US3269648A

US3269648A - Function converting mechanism

Info

Publication number: US3269648A
Application number: US407114A
Authority: US
Inventors: Kagitani Takeo
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-12-27
Filing date: 1964-10-28
Publication date: 1966-08-30
Anticipated expiration: 1983-08-30
Also published as: DE1474054A1; GB1041319A; SE321370B; CH443729A

Description

Aug. 30, 1966 TAKEO KAGITANI 3,269,648

FUNCTION CONVERTING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 28 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 52

/ 2 MOTOR /06 my 4/-/ OMPUTA r/o/v u/v/r MEMORY UNIT /Oo lOa CONTROL C/F?CU/T WVEA/TOR By TAKE 0 KAG/ TAN/ ,4 T TORNE V 0, 1966 TAKEO KAGITANI FUNCTION CONVERTING MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 28, 1964 CONTROL C /RC 0/ 7' INVENTOF? TA/(EO KAG/TAN/ V fin? w A 7' TORNE V r 3,269,648 Ice Patented August 30, 196

3,269,648 FUNCTION CONVERTING MECHANISM Takeo Kagitani, 244 Aokinakaham'acho Honjo-cho,

Higashinada-k'u, Kobe, Japan Filed Oct. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 407,114 Claims priority, application Japan, Dec. 27, 1963,

8/ 70,418 7 Claims. (Cl. 235-61) This invention relates to calculator systems and the like and more particularly to transfer or function converting mechanisms utilizable in such calculator systems and the like.

In the prior art, transfer or function converting mechanisms utilizable in calculators were of many types and had many disadvantages. In one particular type of function converting mechanism, a horizontal adding rack is employed to drive a pinion gear. Electrical signals indicative of particular numerals deenergize a magnetic core to cause a clapper arm to be inserted into the teeth of the adding rack by force of a spring to cause the rack to stop at a fixed position indicative of the particular digit to 'be registered. When the clapper is attracted to a magnetic core by signals being applied thereto, the clapper is released from the rack by tension of the spring. In this type of mechanism it was found that the movement of the adding rack required from to 7 milliseconds per tooth and that the time required for the clapper to release from the magnetic core to the time of insertion into the rack by means of the spring tension was from 3 to 4 milliseconds. Thus, the time surplus between the adding rack movement and movement of the clapper is from a maximum of 4 milliseconds to a minimum of 1 millisecond. Because of these time factors, this type of mechanism often fails to obtain an accurate calculative result. The clapper, it has been found, would often not 'be properly inserted into the proper teeth of the adding rack when transferring or converting the electrical signals from a computation unit to mechanical stop movements.

Another method of converting a digit in a calculator is to transmit the digit as a particular number of pulses to a stepping motor which moves a pinion gear in a oneto-one correspondence. Thus, the pinion gear would engage an adding rack for registration by stopping the rack at a particular point in accordance with the number of pulses applied to the stepping motor. Also in this case, the time required to revolve the pinion gear depends upon the number of pulses which are applied to the stepping motor and has been found to be about milliseconds per digit. Thus, for example, the digit 9 would require about 180 milliseconds for registration. This type of transfer mechanism requires a stepping motor and has the disadvantage of complexity and inaccuracy.

Another problem of the prior art transfer mechanism is the simple and rapid conversion of keyed digits to electrical signals for transmission to a memory unit of a calculation unit. Most of the prior art types of transfer mechanisms involve use of separate mechanisms for converting the keyed digits or mechanical motion to electrical signals and for converting electrical signals indicative of the calculative values transmitted from a memory unit to mechanical motion indicative of the electrical signals.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to reduce the time for converting electrical signals indicative of calculative values or digits to mechanical motions for registration of the digits and to increase the accuracy of such conversions.

A more particular object of this invention is to enable the adding rack and pinion gear to be stopped accurately and quickly in response to signals representing digits and to simplify the mechanisms involved in converting keyed digits to electrical signals for transmission to a memory unit.

A further object of this invention is to eliminate the foregoing disadvantages of the prior art.

A still further object of this invention is to simplify the transfer converting mechanism so that one pinion gear can be used together with auxiliary circuitry to convert electrical signals to mechanical motions and to convert keyed digits to electrical signals.

