US2832540A

US2832540A - dustin etal

Info

Publication number: US2832540A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1958-04-29
Anticipated expiration: 1975-04-29

Description

April 29, 1958 H. M. DUsTlN ETAL DIGITAL AcTUAToR CLUTCH MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Nov. 29, 1954 alla.:

[aule/ze E Reyna/ds.

vBY una April 29, 1958 H. M. DusTlN ETAL 2,832,540

DIGITAL ACTUATOR CLUTCH MECHANISM Filed Nov. 29, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FlEgE INVENToR` Han/am f?! 17am/z. [age/7e E. Hayao/afs.

April 29, 1958A H. M. DusTIN ETAL A2,832,540

DIGITAL ACTUATOR CLUTCH MECHANISM Filed Nov. 29, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FLIEJEI- mvENToRs Han/mf M. us f/f?. Eugene E. Reyna/afs.

BY www@ United States Patent O rrd DIGITAL ACTUATR CLUTCH MECHANISM Howard M. Dustin, Alameda, and Eugene E. Reynolds, Richmond, Calif., assignors to Marchant Calculators, Inc., a corporation of California Application November 29, 1954, Serial No. 471,694

Claims. (Cl. 2255-49) The present invention relates to calculating machines and more particularly concerns digital actuating means for the numeral wheels of an accumulator register.

The present invention is disclosed as embodied in a ten key calculating machine of the general type shown in the patent application Serial No. 275,259, tiled March 7, 1952, now Patent No. 2,702,668, issued Feb. 22, 1955, and with the exception of the actuating means and related actuator control devices, the two machines are identical.

A ten key keyboard is provided for entry of selected values into the plural order pin carriage. The depression of any value entry key 1 to 9 is effective, through the intermediary of the single order entry device, to eject one of nine differentially arranged pins in each respective order of the pin carriage. A tenth pin, one of which is provided in each order and referred to hereinafter as the end pin, is ejected at the same time that one of the nine value pins 1-9 is ejected; thus, in each order in which a value is entered, two pins are ejected. These two pins control the engagement and disengagement of a numeral wheel clutch, one of which is permanently associated with each numeral wheel. The ydepression of the 0 key merely shifts the single order value entry device relative to the pin carriage without ejecting any of the pins.

During the value entering operation, the pin carriage remains aligned with the leftmost, or highest orders of the numeral wheel clutches. Therefore, at the end of the value entering operation, .the pin carriage stands in a position to control the entry of a selected value into the highest orders of the register, or alternatively the pin carriage may be shifted to any position relative to the register before numeral wheel actuation is begun. According to the previously mentioned patent, the pin carriage may be shifted under control of a decimal key and relatedk devices to a position of decimal alignment with a decimal point in the accumulator register. The present invention, however, is not concerned with the decimal and shift control devices and further mention thereof is believed unnecessary, it being sufficient to point out that, in any shifted position of the pin carriage, the two pins which are ejected in each order control the engagement and disengagement of a numeral wheel clutch currently aligned therewith.

A main object is to provide animproved numeral wheel actuator clutch which operates dependably at high speeds of rotation.

Another object is to engage and disengage a numeral wheel actuator clutch by means of two respective control devices.

Still another object is to provide a unitary clutch engaging and disengaging control means for a reversible numeral wheel clutch in which the means for engaging and disengaging the clutch in one direction of rotation are reversed in function during rotation of the clutch in the other direction.

A further object is to provide improved means which` are operable to prevent overthrow of the numeral wheels when their respective clutches are disengaged, such overthrow preventing means being operable under control of the clutch disengaging means in one direction of rotation of the clutch and being operable under control of a cyclically operable means during rotation of the clutch in the other direction.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a right side view in section showing a calculating machine in which the present invention s embodied.

Fig. 2 is an exploded projection as viewed from the left front of the machine, showing a numeral wheel actuator clutch. v

Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are left side views showing the actuator clutch and non-overthrow mechanism in progressive stages of operation.

Fig. 7 is a right side view showing a portion of the value entering mechanism.

Fig. 8 is a left side view of a portion of the control mechanism for the numeral wheel detent.

