 associated therewith.

With the arrangement as just described, if, during the sensing of the record, a sensing pin 40 passes through a data indicating perforation in the record the intermediate element 5D associated therewith is not moved upwards and the actuator 62 associated with that particular intermediate velement remains in the active position shown in Figure 3 so that on upward movement of the frame 56 it engages the lower end of the translator element 69 and actuates that element thus in turn operating the Bowden wire or wires associated therewith. If, however, a sensing pin does not pass through a data indicating perforation in the card -it is raised axially thereby moving its associated intermediate element upwards androcking the actuator 62 associated therewith about its pivot 63 so that the upper end of the .actuator is moved to its inactive position in which position it isout of alignment with the lower. end of its associated translator Thus on upward movement of the frame 56 the inactive actuators will be moved past the translator elements associated therewith and will not eiect actuation thereof.

As can be seen by reference to Figures 2 and 3 the translator elements 69 extend downwards from holders 1I each of which houses the lower end of one or more of the Bowden wires 10. From Figure 2 it will be seen that for each column of sensing pins 40 representing the numbers l to 11 according to their ordinary signification there is provided a holder 1l. In Figure 2 these holders are numbered l to 11 in the order in which these numbers are arranged in a. column on a card.

Above the holders 1I and supported between plates 12 and 13 are coding elements 14 in which the upper ends of the Bowden wires terminate. From Figure 2 it will be seen that for a single column of holders 1I there is .provided four associated coding elements 14. The coding elements 14 are to represent in code sensed numbers of ordinary signicance, 4the'code employed being the known code according to which numbers of ordinary significance are translated into terms of the figures 8-42-l- Associated with the upper ends of the Bowdens in the code elements 14 is a plate 15 from which a stem 16 extends upwards and is located in a cylindrical contact member 11, such Contact member comprising conductor elements 18 and 19 and a contiguous insulator element 8B. The cylindrical contact member 11 is fitted over the upper end of the stem 16 to be freely rotatable about its longitudinal axis and the contact memelement 69. A

' impulse from ered to the position ber is guided for axial movement in insulating bushes 8|, Figure 2, supported in a conductor plate 81a, the contact member being axially movable in response to axial movement of the stem 16. The plate 8| is mounted on bars 82 supported by members 83 which are secured to the side frames 58. The cylindrical contact members 11 are urged towards the stem 16 by springs 84.

Contact members 85, each formed as a leaf spring depending from a plate 86, engage with the cylindrical contact member 11. The plate 86 is formed from insulating material and, as shown in the drawings, is supported by the side frames 58. The upper ends of the contact meinn bers 85 are connected with terminals 31 while the lower or free ends of the contact members each normally engages the peripheral surface of the insulator element of its associated contact member 11.

Wear on the cylindrical contact members is substantially even around the peripheral surface thereof because due to the cylindrical contact members being freely rotatable about their longitudinal axes the contact members tend to rotate as a result of vibrations of the machine thus presenting diierent portions of their peripheral surfaces to therportions of the contact members which engage therewith. e

The terminals 81 are connected by wires, not shown, to an electrical calculating apparatus, not shown, adapted to operate according to the above mentioned four gure code and thus when contact member 11 is raised axially on receipt of an its associated coding element 14 its conductor element 18 is moved into engagement with its co-acting ccntactmember 35 so that an electr-ical impulse is transmitted to the calculating apparatus, such electrical impulse or impulses representing a sensed number of ordinary signincance according to fthe said four-igure code.

As has been mentioned above, the coding device now being described is adapted to translate numn bers of ordinary signiiicance from 1 to ll into the 8-4-2-1 code and in Figure 2 the contact members 11 associated with theI four coding elements have been numbered respectively 8, 4, 2, 1.

The numbers l to ll are represented in the 8-421 code as follows:

The code equivalent of 1 is 1.

The code equivalent of 2 is 2.

The code equivalent of 3 is 1-2. The code equivalent of 4 is 4.