These and other objects of this invention may be achieved in an illustrative embodiment thereof which briefly is a transfer or function converting mechanism utilizable in calculators and the like comprising a horizontal adding rack having a plurality of teeth, a rotatable vertically disposed pinion gear having a first set of teeth engageable with the teeth of the adding rack and a sec ond set of teeth utilized for stopping the rotation of the gear, a set of clapper arms, each associated with each of the second set of teeth and positioned thereabout so as to be insertable between corresponding ones of the second set of teeth to stop rotation of the pinion gear, and a plurality of relays for selectively operating the clapper arms.

In one particular embodiment of this invention, the second set of teeth are five in number and the clapper arms are four in number and the relays are also four in number. When digits 0 through 3 are to be registered, signals are sent directly from a memory unit of a calculation unit to energize selected ones of the four relays. For example, for digit 2, a particular relay (e.g. 0) will be energized. This would cause an arm (e.g. c) to 'be inserted into the corresponding second teeth (e.g. c) of the pinion gear thereby causing it to stop. Simultaneously, a control circuit energizes a motor to cause a driving arm to move the adding rack, which in turn moves the pinion gear. The adding rack also drives a typing bar on whose face are attached appropriate digit type sets. Thus, when the clapper arm is inserted into the pinion gear causing it to stop, the typing bar will also stop at a type set position indicative of the rotational position of the pinion gear, which rotational position indicates the digit being transmitted from the memory unit.

When digits 4 through 8 are to be transmitted a different situation arises. The clapper arms are inserted into predetermined non-corresponding second or revolution stopping teeth. The movement of the second teeth into predetermined non-corresponding positions is controlled by a set of timing cams and switches, which are operable by the motor. The motor which moves the driving arm also moves concurrently a shaft on :which are disposed the set of timing cams. The timing cams are positioned to operate the switches which control energization of the relays. Thus, for digit 4, for example, the motor concurrently drives the pinion gear and the timing gears to operate the switches to cause the signals from the memory unit to be shunted from the relays. Thus, the clapper arm cannot be inserted into the corresponding revolution stopping teeth positions. Instead, the pinion gear is caused to rotate into a predetermined non-corresponding revolution stopping teeth position. When this has happened, the timing cam is moved to cause an appropriate switch to close and thereby again cause the signals from the memory unit to be transmitted to an appropriate relay (e.g. a) thereby causing its associated clapper arm (e.g. a) to 'be inserted into the predetermined non-corresponding revolution stopping teeth (e.g. b).

The revolution stopping or second set of teeth and the corresponding arms are spaced and selectively operable such that for digits 0 through 3 the circumferential spacings between the arms and the corresponding second teeth are of increasing distances and for digits 4 through '8, the circumferential spacings between ones of the arms and predetermined non-corresponding ones of the second teeth are similarly of increasing distances. Thus, for digits through 8, the pinion gear revolves in stepwisely greater distances for each succeeding digit. Hence, conversion of electrical signals representing digits requires succeed ingly greater time duration for increasing numerals.

For digit 9, the cams cause all of the switches to operate and thereby cause all of the relays to be shunted, while the motor is causing the driving arm to drive the adding rack, and hence, the pinion gear, to an extreme position where it stops. This extreme position is shown by the typing bar type set as digit 9.

In the calculating system, in which this invention can be utilized, depression of keys representing digits will cause the rack to move the pinion gear to a particular rotational position. When this digit is to be sent to the memory unit of a computation unit for registration and subt-otalling, the rotational position is converted into an electrical signal which is sent to a memory unit. This conversion of the rotational position of the gear to electrical signals is achieved by a revolvable disc which is engageable and movable in synchronism with the pinion gear. A printed circuit plate is disposed opposite the revolvable disc. The disc and the plate have printed circuitry thereon arranged to indicate, when in mutual contact, the rotational position of the gear. A sli-dable bar operable by a second relay is provided for moving the disc away from the gear and into contact with the printed plate.

Thus, when the keyed digit is desired to be registered in the memory unit, a control circuit causes a signal to ,be sent to the second relay to cause the bar to move the disc away from the pinion gear and into contact with the printed circuit plate. Signalling sources are provided such that the mutual contact of the disc and plate causes appropriate signals to be sent to the memory circuit indicative of the keyed digit.

