US2926841A - Accumulator selector - Google Patents

Description

March 1, 1960 Filed Nov. 10, 1954 E. H. SEYFRIED ET AL ACCUMULATOR SELECTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet l n abcaefgbl'k III/INTO 77's I 508/ 1/. Sly ried #00; A- Bun/nun M M r 1, 1 E. H. SEYFRIED ET AL ACCUMULATOR SELECTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 10 1954 RYPZ u Horas 4- B 40100 B,

E/ew/ United States Patent ACCUMULATOR SELECTOR Ernst H. .Seyfried, Koln-Mulheim, and Hans A. Buschmann, 'Koln-Buchforst, Germany, assignors to Exacta Buromaschinen G.m.b.H., Koln-Deutz, Germany Application November 10, 1954, Serial No. 468,122 Claims priority, application Germany November 13, 1953 4 Claims. (Cl. 235- 60;)

The present invention relates to a calculating machine having multiple 'totalizers mounted on a reel, and pertains to control mechanism to selectively rotate the reel for positioning a selected totalizer for operation.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a calculating machine having multiple totalizers mounted'o-n'a reel. 7

It is another object of the invention to provide a calculating machine having multiple totalizers mounted on areel, in which the total number of elements willbecon- 'side'rably reduced over that of the heretofore known machines of this type so'that the device can be confined in a rather'small space.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a calculating machine with a control mechanism for positioning a'selected totalizer for operation,"which willbe of 'simple'construction andcan easily-'be-installed within a short time. 7

These and other objects and advantages of'the invention will appear more clearly from the following specificat'ion in connection'with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic vi'ew'of a totalizer supporting drum with a control device therefor and also with a manually operable selecting device in conformity with the present invention.

Fig. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the automatic selecting device according to the invention.

Generalarrangement According to the present invention the operating'm'embers'for-'thetotalizer supporting drum are connectedwith the operating and'locking members required forthe :control of the counter drum by means of eleetrically,'hy- "draulically, pneumatically OfOlhfil'WiSBll'ldllCCilY working transmission means.

When employing an electrically actuated transmitting device, it is advantageous to combine a sliding contact,

with one or more contact discs and a relay in:such a manner-that by cooperation of these parts, the relay is energized in a position of'the totalizer supporting drum which position corresponds to the actuated operating member whereby a locking mechanism required vfor the drive of-said drum is actuated. In this way, a safe and simpletotalizer selector iscreated which requires only a few parts and is independent of the machine astdspace and of theoperating members initiating thecontrol of said device, and may forzinstance be employedinauxiliary printing mechanisms of the machine.

- The invention is, furthermore, characterized inthat the control of the respective totalizer supporting drum-can selectively be effected manually :or automatically.

Structural arrangement Referring now to the drawings in detaiL'the'tWo-devices shown in Figs. 1'an'd2 are-interconnected' by means 'of the conductors a to n. T he'selecting device is m'ounted one. shaft 1*whichis non-displaceably -arranged 'in the machine. The shaft 1 is connected preferably by a slip clutch, 'witha motor (not shown in the drawing) r0;- adjusting a totalizer supporting drum 2 in conformity with the totalizer selected by the actuating members 'I'X and 24 respectively.

Fixedly connected to shaft 1 is a ratchet wheel 3 cooperating with a pawl 4 adapted to be actuated by a relay 5. Also fixedly connected to shaft 1 is a sliding contact 6 which extends between two contact discs 7 and 8 through which the shaft 1 is freely passed. The discs 7 and 8 are fixedly connected to the machine frame. The contact disc 7 is provided with as many contact points distributed overthe circumference of a circle (contact points 30 to 39 in Fig. 1), as there are 'totalizers and thus operating members or manually operable selector keys I-X or automatically operating riders 24 of a control shaft 23.