Value entry mechanism The value entry mechanism includes ten selection keys or' which only the zero" and 9 value entry keys 100 (Fig. l) are shown. Since the depression of each value entry key l to 9 effects entry of a respective value into the pin, or storing carriage, in a similar manner, only the 9 value key is described and the following description will serve for all nine value entry keys l to 9. The depression of the 0 key merely causes a one order escapement of the single order entry device as described hereinafter.

The 9 key 100 (Fig. l) is mounted for up and down sliding movement by suitable means not shown and is spring urged to its raised position in conventional manner. Depression of the key rocks a bellcrank 109 clockn wise about a fixed pivot 112, thus moving link 113 to the left and rocking an arm 116 and a shaft 117 in a counterclockwise direction. A second arm (not shown), but spaced apart and similar to arm 116, is mounted on an opposite end of shaft 117. Fixed to these arms on shaft 117 is a transverse bail 139 which is rocked with the arms. Bail 139 is one of ten bails 130-139 corresponding to the values 0-9. Depression of the keys 0, and 2-9, moves the respective bails 130 and 132-139 forwardly of the machine (to the left in Fig. 1). Depression of the l key moves bail 131 rearwardly of the machine.

Ten bellcranks 140-149 are each pivotally mounted as at 118 (see bellcrank 149) on the single order value entry device 120 which is referred to hereinafter as a setup carriage. This carriage comprises a U-shaped strip of material mounted for shifting movement relative to a storing carriage 125. The upper left end of the set-up carriage 120 carries a roller 121 which is embraced by a channel member 122 fixed within the framework of `the machine. The upper rightmost end of the set-up carriage 120 carries a roller bearing hub 123 which is slidable upon a transverse shaft 124. This arrangement provides for transverse sliding movement of carriage 120 under the control of an escapement mechanism described hereinafter. During such escapement, the bifurcated tips of the bellcranks -149 maintain contact with their respective bails 130439, thus enabling the keys to rock the bellcranks in any shifted position of carriage 120.

The set-up carriage 120 and its bellcranks 140-149 underlies the storing carriage 125. The storing carriage comprises a pair of U-shaped plates 126 and 127 which are maintained in spaced relationship by ordinally spaced intermediate frame members 179. The upper rightmost ends of the left and right end frame members 179 (one shown) are connected to roller bearing hubs 196 which are mounted upon a transverse shaft 197. The leftmost ends of the frame members 179 each carry a hub 198 which 1s mounted upon a transverse shaft 199. Control means are described hereinafter for shifting the storing carriage along the supporting shafts 197 and 199.

The storing carriage 125 may be of any desired pacity, and in the present case is disclosed as an eight order storing carriage. in each order thereof, there are nine value pins 1161-169 corresponding to the values "1 to "9, and there is also provided a Zero shift lever 160.

. Only the bottom portions of the 1, 2 and 3 pins,

161, .162 and 163 respectively, are shown in Fig. l, thc remainder of these pins being broken away to permit the illustration of other mechanisms. The value pins i61-169 are each mounted for up and down sliding move ment in slots cut in the U-shaped plates 126 and 127 of -the storage carriage. Thel pins 161-169 have slow which embrace studs 12S fixed to the ordinal frame members 179 for guiding the pins 161-169 in their up and down movment. Torsion springs 187 are anchored to the bottom plate 26, and are provided between respective pairs of pins (see pins 167 and 163) to normally hold the pins in the retracted position shown.

Each of the previously described selection set-up bellcranks 1511-149 has a respective ear such as' the ear 14% for the bellcrank lit-9, which ears each underlie a corresponding shoulder on the bottoms of the value storage pins 161-169 (see shoulder 159 on pin 169). The 0 bellcrank 1401 has an ear 140e which underlies the shift control lever 16d. The arrangement is such that depression of any value ke l to 9 and the resultant rock- 1ng movement of its bellcrank 141-149 will cause a corresponding pin 161-169 to be moved upwardly where it is locked as described hereinafter.

At the same time that one of the nine value pins 161-169 is ejected, a second pinv 170, referred to hercinafter as the end pin, is also ejected. As will become apparent from the description of the actuator clutches, the end pin cooperates with any one of the ejected value pins 1651-169 to control the engagement and disengagement of an actuator clutch'.