The code equivalent of 5 is 1-4. The code equivalent of 6 is 2 4. The code equivalent of '1 is 1-2--i. The code equivalent of 8 is 8.

The code equivalent of 9 is 18. The code equivalent of l0 is 2 8. The code equivalent of 11 is l-28.

Accordingly, as is'illustrated in Figure 2, the Bowden wires 16 connect the translator elements 69 to the code elements 14 in this manner, for example, a single Bowden .wire 16 connects the translator' element representative ci ordinary number 8 with the coding element represen ing number 8 and the translator elementl repreeenta tive of the ordinary number 7 is connected by three Bowden wires to the combination of coding elements representing numbers l-Zwe.

After the carriage 4 has been raised to eiect actuationof the translator elements 6 8 it is lowat which the card chamber 29 receives a record trom. the sensed `record is then fed out of the card chamber .b y feed rollers 88, 89 which feed it into a second card `chamber 90, Figure 1A, forming part of a punch unit. The record is arrested in the chamber 90 by a vertical reciprocating stop 9| operated from a cam, not shown, on the main shaft 21 through the medium of rocking arm 92 and rod 93 on the stop 9|.

The card chamber of the punch unit is mounted for vertical reciprocation with a carriage 94 .and comprises upper and lower die members 95, 96. Punches 91 are provided in guides 98 and extend into the upper die member, being freely mounted for axial movement relative to their guides. Above the punches is disposed a set bar unit S. B. U. of known construction, the set bars 99 being arranged in columns to co-operate with the punches and provided with locking means to retain the bars in set position together with restoring means for restoring the bars after a punching operation has ben eiected.

In Figure 1A one column of set-bars 99 is shown, as will be well understood, together, in Figure 1B, with the decoding mechanism for that column. Figure 4, however, is a cross-section of the machine and shows apart of each of six columns, it being assumed for the purposes of this specincation that the punch unit is to be capable of punching a six-figure answer or result in the result field of a record.

Above the set bars 99 and aligned therewith are selector pins |00, Figure 1B, mounted to be axially movable between horizontal guide members and |02, the selector pins being urged by Springs |03 away from the upper ends of the set bars. The upper end of each of the selector pins is connected with a rigid connection wire |94, the upper ends of the wires |94 being located between guides |05, |05 for engagement by translator elements |01. Each translator element represents a number according to its ordinary signification and the translator elements are arranged in columns as shown in Figure 1B, a. translator element |01 being provided for each or' the numbers 1 to l1 inclusive.

Associated with each column of translator elements |01 is a set of decoding bars, the set consisting of four bars |08, |09, ||0 and assoeiated respectively with electro-magnets |12, ||3, i i4 and ||5. The electro-magnets are adapted to be energised by impulses received from the calculating apparatus in accordance with the result of the calculation effected by the calculating apparatus. The result transmitted from the calculating apparatus to the electro-magnets is according to the 8-4-2-1 code described above and the electro-magnets in Figure 1B are identiiied according to the code ngure which they represent.

Each electro-magnet is provided with an armature H6 from which a pin ||1 extends laterally and is engaged in a slot ||8 formed in one end of its associated decoding bar. The de-coding bars are supported for length-wise movement in brackets ||9 and |20 secured to the side frames i2! of the punch unit. When an electro-magnet is energisedit moves its associated de-coding bar lengthwise for a predetermined distance, to the right as viewed in Figure 1B. At the end of its stroke the de-coding bar is retained in its set or active position by a latch |22 pivoted at |23 to a bracket |24 secured to the side frames |2|. lThe latchv is .urgedfdownwards `altgout its pivot by a spring 42.5.` so that the. de-coding .the magazine and bar :is 75 be. moved moved to :active position .the latch is engaged -in a notch |26 formed in the -upper edge of the decoding bar at the right hand end thereof as viewed in Figure 1B.