Each of the contacts 30 to 39 of the disc 7 is connected with one of the contacts 13 of the selector keys IX and .one of the contacts 26 of the riders or switch control members 24. This connection is such that, actuation of one of the contacts 13 or members 26 in cooperation with the sliding contact 6 and theother contact disc 8 carrying a contact ring 8a, causes the circuit for the relay 5 to close. The arrangement according to the invention, furthermore, comprises an arresting disc 9 by means of which the shaft 1 to which the arresting disc 9 is fixedly connected, and thereby also the totalizer supporting drum 2 can be arrested in their respective positions. The disc 9 cooperates with an arresting pawl 10 and a control lever 11 which latter is adapted to be actuated by an electromagnet'12.

When a selector key I-X is depressed, for instance the key V for the totalizer five, the contact '13 and also the contact 14 are closed. The contact 14 is actuated by depressing any one of the selector keys IX. Thisis effected by the universal. rail 15 which extends along all of the keys and is adapted to be engaged and actuated by any one of said keys. In this way the electromagnet 12'is energized'through the intervention of the contact 16 and as a result thereof attracts the armature 17. Thearmature 17 then-takes along the longitudinally displaceable control lever 11 which in its turn carries alongthe arresting pawl 10 against the thrust'of a spring 22, to thereby release the arresting disc 9. Due" to the longitudinal movement ofthe control lever 11 against the thrust of spring 22, simultaneously two contacts 18 and 19 are actuated. The contact 18 will as a result ofthis movement of lever 11 close the circuit for the motor (not shown in the drawings) for the selecting device so that the said motor starts and the parts 1, 3, 6, 9 and 2 will rotate. The purpose of the normallyclosed contact .19 which will be opened when the leverll moves against the thrust of spring 22, is toprevent initiation of machine operation while the totalizer supportingdrum 2 is being.

adjusted to its set position for the totalizer selected bythe switch operating members. This safety measure .is brought -aboutby interrupting the circuit for the machine operationfor the time period for which the. drive ofthe selector deviceis madeeffective. In other words, when due to'the' movement ofthe lever 11 againstthe thrust ofspring 22 the contact 18 is closed, the contact 19 will always be open and closes only after the contact 18-has again beenopened. As mentioned above, by keyingin the selector key V, in addition to contact 14, also contact 13 is closed. Contact 13 in cooperation with the. contact 34 of the contact disc 7 and the sliding contact .6 and contact ring 8:: of contact disc 8 completes the circuit in that positionof the totalizer supporting drumszwhich corresponds to the selected totalizer. .This circuit lre mains interrupted by the contact discs 7 and SMuntil the terminal 6a of sliding contact 6 has reached the selected position. Thereupon the relay is energized, attracts its armature 20 and thereby actuates the pawl 4 so that the pawl 4 engages the ratchet wheel 3 and stops the latter thereby stopping the rotative movement of the parts 1, 3, 6, 9 and 2. While the armature 20 is attracted, simultaneously, due to the part 21 of the armature 20, the contact 16 is opened. Consequently the electromagnet 12 becomes deenergized and the armature 17 drops oit. As a result thereof, the control lever 11 and the pawl are by means of the spring 22 returned to their arresting position so that the pawl 10 again engages the arresting disc 9 and consequently arrests the totalizer supporting drum 2 in that position which corresponds to the selected counter.

If the key V was depressed by mistake and instead the totalizer eight was supposed to have been moved into working position, the depression of the key VIII will automatically bring about that the key V is thrown out. It may be stated that according to the embodiment shown in the drawing by way of example, a key selector bank known per se is provided in which only one key can at a time be in effective position, which means that when a second key is depressed while the first key is in depressed position, the first key will automatically be thrown out and returned to its inefiective position when the second key reaches its efiective position.

As stated, by actuation of key VIII, key V is thrown out of its effective position, and the contact 13 pertaining thereto is opened. As a result thereof, the supply of current to relay 5 is interrupted, which supply is previously efiected through contact 34 of contact disc '7, sliding contact 6, and contact disc 8. Consequently, armature drops off. Therefore, contact 16 now closes for key VIII, namely through contact 13 pertaining to key VIII, and through contact 37 of contact disc 7. Consequently, electromagnet 12 is energized through contacts 16 and 14. In this way, the adjusting process described above is repeated.

