US2905381A - Early setting keyboard mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 1959 K. WESTINGER ETAL 2,905,381

EARLY, SETTING KEYBOARD MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 15, 1955 INVENTORS:

MQAMQ QQW Sept. 22, 1959 K. WESTINGER ET AL 2,905,381

EARLY SETTING KEYBOARD MECHANISM Filed April 13, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TORS United States Patent. C)

EARLY SETTING KEYBOARD MECHANISM Karl Westinger, Ernst Altenburger, and Otto Hirt, Oberndorf (Neckar), Germany, assignors to Olympia Werke A.G., Wilhelmshaven, Germany Application April 13, 1955, Serial No. 501,084 In Germany February 25, 1950 Public Law 619,. August 23,1954 Patent expires February 25, 1970 6 Claims. (Cl. 23560) The present invention relates to calculating machines.

In calculating machines it is in general customary for the operator to actuate keys for inserting the digits of a given number into the machine. These digits are received by a value storage device of some sort and transferred from the value storage device to the calculating mechanism. If the entire calculating operation must be carried through before the value storage device is capable of receiving the next number to be set into the machine, the operation of the calculating machine requires an undesirably long time.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a mechanism which enables the operator to set a number into a value storage device while a number previously set into the latter device is being handled by the calculating mechanism of the machine, or, in other words, during the calculating operation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a calculating machine with a means whichvery quickly returns a value storage device to apo-sition for receiving a number immediately after the calculating mechanism has sensed the values-torage device to. receive the number previously set into the same by the operator.

A further object of the present invention is to use for the return of the value storage device to its digit receiving position a device which requires no outside source of energy.

An additional object of. the present invention is to provide a relatively simple structure capable of accomplishingall of the above objects and at the same time being very reliable in operation.

With the above objects in view the present invention mainly consists ofa calculating machine which includes a value storing means for storing a number set into the machine and a support means supporting the value storing means for movement from a receiving position, where a number may be inserted into the value storingmeans by the operator, to a transfer position, where the number is sensed by a calculating mechanism of. the. machine. A moving means is carried by the support means and is operatively connectedto the value storing means for moving the same between its positions. An actuating means is carried by the support means for actuating. the. moving means to move the value storingmeans from its receiving position to its transfer position. A releasable interlock means releasably interlocks'themoving means with the actuating means during movement of the value. storing means from its receiving position to its transfer position. A power accumulating means is operatively connected to the moving means for actuating the latter to return the value storing means from its transfer position to its receiving position and for storing power during movement of the value storing means from its receiving position .to its transfer position. Anautomatic release means automatically releases the interlock means when'the value storing means has reached its transfer position to separate the moving means from the actuating means and release the moving means to the influence'of power ac- 2,905,381 Patented Sept. 22, 1959 cumulating means, so that the latter is free to actuate the moving means for returning the value storing means to its receiving position.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantage thereof, will be best understood from the following description of a specific embodiment when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary perspective illustration of that part of a machine which includes the structure of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, partly sectional side view of the structure of the invention schematically showing how a key cooperates with this'structure.

Referring now to. the drawing, and to Fig. l in particular, it will be seen that the structure of the invention includes a main shaft 1 which is rotatable about its axis in the direction of the arrow through approximately in order to carry out a cycle of operations. The structure illustrated in the. drawing may form part of a l0-keyadding machine, for example, and only sufficient structure is shown to afford a complete. understanding of the invention, additional details known to those skilled in the art being omitted in the interest of conciseness. The illustrated structure may be used with machines of the type shown in U.S.. Patents 2,247,938 and 2,708,550. The main shaft 1 may be rotated either manually or through any suitable power means. This shaft 1 carries a cam 2 which is rotatable therewith so that the shaft 1 forms a support means which rotatably supports the earn 2 for movement about the axis of the shaft 1. The cam 2 hasa camrning portion 3 which is interconnected by a recess portion 4 to the end of the cam shown in the drawing in engagement with a cam follower 6 in the form of a roller rotatably carried by the free end of a bell crank 8. The cam 2 further carries a projection 5 which is fixed thereto. for a purpose described below.