The endpin 170 is formed on the left end of a lever 177 pivoted at 17? to the selection storing carriage, and normally stands` in the full line position'shown. The end pin 17'@ is in lateral alignment with the No. 2

value pin 152 (not shown) and is raised to the dotted line position when one of the pins 161-169 is raised. Referring first to. theNo. l and No. 2 value pins 16Ev yand 162, these pins have lugs itil and 182 (Fig. 7) which underlie the lever 177. Therefore, when either of the pins 16 or 1&2 is raised by depression of the l and 2 value entry keys, the lugs 101 and 132 also raise the lever 177 and the end pin 170 to fully ejected position.

A slightly dierent arrangement is provided for raising the end pin 170 in response to depression of the keys 3 to "9. For this purpose, a link 172 (Fig. 7) has pivotal connections at its opposite ends to a pair of levers 173 and 174-. These two levers are pivotally connected to the set-up carriage Link 172 has six lobes 171 lying adjacent the six selection hails 133-138. The bail 139 lies adjacent a lower extension'173a of lever 173. lt will therefore he apparent that upon depression of one of the keys 3 to 9, the corresponding selection bail133-139 will move toward the left and thus move link 172 toward the left. At such time, an extension 175 on. the lever 174 will be moved counterclockwise, and through contact with arm 176 on lever 177 will rock the lever 177 and the end pin 170 to its raised position.

The movement of the lever 177y as described above also releases a lock bar sitlfig. i) which locks the selected pin 161-169 and the end pin in raised position. An

il t) ear 180 on lever 177 normally lies in front of an extension 205i on the rightmost end of the lock bar 281 and holds the latter in the position shown. Upon clockwise rocking movement of lever 177, the lock bar is released from ear 130.

Lock bar Zii is provided with arcuate slots which receive studs 12S, which it will be recalled, also serve to guide the up and down movement of the selection pins. ln the case of the lock bar, the studs 128 guide the bar for 1 kwisc sliding movement about an imaginary center coinciding with the main actuator shaft 210. Such movement is in response to the urgency of a spring (not shown).

A series of nine lugs 211 extend laterally from the lock bar and upon clockwise movement of the bar, one of the lugs moves under the shoulder 194 of the raised value pin while the remaining eight lugs move over the shoulders 194 of the other value pins which have not been moved, thus locking the pins in either their raised or their lower position, as the case maybe. Meanwhile, the extension 20S of the lock bar moves under the ear 5.80 on the end pin lever 177 and locks it in` raised position.

Each depression of a key to as well the 0, key also causes a single order escapernent of the selection set-up carriage to the next lower order of the storing Carriage. For this purpose, an escapement control lever 169 is pivotally mounted at 128 toy the setup carriage 120. The upper rightmost end of lever 160 has a laterally bent extension 201 which overles an escapernent pawl 202, pivotally mounted at 203 to the selection set-up carriage 120. The pawl is normally spring urged to engage between ordinally spaced teeth on an escapement rack 204 fixed to the storing carriage 125. Upon depression of the "0 key and the clockwise movement of the zero bellcrank 149 the shift lever 160 is rocked clockwise whereupon its extension 201 moves the pawl 202 out of engagement with the rack 204. At such time, a spring 20S, connected at one end to the set-up carriage and at its other end to the framework of the machine, moves the set-upcarriage towards the next lower order of the machine. If the operator has meanwhile released the "0 key, the pawl 205 will engage the next tooth of the rack 204, thus completing the oneorder escapement, whereas if the operator rides the key, the ear on the zero bellcrank 140, which is then held in clockwise position by the continued Vdepression of the 0 key, contacts the side of the next lower order shiftv control lever 'and holds the carriage in a half step position of escapement until the key is released to permit the remaining 1/2 step of escapement and the reengagement of the -pawl with the rack.