The construction of the de-coding bars is best seen in Figure 5 from which it will be observed that each Aof the bars is provided with a number of obstructing elements |21 and a number of guides |28 formed as grooves each representative of a number represented by one of the `translator elements |01 in a column. To facilitate the understanding of the arrangementoi the decoding Abars each of the bars'` in Figure 5 vvhas its guides numbered to indicate with which of the translator elements it is to co-operate.

From yFigure 5 it will be seen that each decoding bar has the 4same number of guides |28 and that each has a guide to co-.operate with a predetermined one of the translator elements. The relative disposition of the guides |28 in the decoding bars is such .that when the bars are in their normal or inactive position, that is as shown in Figure 1B, no four of the guides .of like `denominations are in complete alignment and it is at that time not possible for the tongues |29 on the translator elements |01, Figure 4, to pass therethrough so that each of the translator elements of a column are. prevented from .being moved downwards by the means to be described below.

As can be seen from Figure 5, the arrangement of the guides |28 on the respective bars |08, |09 i i0 and is such that when the electro-magnet associated with a particular bar is energised, thereby moving that bar to the right as viewed in Figure 1B (to the left as viewed in Fig. .5), a particular guide |28 on that bar is moved into alignment with a lguide of corresponding numeric value in each of the other three bars of corresponding denomination. Thus, when the translator element |01. to co-operate with the guides of that denomination is moved downwards it can pass through the aligned guides in the four bars and into engagement with the upper end of its associated connection wire |04 thereby imparting an impulse to that connection wire to effect the setting of the corresponding set bar 99 oi the set bar unit in readiness for a punching operation.

As an example of the manner in which the decoding bars operate let it be assumed that the electro-magnet ||2, representing the code number 8, has been energised the electro-magnets H3, H4, and ||5 not being energised. The .decoding bar |08 will be moved to the right, as viewed in Figure 1B, and retained in active position by its latch |22. In this position of the bar |08 the number "8 guide |28, see Figure 5 is in alignment with the number 8 guides formed in the bars |09, ||'|l and Thus, on downward movement of the number 8 translator element, the element will pass through the number 8 guides in each of the (ie-coding bars and will effeet the Vsetting of the number 8 set bar in the setbar unit.

As a further example letit be assumed that in the column under consideration impulses have been received from the calculating apparatus by each of the electro-magnets I3, i4 and 5, the electro-magnet |'|2 remaining inactive. When this occurs the bars |09, ||0 and are each moved to their active position, in which they are latched, and this movement, oi the bars causes ,the number 57? guides .irl eaohof these bars .to into. alignmentwth the number 7 -not been moved from their guide in the bar |08 which has not been moved from its normal or inactive position. Consequently on downward lmovement of the translator elements for this column each of the elements will be arrested by the obstructing ,portions of the bars, with the exception of the number 7 translator element which has a free passage through the aligned number 7 guides in each of the four bars.

As a further example let it be assumed that the electro-magnets ||3 and H5 receive impulses from the calculating apparatus so that only the bars |09 and I I are moved to the right, as viewed in Figure 1B, to their active positions. When this occurs the number guides in bars |09 and I I are moved into alignment with the number 5 guides in the bars |08 and I I0 which have normal or inactive positions. Thus, on operation `of the translator elements associated with this column the only element to receive a free passage is the number 5 element which can pass through -the aligned number 5 guides in each of the four de-coding bars.

The translator elements |01 are supported in a movable frame which is reciprocated vertically by a cam, not shown, on the main shaft 21. The upper ends of the translator elements pass through guide plates I3| secured to the movable frame and the lower ends of the translator elements are guided in a slotted plate |32 also carried by the movable framer |30. Each translator element |01 is urged downwards by a pin |33 and spring |34, thepin being provided with a head which engages against a shoulder on the translator element. Each translator element has formed on the edge thereof opposite the edge in which the tongues |29 are formed, a projection |35 for co-operation with a shutter |36, the shut,- ter extending across the column of translator elements |01 as shown in Figure 1B. The shutter is pivoted at its ends, as indicated at |31, to side plates |38 movable with the frame |30. A spring |39 urges the shutter to the position shown in Figure 4 in which position its lower end is moved outwards away from the projection |35 and is arrested by a stop |40. l l

Assuming that at least one of the de-coding bars for the column has been moved to its active position, when the frame |30 is lmoved downwards each of the translator elements |01 with the exception of the one which is free to pass through its aligned co-operating guides |28 in the de-coding bars is arrested by the obstructing portions formed on the de-coding bars. This is diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 6.