In an alternative embodiment, the printed circuit plate can be movable and the disc fixed to the pinion gear. Thus, the slidable bar would then move the printed circuit plate instead of the fixedly attached disc. In this manner the mechanism for converting electrical answers to mechanical motions and mechanical keyed digits to "electrical signals provides a simple system which is easy vto operate and requires few parts. Since the clapper arm and pinion gear arrangement have corresponding and non-corresponding predetermined insertive locations all indicative of the rotational position of the pinion gear, the accuracy of the conversion is increased. Moreover, the time required for the conversion is substantially re .duced.

A feature of this invention is the provision of a gear having a first set of teeth and a second set of teeth, a rack which is engageable with the first set of teeth to cause movement of the gear, a set of clapper arms disposed adjacent each of the second set of teeth and associated therewith, and means for selectively inserting the arms into the corresponding second set of teeth for one set of information and for selectively inserting the arms into predetermined non-corresponding teeth of the second set for a different set of information.

Another feature of this invention is the use of a set of cams driven by a motor for controlling the insertion of the arms into the predetermined non-corresponding teeth of the second set for the different set of information.

A still further feature of this invention is the provision of a disc contactor means which is engageable and rotatable simultaneously with the pinion gear, a printed circuit plate disposed adjacent thereto, and means for moving the disc into electrical contact with the printed circuit plate to cause generation of signals which are indicative of the rotational position of the gear.

Another feature of this invention is that either of the plate and disc can be moved with respect to each other for generation of signals indicative of the rotational position of the gear.

Another feature of this invention is that the second set of teeth and the arms are arranged such that the spacings between the arms and the corresponding teeth are of increasing distances and the spacing between the arms and the predetermined non-corresponding ones of the teeth are of increasing distances.

A yet further feature of this invention is a calculating system using the above features in combination.

The above and'other objects and features of this invention, its nature and various advantages, can be more readily understood with reference to the accompanying drawing and detailed description therewith which follow.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 depicts an illustrative embodiment of this invention showing pictorially a gear or transfer unit and part of a control circuit utilized therewith.

FIG. 2 depicts the remaining part of the control circuit which is utilized in conjunction with the gear arrangement of FIG. 2 to convert electrical signals to mechanical gear movements.

FIG. 3 depicts an exploded view of a mechanism attachable to the gear of FIG. 1 for converting mechanical gear movements to electrical signals indicative of the position of the gear.

FIG. 4 depicts pictorially an illustrative embodiment of this invention having a plurality of gear uni-ts of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 depicts pictorial sidev-iew of a calculating apparatus utilizing illustrative embodiments of this invention.

Turning to FIG. 1, there is shown an adding rack 1 having a plurality of teeth 2 and movable in a horizontal direction (as represented by arrow bydriving arms 62. The motive mechanism for driving arm 62 is not shown in FIG. 1 but can be of a type shown in :FIG. 2 which will be discussed hereinafter in greater detail. In the same plane as the adding rack are located a pinion gear 3 having a first plurality of teeth 4 which are engageable with the teeth 2 of the adding rack 1 and a second plurality of rotation or revolution stopping teeth 5a through 52, and a plurality of clapper arms 6a through 6d movably disposed on pins or rods 7 and held by springs 8 in the manner depicted. Each of the clapper .arms 6a through 6d is operable either directly or by an intermediate bar 9 by a corresponding relay 10a through 10d.

For example, when relay 10b is energized by a signal applied to its windings, clapper arm 6b will be attracted by magnetic flux in the relay core and caused to revolve about its pin 7 and against the tension of spring 8 and thereby be inserted into teeth 5b of the gear 3. Flux guides 104 are of appropriate magnetic material and are used to increase the flux efficiency of the relays. The rack 1 which is movable by the driving arm 62 (in a manner as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 5) rotates the gear 3.

Insertion of the clapper arm 6 into the gear teeth 5 causes the gear 3 and, hence, the rack 1 to stop. Such an arrangement can be utilized to transfer or convert electrical signals representing numerals or digits to rotational positions of the gear.