The shift lever 160 is also rocked clockwise by the depression of the keys l to 9 to cause escapement of the set-up carriage as follows. When the end pin lever 177 is rocked clockwise, as previously described, a shoulder 192 on lever 177 depresses the lateral extension 201 on the rightmost end of the shift control lever 160, thus initiating an ordinal escapement in the same manner as if the 0 key had been depressed. If the operator rides any of the digital value entry keys this will hold its corresponding bellcrank 141-149 in clockwise position and upon approximately a half step of escapement of the setup carriage 120, the bellcrank will abut the side of a respective one of the next adjacent lower order value entry pins 161-169 thus holding the set-up carriage in a halfstep position until the key is released. Such release permits the bellcrank to return to initial position and the set-up carriage then completes its second half step of escapement whereupon the escapement pawl 202 re-engages the rack 204 to prevent further escapement of the set-up carriage. If the operator depresses a value entry key and quickly releases the key, the escapement of setup carriage is likewise limited to a single order. In this case, the escapement pawl 202 is rocked counterclockwise by ear 201 in the usual manner to initiate the escapement, and the ordinal shift lever 160, on which ear 201 is iixed, is locked in such position; hon over, pawl 202 escapes with the set-up carriage ii and slides olf of ear 2M, thus permitting the pawl 2&2 to engage the next tooth of rack 204 and prevent further escapement of the set-up carriage.

This completes the value entering operation in the current order and the set-up carriage stands aligned with the next lower order of the storing carriage where the next value entering operation may be made by depressing the appropriate value entry ltey. This sequence of value entering operations is followed in each order until the desired factor is entered into the storing carriage.

A plurality of indicator dials 184 (Fig. l) are provided for showing the values entered into the storing carriage. Such dials are conventional and since they play no part in the present invention, no further description of the same is believed necessary. v

Digital actuating mechanism 'fhe digital actuating mechanism comprises a plurality ot' numeral wheel actuator clutches, one of which is permanently associated with each numeral wheel of the accumulator register. Since the number of orders of actuator control pins in the storage carriage is less than the number of orders of numeral wheel clutches, only certain groups of clutches are engaged and disengaged at any one time, depending both on the shifted position of the storing carriage and also the number of ordinal values entered into the storing carriage. The present invention, however, is not directly concerned with the shifting mechanism for the storage carriage, and reference may be had to the previously mentioned patent for a description of one way in which a storing carriage is shifted relative to the numeral wheels.

Since all of the numeral wheel clutches are similar and the manner in which they are engaged and disengaged is the same, the description of one such clutch will sutiice for all clutches.

An actuator clutch is generally designated at 231i in the left side view shown in Fig. 2 and comprises in part, a ring gear 231 (Figs. 1 and 2) meshing with an idler 232 (Fig. l), the latter being entrained with a gear 233 xed to the numeral wheel 234. The numeral wheels are driven selected amounts by clutching and declutching the ring gear 231 from a reversible, cyclically driven shaft 210 under the control of the selectively ejected pins ldl- 169 of the selection storing carriage. Each gear 2.3i (Fig. 2) is fixed to a supporting disc 235 which is freely mounted upon the cyclically driven shaft 210. The gear 231 also has internal teeth 236 adapted for engagement by the tooth 237 of a clutch pawl 238. The tooth 237 extends through a slot 250 in a carrier plate 24th which is keyed to the cyclically driven shaft 210. The pawl 23S is mounted for limited rocking movement on a pin 239 fixed to the carrier plate 240, to rock the pawl tooth 237 into and out of engagement with the internal gear 236 as follows.

A pair of meshing

gear segments

241 and 242 are mounted for rocking movement on

pins

239 and 243 of the carrier plate 240. A torsion spring 244 (Fig. 3) is anchored at one end to the carrier plate 24@ and at its other end engages within a U-shaped slot 245 cut in the gear segment 241, thus exerting a toggle action upon the segment and tending to hold the same and its meshed gear segment 242 in either of two respectively rocked positions thereof. Normally,

segments

241 and 242 stand in the position shown in Fig. 2. Segment 242 carries a pin 246 adapted for engagement within a V-shaped slot 247 cut within the clutch pawl 238, and in the initial position of the parts as shown in Fig. 2, the pin 246 is located in the extreme clockwise end of the slot 247, thus holding pawl 238 in a counterclockwise position about its pivot 239 and therefore holding the pawl tooth 237 out of engagement with the internal gear 236.