From the drawings, it will be seen that before the translator elements can engage the rigid connection wires 04 they are movable through a predetermined distance and during this movement those translator elements whose movement is obstructed by the de-coding bars move upwards in relation to the descending frame so-that the upper end portions I4| of the translator elements engage the inturned top portion |42 of the shutter |36 thus rotating the shutter in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 4, about its pivots |31. By the time that the lower end of the shutter is moved inwards the projections |35 on the translator elements whose movement has been arrested are positioned above the inturned portion I 43 at the lower end of the shutter. The translator element which has been selected for operation however, that is the one which is to be moved through the de-coding bars, has not moved relatively to the shutter so that the inward movement of the shutter brings the lower portion |43 thereof into engagement with the selected translator element just above the projection |35 thereon. Accordingly during the continued downward movement of the frame the shutter acts as a driving member, engaging behind the projection |35 on the selected translatorelement and positively moving it downwards through the aligned slots in the de-coding bars and into engagement with the upper end of the rigid connection wire |04 associated therewith so that the latter is moved downwards and effects the setting of the appropriate set bar 99 in the set bar unit.

The de-coding bars which have been moved to their active positions are retained in this position by the latches |22 until the frame |30 has been raised to restore the translator elements |01 to their normal or starting position and thereafter the active de-coding bars are restored to inactive position by a vertical reciprocable restoring plate |44 the plate being reciprocated by a lever |45 operated from a cani, not shown, on the main shaft 21. The restoring plate |44 is provided with a slot |46 for each of the latches |22 and during the restoring movement the restoring plate is moved downwards so that the upper edges of the slots engage the tails of the latches |22 thus lifting the latches out of the notches |26 formed in the active cle-coding bars. The de-coding bars are then restored to inactive position by the springs |41 on the electromagnets.

As described above, it has been assumed that the de-coding unit is to operate only in respect of decimal problems but ir" it is desired that the mechanism be employed to decode sterling problems a further electro-magnet |48 is provided and the armature of this electro-magnet is connected with a member |49 connected in turn to a further de-coding bar |50, see Figure 4, to co-operate with the vertical guide formed in the bar |50 an additional tongue I5I is formed on the translator element representing tens of shillings. Thus, if in Figure 4 it is assumed that the de-coding unit shown therein is adapted for (ie-coding sterling problems the two translator elements at the extreme right of the ligure represent decimal fractions of a penny, the third translator element from the right of the figure represents pence, the fourth element represents shillings, the remaining two translator elements represent respectively units of pounds and tens of pounds.

As the result or answer is to be punched in a specic iield of the card it is not necessary to provide an electro-magnetic, de-coding bars and translator elements for each card index position but only sufficient columns of electro-magnets, de-coding bars, and translator elements for a eld of predetermined capacity. Accordingly the electro-magnets, de-coding bars and associated translator elements are formed as a unit and mounted on bars |52 extending between the frames |2| so that by sliding the unit lengthwise of the bars selection of the result iield with respect to a record can be obtained.

After a card in the chamber Si) has been raised and punching effected therein the carriage 94 is again lowered and the card is fed out of the card chamber between rollers |53 which deliver the card into a magazine |54.

In order that the operation of the devices according tothe invention may be clearly understood, the function thereof will now be described on the assumption thata card fed to the sensing anni?? chamber contains a multiplicand 987 and a multiplier 456 which are to be multiplied together in an electrical calculating apparatus, the result or answer' being transmitted from the calculating apparatus in code to the punch unit Where the result is cle-coded and is punched in a result eld of the from which the factors have been sensed.