The bell crank 8 is freely pivoted about a stationary shaft 7 which thus forms part of a support means for pivotally supporting the bell crank 8. This bell crank Sis in the form of a bail having a pair of side walls through which the shaft 7 extends, and a spring 9 is connected to the bell crank 8 between the side walls thereof for urging the bell crank 8 in a counterclockwise direction about the shaft 7.

The arm 9 of. the bell crank 8 is pivotally connectedto a pawl 11, and a spring 12 is connected to the pawl 11 and to a free end portion 10 of the bell crankS for urgingthe pawl 11 in a counterclockwise direction about the pivot pin carried by the. arm 9 and pivotally supporting, the pawl 11. This pawl. 11 is formed with a notch 13 into which an arm 14' extends.

The arm 14 is integral with and forms part of alever 15 which is. also in the form of a bail having a pairof side. walls, and these walls are respectively formed with openings through which the shaft 7 also extends freely. In this way the lever 15and the bell crank 8 are pivotable about a common axis. It will be noted that the arm 14013 the lever 15 is located between the two side walls. of the bell crank lever 8. A spring 16, which forms a power accumulating means as will be apparent from the description which follows, is connected to the lever 15for urging the latter in a counterclockwise direction about the axis of the shaft 7. This lever 15 carries a cushion 3.3 of any resilient material which is fixed to the leven15 for pivotal movement therewith and which engages a stationary bar 34 so that elements 33 and 34 serve a stop means for limiting the pivotal movement of? the leverlS under the influence of the spring 16.

axis parallel to the shafts 7, and1 which are parallel to each other. The bottom end of each of the side arms 2% of the bail 22 is formed with a circular extremity 23 extending into a notch 24 formed at the extremity of each arm of a second bail 27 pivotable about stationary pin 25 which is parallel to the pin 21. It is to be understood that a second pin 21 and a second pin 25 engage the arm 20' and the arm 26, respectively, of the bails 22 and 27, which are not shown in the drawing. Thus,.it will be seen that whenever the lever 15 is pivoted about the shaft 7 the slot 18 moves along the pin'19 til eause the latterto pihot the bail 22 which in turn causes the bail 27- to pivot in an v opposite direction, the connection 23, 24 between the bails 22 and 27 being similar to a toggle joint. 1

The side arms ofthe bail'22 are formed with openings through which a shaft 28 extends, and the side arms 26 of the bail 27 are formed with slots 30, respectively,-

through which the shaft 31 extends, the shafts 23 and 31 being parallel to each other as well, as to. the shaft 7. These shafts 28 and 31 support a pin carriage 29 for shifting movement'along the shafts 28 and 31 as a series of digits are placed into the machine, in,a Well known way not forming part of the. present invention. The pin carriage 29 carries a plurality of pins 32 which extend from left to right, as viewed in the drawing, and it will be seen that the pivoting of the bails causes the carriage 29 to be shifted in the direction in which the pins 32 extend.

When the pin carriage 29, which, forms a value storing means for receiving digits setinto the machine by the operator, is in its leftmost position shown in Fig. 1 and shown in solid lines in Fig. 2, it is in a position to be acted on by the keys of the machine for storing a particular number. When the pin carriage 29 is in its rightmost position, shown in dot-dash lines in Fig. 2, it is in a transfer position where a particular number set into the pin carriage may be sensed by and transferred to a calculating mechanism which then carries through a calculating operation. This calculating mechanism also is purely conventional and forms no part of the present invention so that it is not illustrated in the drawing.

The above-described structure operates as follows:

The parts are shown in Fig. l in their position of test where the pin carriage 29 is located in its position for receiving a number set into the machine by the operator. Assuming that the operator has placed a number into the machine in this manner so as to shift certain of the pins 32 to the right, as viewed in Fig. 2 which shows in solid lines how a selected pin 32, e.g. the fourth pin from the bottom in Fig. 2, is selectively shifted upon actuation of its key, then the operator either manually rotates the shaft 1 through 120 in the direction of the arrow or presses a button which closes a switch for energizing a motor or the like to rotate the shaft 1 together with the cam 2 through this angle. During this rotation of the cam 2 together with the shaft 1 the camming portion 3 of the cam 2 engages the follower roller 6 to depress the latter together with the hell crank lever 8 so as to pivot this lever in a clockwise direction about the axis of the stationary shaft 7. The arm 14 remains in the notch 13 of the pawl 11 and thus the pawl 11 pivoting together with the lever 8 transmits its motion to the arm 14 and the lever 15 which also pivots in this way together with the lever 8 in a clockwise direction about the shaft 7, as viewed in Fig. 1. It will he noted that during this pivoting of the lever 15 the power accumulator 16 is tensioned so as to have power stored therein. This clockwise pivoting of the lever 15 results in upward movement of the end portion 17 of the lever 15 and thus the slot 18 moves upwardly with respect to the pin 19. The shape of this slot 18 causes the lever 15 to shift the pin 19 to the left, as viewed in Fig. 1, during upward movement of the free end portion 17 of lever 15, and this movement of pin 19 to the left causes the bail 22 to pivot in a clockwise direction about-the axis of the pins 21 and the bail 27- to pivot in a counterclockwise direction about the axis of the pins 25, the pivoting movement of bail 22 being transmitted to the bail 27 through the engagement of the ends 23 of arms 20 in the notches 24 of arms 26, this connection acting similarly to a toggle joint. Thus, during the clockwise pivoting of lever 15 produced by rotation of the cam 2 in the direction of the arrow the upper portion of the bail 22 and the lower portion of the bail 27 move to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, and carry the shafts 28 and 31 to the right so as to shift the carriage 29 from its digit receiving position, shown in solid lines in Fig. 2, to a transfer position, shown in dot-dash lines in Fig. 2, where the pins 32 are sensed by a calculating mechanism in order to transfer into this calculating mechanism the number set into the pin carriage.

As the cam 2 turns in the direction of the arrow shown in the drawing, the projection 5 fixed tothe cam 2 rotates together with the latter along a path intersected by the. right free end portion of the pawl 11, as viewed in the drawing. When the projection 5 has reached a position where it is adjacent to the pawl 11 the carriage 29 has reached its rightmost transfer position and the calculating mechanism senses the number which is in the carriage and the calculating mechanism is thus in a position to use this number in the calculations. Immediately after the number is thus transferred from the carriage 29 to the calculating mechanism the projection 5 engages the pawl 11 and pivots the latter in a clockwise direction, as viewed in the drawing, so as to raise the notch 13 away from the arm 14 against the action of the spring 12. Thus, the projection 5 forms a release means for releasing the interlock between the carriage moving means formed by the lever 15 and the actuating means for actuating this moving means, this actuating means being formed by the cam 2. Once this interlock is released by pivoting of the pawl 11 in a clockwise direction, the lever 15 is released to the influence of the spring 16 which has been tensioned by pivoting of the lever 15 in a clockwise direction, and thus the energy stored in the spring 16 is released to very quickly pivot the lever 15 in a counterclockwise direction about the shaft 7, as viewed in Fig. 1,

until the cushion 33 engages the stop bar 34. During this very sudden quick return of the lever 15 to the position shown in the drawing the left edge of the slot 18, as viewed in Fig. l, engages the pin 19 to shift the latter to the right, as viewed in the drawing, and thus the upper portion of bail 22 and the lower portion of bail 27 shift to the left so as to carry the shafts 28 and 31 to the left and in this way quickly separate the carriage 29 from the calculating mechanism and return it to its receiving position, shown in solid lines in Fig. 2, where the operator may insert any number into this carriage. This return of the carriage'29 takes place in such a short period of time that the calculating operation is still going on in the machine and during this calculating operation the operator may set the next number into the pin carriage 29, so that in this way a great deal of time is saved and with the structure of the invention an operator may accomplish much more work than with conventional structures where the operator must wait until one calculating operation is complete before setting the number for the next calcutating operation into the machine.

After the shaft 1 and cam 2 have rotated in the direction of the arrow to their end position through an angle of approximately the cam 2 and the shaft 1 are rotated back to the position of Fig. 1 in a direction op posite to the arrow shown in the drawing, and the spring 9' maintains the follower roller 6 in engagement with the cam so that the lever 8 now pivots in a counterclockwisedireetion back to the position ."of the drawing.