Qn the other hand, when gear segment 242 is rocked counterclockwise about its pivot 243 from the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3 to that shown in Fig. 4, then the pin moves countercloclr'ivise to the opposite end of slot 247 in pawl 238. The slot 247 is arcuate about the segment pivot for a short distance and then assumes a straight line attitude. When pin 246 reaches the straight line portion of slot 247, the pawl 238 is urged clockwise about its pivot 239 andthe pawl tooth 237 moves into engagement with the internal teeth of ring gear 236 (Fig. 2). When pin 246 (Fig. 3) reaches the straight line terminal position of slot 247, the pawl tooth is fully engaged with the ring gear at which time any force tending to disengage the tooth from the ring gear only drives pin 246 more firmly against the limit of slot 247, thus holding the pawl tooth and the ring gear engaged. With this condition of the parts, the rotation of the carrier plate 240 results in similar rotation of gear 236 and its associated numeral wheel. The return of the gear segment 242 to the initial position shown in Fig. 2 causes disengagement of the pawl tooth 237 from the internal gear 236, thus disenffaging the clutch 230.

During the cyclic rotation of shaft 210 and the carrier plate 240, the

gear segments

241 and 242 are rocked under the control of an ejected value pin 1611-169 and the end pin i7@ to cause engagement and disengagement of the clutch as follows. Assume that a value of seven has been entered into the storing carriage whereupon the No. 7 pin 167 and the end pin 170 are raised to the dotted line positions shown in Fig. l. Since Fig. l is a right side View and Figs. 2-6 are left side views, the positions of the end pin i7@ and the No. 7 pin 167 are reversed in the latter views. Now, assume that the shaft 210 is turned once in a clockwise, or plus actuating, direction. Figs. 2 6 show progressive stages of operation of the clutch engagement and disengagement. in this example, the No. 7 pin 167 causes engagement of the actuator clutch whereas the end pin 170 causes disengagement of the clutch.

With the parts in the initial position shown in Fig. 2, the actuator clutch is disengaged and remains disengaged while the shaft 21@ and its integral carrier plate 240 move from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 3. Segment 242 carries a pair of transversely

bent ears

251 and 252. Segment 241 carries a similar pair of

ears

253 and 254 which are bent in opposition to the

ears

251 and 252 on segment 242. lt will 'be recalled that the end pin 170 is laterally offset from the value pins ll-16E?, and since the respective ears of the two

segments

241 and 242 are bent in opposition to each other, each

167 and 170 will cooperate with only one of the segments while the other segment will idly pass thereby.

Now, assuming that the carrier plate 240 is rotated from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 4, such rotation carries the ear 252 on segment 242 into engagement with the pin 167 and rocks the segment 242 counterclockwise about its pivot 243, thus causing engagement of the actuator clutch, as previously described. Also, the counterclockwise movement of segment 242 causes segment 241 to rock clockwise about its pivot 239 to the position shown in Fig. 4.

`Since the clutch remains engaged during the rotation of the disc 240 from the position shown in Fig. 4 to that shown in Fig. 5, the clutch gear 231 (Fig. 2) advances the numeral wheel 234 by seven increments, the selected amount. Meanwhile, the segment 241, which is out of the path of the pin 167, idly moves past that pin and also the segment 242 which is out of the path of the end pin 7d, moves idly past the pin 170 to the positions shown in Fig. 5. ln this position, the actuator clutch is still engaged but as the plate 240 continues to rotate clockwise to the position shown in Fig. 6, the ear 253 on segment 241 contacts the end pin 170 and is rotated in a counterclockwise direction about its pivot 239. This imparts clockwise movement to segment 242 thus returning the segments to their initial positions with 7 regard to plate 240 and disengaging the actuator clutch, as previously explained. The actuator clutch mechanism then rotates idly during the remaining clockwise movement of plate 24@ to its initial full cycle position.

When the actuator clutch is rotated in a countcrclocltwise direction for a minus operation, the end pin f7@ serves as the clutch engaging control, whereas the ejected value pin lol-169 controls the disengagement of the actuator clutch. ln this case, the sequence of operations is opposite that described for plus operations and is best observed by starting with Fig. 6 and following back through Figs. 5, 4, and 3.