The arrangement described so far in connection with the present invention is manually operable by depressing any of the keys I-X.

In addition to this manual operation, there is also provided an automatic totalizer selecting device which works by means of inserted switch operating members such as riders or the like which are arranged on the paper carriage of the machine or a carrier cooperating with said paper carriage. According to the specific embodiment shown in the drawing, the automatic totalizer selection is effected by means of a control drum 23 which corresponding to the column positions of the paper carriage is each time moved by a uniform step. The riders or switch operating members 24 inserted into the control drum 23 actuate contactors 25 which through contacts 26 close the circuit for the respective counter. A lever 27 works in parallel arrangement with the contactors 25 and with each actuation of a contactor 25 closes the contact 28 and thus closes the circuit for the electromagnet 12.

According to the present invention a contact 29 (Fig. l) is arranged in said two circuits and is closed for the automatic setting. When one of the keys I-X is manually actuated, the contact 29 is opened by the universal rail 15 which, as stated above is simultaneously actuated with the actuation of any of the keys I-X. In this way, the manual setting makes the automatic setting mechanism inetfective.

The setting operation during the automatic control is otherwise precisely the same as with the manual setting. Thus, the same normally open conductors a-n interrupted by the contacts 13 or 26 are closed and the identical switch operation described in connection with the manual setting is obtained.

It is, of course, understood that the present invention is, by no means, limited to the particular arrangement shown in the drawings but also comprises any modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. In a calculating machine having multiple totalizers mounted in a rotatably adjustable drum and having motor means for rotating the drum, totalizer selecting mechanism comprising in combination: operating means includ ing a plurality of switch control members, a plurality of switch means each operable individually and selectively to be closed by one of said control members, a drive shaft driven by said motor means, a totalizer supporting drum fixedly connected to said drive shaft, a rotatable arresting member fixedly connected to said drive shaft, a first stationary control disc carrying a contact ring, a second stationary control disc spaced from said first control disc, said second control disc being provided with a plurality of spaced contacts corresponding in number to the number of said switch means and each connected to one of said switch means, a sliding contact between said two control discs and fixedly connected to said drive shaft for contact with said contact ring on said first control disc and with any selected one of the contacts on said second control disc, a ratchet wheel fixedly connected to said drive shaft, normally disengaged first pawl means movable to engage said ratchet wheel to arrest rotation of said drive shaft, relay means including armature means for actuating said first pawl means, second pawl means normally locking said arresting member in its respective position, electromagnet means operable to withdraw said second pawl means from locking engagement with said arresting member, a first switch normally open and operable in response to the energization of said electromagnet means to close a circuit to said motor means, a second switch normally closed and operable in response to the energization of said electromagnet means for preventing operation of the machine during the setting operation of said drum, and a normally closed third switch energizing said electromagnet means and opened in response to the energization of said relay means: a first circuit means including said switch means, said contact ring, said contacts, said sliding contact and said relay means in series; and a second circuit means including said third switch and said electromagnet means in series shunted to said first circuit means.

2. In a calculating machine having multiple totalizers mounted on an adjustable drum, totalizer selecting mechanism comprising in combination: operating means 111- cluding a plurality of switch control members, a plurality of switch means each operable respectively to be closed by one of said control members, motor means, a drive shaft driven by said motor means, a totalizer supporting drum connected to said drive shaft for rotation therewith, a plurality of contact members stationarily mounted around said drive shaft corresponding in number to the number of said switch means and each connected to one of said switch means, a slide contact fixedly connected to said drive shaft for respective electric connection with said contact members in predetermined angular positions of said slide contact, first electric circuit means including said switch means, said contact members and said slide contact in series, a second circuit means a normally closed control switch connected in said second circuit means, electromagnet means connected in said second circuit means in series with said control switch, a rotatable arresting member fixedly connected to said drive shaft, locking means continuously urged into locking engagement with said arresting member to arrest the same, said locking means being operable by said electromagnet means in response to the energization thereof to release said arresting member, ratchet fixedly connected to said drive shaft, pawl means movable to engage said ratchet means, said pawl means being continuously urged away from said ratchet means, and relay means connected in said first circuit means and having armature means operable to actuate said pawl means to engage said ratchet means and to open simultaneously said control switch to thereby interrupt the energizing circuit for said electromagnet means and to allow said locking means to lock said arresting means in its respective position.