'During' this pivoting movement oflthe lever 8 backtoits aenassi shown in the drawing and the above operation may again be repeated.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or mote together, may also find a useful application in other types of calculating machines differing from the types described. above. I While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a quick. return mechanism. for calculating machines, it is not intended to be limited to the details I showmsince various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spiritofthe present invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be securedby Letters Patent is:

1. In a calculating machine, in combination, value storing means for storing a number set into the machine; means supporting said value storing means for movement from a receiving position, where a number may be insented into said value storing means by the operator, to a transfer position where the number is sensed by a calculating mechanism of the. machine; moving means opera- I tively connected to said supporting means for moving transfer position; releasable interlock means releasably interlockingsaid movingmeans with said actuating means having a pair of side arms respectively formed with openings through which one of said shafts extends and respectively having free end portions directed toward the other of ,said shafts; a second bail having a pair of side arms formed with openings through which said other shaft extends and having free end portions extending toward said arms of said first bail and respectively formed with notches into which the free ends of said arms of said firs bail respectively extend; support means supporting sai "bails for respective pivotal movement about a pair of parallel axes which areparallel. to said shafts, so that said bails simultaneously turn in opposite directions about said axes due to the interconnection of. said arms of said bails; moving means operatively ponnected to one of said bails for rotating the: latter; spring means operatively'connected to said moving means for urging the latter to turn ,said bails' in one directiongcam means for rotating said bails in'anopposite direction; releasable interlock means interlocking said moving means with said cam means for during movement of said value storing means from said a receiving position to said transfer position; power accumulating means operatively connected .to said moving means for actuating the latter to return said value storing means from said transfer position tosaid receiving position and for storing power during movement of said value storing means from said receiving position to said transfer position; and automatic release means for automatically releasing said interlock means when" said value storing means has reached its transfer position to separate said moving means from said actuating means and release said 5 moving means to the influence of said power accumulating means, whereby the latter is free to actuate said moving means for returning said value storing means to its receiving position.

2. In a calculating machine, in combination, a pin carriage for storing a number set into the machine, said carriage carrying a plurality of elongated pins; support means supporting said carriage for movement along a path substantially parallel to said pins between a digit receiving position, where a number may be inserted into said pin carriage by the operator, and a transfer position' where the number is sensed by a calculating mechanism of the machine; moving means operatively connected to said supporting means for moving said carriage between said positions; actuating means for actuating said moving means to move said carriage from said receiving position toward said transfer position; releasable interlock means releasably interlocking said moving means with said actuating means during movement of said carriage from said receiving position to said transfer position; power accumulating means operatively connected to said moving means for urging the latter to return said carriage from said transfer position to said receiving position and for storing power during movement of said carriage from said receiving position to said transfer position; and automatic release means carried by said actuating means for automatically releasing said interlock means when said carriage has reached its transfer position.

3. In a calculating machine, in combination, a pin carriage; a pair of parallel shafts slidably supporting said pin carriage for movement along said shafts; a first bail transferring from said cam means to said moving means a motion which turns said bails in a direction which tensions saidspring means; and release means carried by said cam means for releasing said interlock means from said cam means after said spring is tensioned and said moving means has turned said. bails to locate said carriage in a given position.

4. In a calculating machine, in combination, a pin carriage; a pair of parallel shafts slidably supporting said pin carriage for movement along. said shafts; a first bail having a pair ofsjde arms respectively formed with openings through which one of said shafts extends and respectively having free end portions directed toward the other of said shafts; a second bail having a pair of side arms formed with openings througnwhich said other shaft extends andhaving free end portions extending toward said arms of said first bail and respectively formed with notches into which the free ends of saidarrns of said first bail respectively extend; support means supporting said bails for respective pivotal movement about a pair of parallel axes which are parallel to said shafts, so that said bails simultaneously turn in opposite directions about said axes due to the interconnection of said arms of said bails; a pin fixed to and extending from one of said arms; a first lever pivotally supported for turning movement about a third axis parallel to said pair of axes, 'said lever being formed with a cam slot through which said pin extends so that when said lever turns said slot moves with respect to said pin and engages the lattes to turn said bails; a cam rotatably supported (for movement about a fourth axis parallel to said third axis; a second lever pivotally supported for movement about said third axis and engaging said cam to be turned about said third axis when said cam turns about said fourth axis; a pawl pivotally carried by said second lever; an arm fixed to said first lever and engaging said pawl so that rotary movement of said cam is transferred through said second lever, said pawl, and arm to said first lever for rotating the latter to turn said bails; first spring means urging said pawl into engagement with said arm; second springmeans maintaining said second lever in engagement with said cam; third spring means engaging said first lever for'urging the latter in a direction opposite from that in which it is turned by said cam; and a projection carried by said cam for movement therewith along a path intersecting said pawl for turning the latter away from said arm to release said first lever to said third spring means.