Assuming that the end pin 176 and a value pin 167 have been ejected, as shown in Fig. 6, and further assuming that the actuator clutch is being rotated in a counterclockwise direction for a minus operation, the ear 254 on segment 241 contacts the end pin i7@ and is rocked clockwise as shown in Fig. 5. The segment 241 in turn rocks segment 242 in a counterclockwise direction to effect engagement of the clutch.

Then, as seen in Fig. 4, the ear 255. on segment 242 is shown as approaching the pin $.67. Upon contacting pin 167, the segment 242 is returned in a clockwise direction to its initial position shown in Fig. 3, thus disengaging the actuator clutch. then rotates idly during the remaining counterclockwise rotation of plate 24@ to the initial full cycle position shown in Fig. 2.

No specific type of tens carry mechanism has been disclosed in the present machine since the choice of such a mechanism is not pertinent to the present invention; however, a gear 255 (Fig. l) is shown for transmitting the tens carry drive to the numeral wheel, and this gear 255 may be driven by a tens carry mechanism of the type disclosed in the Reynolds patent application Serial Numu ber 327,104, tiled December 20, 1952, now `Patent No. 2,694,524, issued Nov. 16, 1954, in which the tens carry mechanism operates simultaneously in all orders of the register. A tens carry phase follows each actuating phase and since the invention has been disclosed in a type of machine in which the actuators are reversible for plus and minus drives of actuation, two tens carry phases are provided, in each actuating cycle, as is common in this type of machine. Therefore, the active tens carry phase which follows plus digitation, becomes an idle tens carry phase which precedes subtractive digitation, and the tens carry phase which follows subtractive digitation becomes an idle phase which precedes plus digitation. A numeral wheel detent is described in the following paragraph and which detent is enabled to prevent overthrow of the numeral wheel at the end of both digital actuation and tens carry actuation. With reference to the operation of the detent during the tens carry phase, it will be noted that for convenience in design of mechanisms, the detent will be operated during both the idle and active tens carry phases and, therefore, the detent will partake of an idle operation during the idle tens carry phase as well as an active operation during the active tens carry phase.

Non-overthrow detent A detent 24S (Figs. 3-6) is provided in each order of the accumulator register to engage a gear 249, which is integral with the idler gear 232 (Fig. l), and prevent overthrow of the numeral wheel both upon disengago ment of the actuator clutch and also aft-er any tens carry increment of drive. Referring iirst to the operation the detent upon disengagement of the numeral wheel clutch, it will be noted that since all of the numeral wheel clutches are disengaged at the same time by the end pins 170 during plus operations, a cyclically operable device may be provided to move all of the noncverthrow detents to active position at the same time. During a minus operation, however, the disengagement of the various clutches is under control of the actuator clutch control pins 161-169 which cause disengagement at vari- The clutch mechanism able times during a cycle of actuation, and therefore the operation of the detents is under direct control of the actuator clutch pawls, i. e., when a clutch pawl moves to clutch disengaging position, it motivates devices to move the non-overthrow pawl into engagement with the numeral wheel gear train and prevent overthrow of the numeral wheel.

The detent 248 is loosely keyed to a shaft 256 and is normally held disengaged from gear 249 by a spring Shaft 256 is rocked clockwise to engage the detent with the gear 249 by a cam 263 (Fig. 8) and follower rfhe cam is mounted on the main actuator drive shaft 216 and has three

lobes

265, 266 and 267, extending beyond its periphery. The follower 264 is fixed to shaft the arrangement is such that shaft 256 is rocked in a clockwise direction and detent 248 (Fig. 3) is rocked into engagement with gear 249 by the cam lobes at three different times during each cycle of actuation, these rocking movements occurring during each of the two tens carry phases and once during the digital actuating phase.