3. In a calculating machine having multiple totalizers mounted on an adjustable drum, totalizer selecting mechanism comprising in combination: motor means, a drive shaft driven by said motor means for rotation of said drive shaft; a totalizer supporting drum, said drum being connected to said shaft for rotation therewith, a plurality of manually operable switch control members, a plurality of switches corresponding in number. to the number of said switch control members and each operable respectively to be closed by one of said control members, a rotatable arresting disc fixedly connected to said shaft and provided with a plurality of notch means corresponding in number to the number of said switches, a first pawl, spring means continuously urging said pawl into engagement with said notch means for arresting said disc, electromagnet means operable to withdraw said first pawl from engagement with said notch means to thereby allow rotation of said shaft, a plurality of contact members corresponding in number to the number of said switches stationarily mounted around said drive shaft and each connected to one of said switches, a sliding contact fixedly connected to said drive shaft and operable to contact respectively a selected contact member in conformity with the respective angular position of said sliding contact, a ratchet wheel fixedly connected to said drive shaft, a second normally disengaged pawl movable to engage said ratchet wheel; control switch means normally closed for controlling the energization of said electromagnet means; relay means operable in response to the energization thereof to open said control switch means and simultaneously to move said second pawl into engagement with said ratchet wheel; a first circuit means including said switches, said sliding and stationary contacts, and said relay means in series; a second circuit means, said control switch means and said electromagnet means being arranged in series in said second circuit means shunted to said first circuit means; third circuit means arranged for connection with said motor means for driving said shaft; and additional control switch means normally interrupting said third circuit means and operable in response to the energization of said electromagnet means to close said third circuit means; said additional control switch means also being operable in response to the deenergization of said electromagnet means to open said third circuit means.

4. In a calculating machine having multiple totalizers mounted on an adjustable drum, totalizer selecting mechanism comprising in combination: a plurality of manually operable switch control members, a plurality of normally open switch means each operable respectively and individually to be closed by one of said manually operable control members, motor means, a drive shaft driven by said motor means, a totalizer supporting drum connected to said drive shaft for rotation therewith, a plurality of contact means stationarily mounted around said shaft and corresponding in number to the number of said switch means and each connected to one of said switch means, a slide contact rotatably connected to said shaft for successively contacting said stationarily arranged contact means, first electric circuit means including said switch means, said contact members and said slide contact in series, second electric circuit means shunted to said first circuit means, a first control switch normally open and connected in said second circuit means, a third circuit means comprising a second control switch normally open and a third control switch normally closed, control means associated with said manually operable control members to close said first control switch and open said third control switch in response to the actuation of any one of said switch control members for closing said switch means, locking means associated with said shaft for holding the same in any one of a plurality of predetermined angular positions, electromagnet means operable when energized to make said locking means ineffective, a fourth control switch normally closed to control said electromagnet means, said electromagnet means and said fourth control switch being connect in series with said first control switch in said second circuit means, stopping means associated with said shaft for stopping the same in any one of a plurality of angular positions, a plurality of additional switches respectively shunted to said switch means, a plurality of lever means respectively associated with said additional switch means for individually closing the respective additional switch means in response to the actuation of the respective lever means, a plurality of selectively positioned control elements for automatically operating said levers in response to operation of said calculating machine, master lever means operable automatically by actuation of any one of said lever means to close said second control switch, and relay means in said first circuit means in series with said slide contact and operable when energized to make said stopping means effective while simultaneously opening said fourth control switch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,962,731 Bryce June 12, 1934 1,966,623 Fuller July 17, 1934 2,222,373 Rauh Nov. 19, 1940 2,228,830 Kniehahn Ian. 14, 1941

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