The card alter being fed into the sensing chambeil is raised into engagement with the sensing pins lll and all the pins, with the excep tion of those which sense the factors given above, are raised by the card so that their associated intermediate elements are lifted to rock their associated actuators S2 to their inactive positions, in which positions they are out of alignment with their associated translator elements til.

Taking first the multiplicand 987 sensed from the card, in the units column the number 2' translator element receives an impulse from its actuator c2 and through the Bowden` wires l0 sends impulses to each oi the code elements l-2-e- [accordingly three electrical impulses are sent via the switches 85 to the calculating apparatus to represent the sensed number 7. In the tens column the translator element representing 'the sensed number S sends a single impulse to the code element 8 thereby initiating a single electrical impulse for transmission to the calculating apparatus representative of the sensed number 8. ln the hundreds column the translator element representing the sensed number 9 sends impulses to the number i and the number 8 code elements so that two electrical impulses are sent to the calculating .apparatus to represent the sensed number 9.

Ila-ving regard to the multiplier 456 sensed from the card, electrical impulses are transmitted to the calculating apparatus as follows: the units multiplier 6 is represented by two electrical impulses initiated by the number 27 and number e code elements in that column, the tens multiplier is represented by two electrical impulses initiated by the number and number 4 code elements in that column and the hundreds multiplier 4 is represented by a single electrical impulse initiated vby the number 4" code element in that column.

When calculation has been completed the answer obtained by multiplying 987 by 456 is 456,072 this result is transmitted `to the punch unit in terms ci the 8-4-2-l coole as follows: the 2 is transmitted to the units column of the punch unit as an electrical impulse to the numser electro-magnet iIlI, the number 7 is transmitted to the tens column electro-magnets as three electrical impulses, one to the electrornagnet lili, one to the electro-magnet II4, and one to the electro-magnet IIS. In the hundreds and thousands columns none of the electro-magnets are energised as in each of 'these two columns the resultant ligure is zero, but in the tens of thousands column the 5 is transmitted to the electro-magnets associated therewith as -tWo electrical impulses, one to the electro-magnet II 5, and the other to the electro-nagnet H3. In the hundreds or" thousands column the 4 to be registered therein is transmitted as a single electrical impulse to the electro-magnet I I3 of that column.

On energisation of the electro-magnets lthe de-coding bars associated therewith are moved to the right, as viewed in Figure 1B, and are retained in their set positions by the latches |22. Thus on downward movement of the frame I30, in the units column of translator elements the number 2 element is permitted to be moved downwards into engagement with its corresponding connection wire |04, and in the tens column only the translator element representative of 7 is selected. As zeros appear in the hundreds and the thousands columns of the answer none of the translator elements ll corresponding to these columns are permitted to descend with the frame lu as none of the decoding bars associatcd therewith is active, and in the tens o thousands and hundreds of thousands columns only the translator elements representative of the numerals 5 and "4 respectively are permitted to descend with the frame. By the operation of the selected translator elements the result 450,072 is transmitted to the set bar unit S. B. U. and when the card, which by now is in the card chamber tu moved upwards together with the punches Eil, the selected set bars 9S cause the appropriate punches to punch the answer 450,072 in the result .field of the card, although only the positive digits 4, 5, 7, and 2 are actually punched in the card.

After the set bars 99 of the set bar unit have been set the frame |30 is raised and the active cie-.coding bars are restored to inactive position as above described, and after the answer has been punched in the card the card chamber is again lowered so that the card therein is red out oi' the chamber and is delivered into the receiver |54.

Although in the foregoing description the coding and cie-.coding mechanism has been described with reference to its application to coding and cie-coding according to the 8-4-2-1 code it will be understood that, if desired, the mechanism herein described can be employed for coding and `de-coding according to other forms oi' code.