During a plus actuation, the actuator clutch mechanism is rotated in a clockwise direction to the position shown in Fig. 3 yand during the first portion of such rotation, the clutch mechanism moves through an idle tens phase. At the beginning of this phase, the detent 248 is idly rocked in to engage the gear 249 and then is rocked out again by cam lobe 265 (Fig. 8). Shortly thereafter, an arcuate rail 258 (Fig. 3), carried by the clutch pawl 238, engages a roller 259 carried by the lower extending arm of detent 248. At this time, the clutch pawl 238 is held in a counter-clockwise disengaged position about its pivot 239, as previously explained, and the arrangement is such that the rail idly holds the detent in the position shown until the clutch pawl moves clockwise about its pivot 239 to the clutch engaging position shown in Fig. 4. At such time, the rail 258 moves toward the center of the clutch mechanism, thus permitting the spring 257 to rock the detent 248 away from gear 249. Thus, when the clutch is iirst engaged, the detent is automatically disengaged from the gear 249.

The clutch mechanism continues to rotate and the clutch is subsequently disengaged as shown in Fig. 6. In this case, the end pin 170 causes disengagement of the clutch and since the disengagement of all clutches by their pins 70 occurs at the same time, all of the detents 248 are simultaneously rocked clockwise by the cam lobe 267 (Fig. 8) which rocks the detent support shaft 256. Shortly thereafter, the cam lobe moves from under the follower arm on shaft 256 and permits the detent to return to its initial counterclockwise position before the active tens carry phase is begun. Then again, after the tens carry phase is completed, another lobe 266 rocks the detent in and out of engagement with the gear 249 to prevent overthrow of the numeral wheel after tens carry. This completes the operation of the non-overthrow means during a plus cycle of actuation.

When the actuator clutch mechanism is rotated in a counterclockwise direction for a subtractive actuating operation, the machine first goes through an idle tens carry i phase, and. as previously described, the detent 248 is momentarily rocked into and then out of engagement with the gear 249 by cam lobe 266 (Fig. 8). After the tens carry phase is completed, vthe cam lobe 267 idly rocks the detent into and out of engagement with its gear. Then the clutch is engaged by the end pin 170 as .the clutch rotates from the position shown in Fig. 6 to that shown in Fig. 5. During such engagement, the clutch pawl is in a clockwise position relative to its pivot 239 and therefore, the rail 258 on the clutch pawl is also in its clockwise position, thus permitting the spring 257 to hold the detent out of engagement with gear 249. This relationship is maintained until the clutch is disengaged as shown in Fig. 3, at which time the clutch pawl 238 and rail 258 move counterclockwise about the pivot 239. The rail then contacts either one or both of the two

rollers

259, 260,

on the lower arm of the detent 248 and rocks the latter clockwise into the gear 249. After the rail 258 passes from beneath the rollers, the detent is spring urged in a counterclockwise direction out of engagement with the gear 249. Shortly thereafter, the active tens carry operyation takes place after which lobe 265 on the detent control cam again rocks the detent 248 into and out of engagement with the gear 249.

After the desired number of cycles of actuation have been completed, the actuator control pins and the end pins of the storing carriage are returned to initial position merely by returning the locking bars 281 (Fig. l) in each order to their initial counterclockwise positions where they are locked by engagement of the ear 180 on the end lever 177 with the projection 208 of the lock bar. This releases the pins 161-169 and the end lever 170 to the urgency of their respective springs for return movement to initial positions. Mechanisms for moving the lock bars to initial positions are not shown here but are well known in the art. For example, a transverse bail, such as th-at shown in cross section at 261, may be provided which is cyclically or manually operable to move downwardly and return the released lock bars to their initial positions.

The non-overthrow detent mechanism disclosed herein forms the subject matter of a divisional patent application Serial No. 707,316.

We claim:

l. In a calculating machine having a register comprising a plurality of ordinally arranged numeral wheels and a value entering mechanism; a clutch permanently associated with each numeral wheel, each clutch including a drive element, a driven element, and connecting means between the ydrive and the driven element, and two control devices carried by said drive element operable under control of the value entering mechanism to cause said means to connect and disconnect the drive and driven elements.

2. In a calculating machine having a value entering mechanism and a numeral wheel register, respective clutches for advancingeach numeral wheel in accordance with a pre-selected value, each clutch comprising a cyclically operable drive element, a driven element, and a member carried by the drive element adapted to engage with and drive the driven element; the combination of, a rst device for moving said member to clutch engaging position, a second device for moving said member to clutch disengaging position, and means controlled by said value entering mechanism to cause the operation of the first and second devices.