5. In a calculating machine, in combination, a pin carriage; a pair of parallel shafts slidably supporting said pin carriage for movement along said shafts; a first bail having a pair of side arms respectively formed With openings through which one of said shafts extends and respectively having free end portions directed toward the other of said shafts; a second bail having a pair of side arms formed with openings through which said other shaft extends and having free end portions extending toward said arms of said first bail and respectively formed with notches into which the free ends of said arms of said first bail respectively extend; support means supporting said bails for respective pivotal movement about a pair of parallel axes which are parallel to said shafts, so that said bails simultaneously turn in opposite directions about said axes due to the interconnection of said arms of said bails; a pin fixed to and extending from one of said arms; a first lever pivotally supported for turning movement about a third axis parallel to said pair of axes, said lever being formed with a cam slot through which said pin extends so that when said lever turns said slot moves with respect to said pin and engages the latter to turn said bails; a cam rotatably supported for movement about a fourth axis parallel to said third axis; a second lever pivotally supported for movement about said third axis and engaging said cam to be turned about said third axis when said cam rotates about said fourth axis; a pawl pivotally carried by said second lever; an arm fixed to said first lever and engaging said pawl so that rotary movement of said cam is transferred through said second lever, said pawl, and arm to said first lever for rotating the latter to turn said bails; first spring means urging said pawl into engagement with said arm; second spring means maintaining said second lever in engagement with said cam; third spring means engaging said first lever for urging the latter in a direction opposite from that in which it is turned by said cam; a projection carried by said cam for movement therewith along a path intersecting said pawl for turning the latter away from said arm to release said first lever to said third spring means; and stop means for limiting movement of said first lever under the influence of said third spring means.

6. In a calculating machine, in combination, a pin carriage; a pair of parallel shafts slidably supporting said pin carriage for movement along said shafts; a first bail having a pair of side arms respectively formed with openings through which one of said shafts extends and,respectively having free end portions directed toward the other of said shafts; a second bail having a pair of side arms formed with openings through which said other shaft extends and having free end portions extending toward said arms of said first bail and respectively formed Withnotches into whichthe free ends of said arms of said first bail respectively extend; support means supporting said bails for respective pivotal movement about a pair of parallel cam rotatably supported for movement about a fourth axis parallel to said third axis; a second lever pivotally supported for movement about said third axis and en gaging said cam to be turned about said third axis when said cam rotates about said fourth axis; a pawl pivotally. I

carried by said second lever; an arm fixed to said first lever, and engaging said pawl so that rotary movement of saidcam is transferred through'said second lever, said pawl, and arm to said first lever for rotating the latter to turn said bails; first spring means urging said pawlinto engagement with said arm; second spring means maintaining said second lever in engagement with said cam; third-spring means engaging said first lever for urging the latter in a direction opposite from that in which it is turned by said cam; a projection carried by said cam for movement therewith along a path intersecting said pawl for turning the latter away from said arm to release said first lever to said third spring means; and stop means for limiting movement of said first lever under the in fiuence of said third spring means, said stop means com prisingastationary stop member located in the path of movement of said, first lever and a cushion member carried by said first lever for engaging said stop member.

- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,247,938 Bower j July 1, 1941 2,303,692 Hellgren Dec. 1, 1942 2,708,550 Maier May 17, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 118,240 Sweden Jan. 2, 1947 839,270 Germany May 19, 1952

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