It should also be understood that although in the coding device it has been found convenient to employ Bowden wires as the means of transmitting impulses from the translator elements 69, the impulses could, if desired be transmitted electrically. Further, it .will be understood by those skilled `in the art that there may be employed sensing means other than sensing pins as described herein.

I claim-z 1. In a record controlled statistical machine of the class described, record sensing means including a separate sensing element lor each value designating index position of said record being sensed and a carriage for reciprocating a record into sensing relation to said sensing` elements, a plurality of coding elements controlled by said sensing means and fewer in number than said sensing elements, each of said coding velements being singly settable to represent the value associated with a predetermined one of said sensing elements and jointly settable in combination with one or more other coding elements to representin combinational ,code the values associated with all of said sensing elements, and means operatively interposed between said sensing elements and said coding elements ior selectively actuating the coding element or elements representative of the value detected by said sensing means, said interposed means including a separate actuator associated with each sensing element and interponents extending from. each actuator to the coding element or elements settable .to represent the value associated with the related actuator, each actuator being pivotally mounted rto swing from an active to an inactive setting under control of the single sensing element associated therewith, each actuator also reciprocally mounted to move into and out of operative position relative to the interponents associated therewith, said actuator when in active setting and moved to said position operatively engaging said interponents to actuate the coding element or elements representative of the value associated with the individual sensing element controlling said actuator.

2. For a statistical machine, a coding device comprising sensing means to sense from a record data representations of numerals according to their ordinary significance, coding elements to transmit impulses giving a code representation of sensed numbers of ordinary significance, translator elements each representative of a number of ordinary significance and each connected with one of said coding elements or with a combination thereof to convert a number of ordinary significance into its code equivalent, an intermediate element for each translator element, the intermediate elements being settable by said sensing means, a reciprocally mounted pivoted actuator for each translator element, the actuators each being movable about their pivotal axis from a normally active position to an inactive position and movable to the inactive position by its associated intermediate element, and means operable independently of the setting of said intermediate elements by said sensing means to reciprocate the actuators into and out of operative relationship to their associated translator elements, whereby on movement of said actuators into said operative relationship the actuators in active position engage with their associated translator elements to convert numbers sensed according to their ordinary signicance into their code equivalents.

3. A coding device according to claim 2, wherein the actuators are normally in active position and the sensing means comprises sensing pins adapted to enter data representing perforations in a record, said pins being supported for axial movement in a fixed frame and each aligned with a, predetermined one of said intermediate elements, and wherein a card chamber is supported by a carriage for reciprocation towards and away from said xed frame whereby when the chamber is moved towards said frame sensing pins failing to pass through perforations in a record set their associated intermediate elements thereby rendering inactive the actuators associated therewith.

4. A coding device according to claim 3, wherein the actuators are supported by a movable frame, said movable frame being so disposed with relation to said carriage as to be engaged thereby and moved therewith after the carriage has moved a distance sufcient to eiiect the setting of the intermediate elements, whereby the active actuators are caused to actuate the translator elements associated therewith.

5. In a devce of the class described, translator elements, sensing pins, actuator elements between the pins and the translator elements and normally in active position, a movable card chamber for advancing a card into sensing relation with the pins, means operated by the pins, as the chamber rst advances, to move certain actuators to inactive position, and means independent of said pins and made effective by further advance of the chamber to cause the actuators which are in active position to lift the translator elements associated therewith.

6. In a device of the class described, a plurality of translator elements to be moved, a corresponding number of sensing pins to be advanced towards said translator elements, a corresponding number of actuator elements each having a pivoted portion disposable in active and inactive positions with respect to a translator element and normally disposed in active relation thereto, a frame supporting said actuator elements, a card chamber, means for moving said chamber toward said sensing pins, means ccnnecting the pins with respective actuators to tilt said pivoted portions to inactive position as the chamber is elevated, and means associated with the chamber-moving means and the frame supporting the actuators to lift the frame after the tilting of the actuators has taken place to positively lift the pivoted portion of the untilted actuators into contact with the associated translator elements :and liit the same.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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