3. A calculating machine including a register comprising a plurality of ordinally arranged numeral wheels, a value entering mechanism comprising a keyboard and a plural order pin carriage, a plurality of value representative pins in each order of the pin carriage, any one of which is selectively movable from an inactive to an active position under control of the keyboard, another pin in each order movable from an inactive to an active position under control of the'keyboard, ordinally arranged clutches for the numeral wheels each clutch comprising a drive element, a driven'element and a connecting means between the drive and driven elements, and control devices carried by the drive element operable by said two active pins to cause said means to connect and disconnect the drive and driven clutch elements.

4. A calculating machine including a numeral wheel register, a value entering mechanism comprising a keyboard and a plural order pin carriage, each order of the pin carriage including a plurality of value representative pins movable from an inactive to an active position under control of the keyboard, another pin in each order movable from an inactive to an active position under control of the keyboard, reversible actuating means for the numeral wheels including numeral wheel clutches each comprising a drive element, a driven element, and connecting means for causing the drive element to drive the driven element, contro! devices carried by the drive element operable by an active value representative pin during rotation of the clutch in one direction to cause said connecting means to connect the drive and driven clutch elements, and operable by said other pin during rotation of the clutch in the reverse direction to cause said connecting means to connect the drive and driven clutch elements.

5. A calculating machine according to claim 4 in which the active value representative pinvcauses said devices to move the connecting means to a clutch disconnecting position during the reverse rotation of the clutch, and in which the other pin causes said devices to move said means to clutch disconnecting position during forward rotation of the clutch.

6. A calculating machine having a numeral wheel register and value entering mechanism including a keyboard and a plural order pin carriage comprising in each order a plurality of pins, two of which are moved from an inactive to an active position upon depression of a value entering key, a numeral wheel clutch including a drive element, a driven element, land a -member movable from a first position to a second position to connect the drive and driven elements, and movable from the second to the first position to disconnect the drive and driven elements, and means operable under control of said two pins to move said member to its respective connecting and disconnecting positions.

7. A calculating machine according to claim 6 in which the drive element of the clutch is operable in either of two directions for positive land negative numeral wheel actuation, respectively, and in which the two respective pins which control the engagement and disengagement of the clutch during positive numeral wheel actuation reverse their functions during negative numeral wheel actuation and control, respectively, the disengagement and engagement of the clutch.

8. A calculating machine according to claim 6 in which the movable member is operable by one of a pair of meshing gear segments carried by the drive element, the gear segments being rocked to move the member to its connecting position by the first one of said two pins and rocked to its disconnecting position by the second one of said two pins.

9. A calculating machine having a register including numeral wheels, a respective clutch associated with each numeral wheel, a value entry keyboard, a plural order pin carriage including in each order thereof a plurality of pins, means responsive to depression of a value entry key for moving two pins in a respective order from a normally inactive position to an active position, and means controlled by said two pins to cause engagement and disengagement, respectively, of the numeral wheel clutch.

l0. In a calculating machine having a register including ordinally arranged numeral wheels, ordinally arranged actuator clutches therefor, and selectively settable means for controlling said actuator clutches, the actuator clutches comprising in each order a driven element, a cyclically driven carrier upon which a clutch `pawl is freely pivoted, and means for controlling the engagement and disengagement of said pawl with said driven element, including a pair of meshing gear segments each freely pivoted on said carrier for rocking movement from a first extreme position to a second extreme position, a pin iixed to one of said gear segments engaging within a slot in said pawl Iand operable in the rst extreme rocked position of said segments to hold said pawl out of engagement with the driven element and operable in the second extreme rocked position to hold said pawl in engagement with the element, and means operable in response to the cyclic movement of the carrier and under control of said selectively settable means to cause the rocking movements of the gear segments.

(References ou following page) References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED `STATES PATENTS Avery Mar. 3, 1,936 Rast :May 4, 1937 Lake et al. Sept. 7, 1943 Avery Oct. 30, 1945 12 Schneider Feb.- 12, 1946. Beattie et a1. Mar. 14, y1950 Brand .et al. Apr. 4, 1950 Gourdon Sept. 18, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Nov. 18, 1948