The relays 10a through 10d are connected by means of conductor to a control circuit 112 containing a memory unit 107 and a computation unit 106. The memory unit 107 has nine different terminals 08, for generation of signals representing the digits 0 through 8. The terminals are rendered effective one at a time. For example, when terminal 5 is effective, all of the others for that digit place are not effective. Thus, it may be readily apparent that the memory unit terminals are effective in synchronism with the action of the timed earns 21 through 25 in closing the relay contacts 32-1,

35-1, 38-1, 41-1 and 441. As depicted, electrical signals may be transmitted via conductors 109a through 109d to the windings of relays 10a through 10d as shown. Such a situation may exist, for example, in an adding machine when a total or answer having a plurality of digits is completed by a computation unit and the answer is to be registered. Thus, when signals representing digits through 3 are generated by the memory unit 107 and computing unit 106, current will flow directly through corresponding conductors 109a through 109d, through the respective conductors 105a through 105d of the appropriate relays 10a through 10d to ground thereby causing operation of the respective relays.

For example, if the computation unit 106 and memory unit 107 produce a signal from terminal 0 representing the digit 0 the signal will travel through the conductor 109a, through conductor 105a directly through the winding of relay 10a to ground. Relay 10a will thus be operated and intermediate arm or bar 9a will be attracted thereto to cause clapper arm 6a to be inserted into the revolution stopping teeth a of gear 3 causing it to stop.

For signals from the memory unit representing digits 4 through 8, another part of the control circuit 112 operable in connection with timing cams 21 through 25 of FIG. 2 and described hereinafter in greater detail will cause solenoid 108 to close contact 47 and cause contacts 32-1, 35-1, 38-1, 41-1, to operate in a selective manner to cause the signals to be shunted temporarily from the relays a through 10d, until gear 3 is moved to have its revolution stopping teeth 5a through 5d in predetermined non-corresponding positions with respect to the clapper arms 6a through 6d. Thereafter, the signals will be transmitted to the relays to cause the clapper arms to be inserted into the predetermined non-corresponding revolution stopping teeth.

In order to explain in greater detail the operation of the illustrative embodiment of FIG. 1 with respect to signals representing digits 4 through 8 which are to be registered by dilferent rotational positions of the gear 3 it is best to refer to FIG. 2 in connection with FIG. 1. In FIG. 2 there is shown a motor 113 which is controlla ble by a control circuit 112 through conductor 141, and

shaft 126 which is connected to motor 113 via a shaft 7 connecting means, such as a clutch, 113a to be movable by the motor 113. On the shaft 126 is disposed a main cam 54 and a plurality of timing cams 21 through 25. The timing cams 21 through 25 are'arranged in variable angular positions on the shaft 126, according to the desired sequence of closures of switches 27 through 31. This is explained hereinafter in greater detail, especially in the table below. To the main cam 54 is connected a driving arm 62 which may in turn drive the adding rack 1 of FIG. 1. When the smaller portion of the timing cams 21 through 25 hit their associated levers 116 through 120, the corresponding switches 27 through 31 are caused to close. Thus, the timing cams are arranged to cause a desired sequence of closures of switches 27 through 31, to effect their synchronization with the signals from terminal 0 to 8 of memory unit 107, the position of gear 3, the operation of relays 10a through 10d, and the consequent operation of clapper arms 6a through 6d. In a normal position the switches 27 through 31 are in open positions. Of course, other arrangements are possible, e..g. arrangements having normally closed switches and using the larger portions to open the switches. Each of the switches 27 through 31 comprises contacts a and 17; contact a is connected electrically to terminal c and contact b is connected to terminal d. These contacts are disposed such that in a normal condition the contacts a and b will be open. The terminals d are serially connected via conductor 143 to contact 47, fuse 114 and power source 115 and parallelly to solenoids 32 through 46 and to terminals 0 as shown. Each of the parallel branches of the solenoids is shunted by a diode 148 for protection from current overloads and reverse polarity of current. The solenoids operate one or more contacts which control the energization of relays 10a through 10d for different digits. More than one solenoid is shown in each branch to indicate more than one gear arrangement may be controlled to have multiple read outs of the answer.

When any one or more of the switches 27 through 31 are closed and the switch or contact 47 is closed, source applies current through the parallel path of solenoids having a closed switch. For example, when timing cam 25 causes the switch 31 to close and contact 47 is closed, power is applied to

solenoids

44, 45 and 46. Since, in this embodiment, each of the solenoids 32 through 46 has a normally open contact which is closed upon energization, the contacts on the

solenoids

44, 45 and 46 (depicted in FIG. 1 as 44-1) will be caused to close. In a similar manner, closure of any of the other switches 27 through 31 will cause the energization of the solenoids 32 through 46 and the closure of their normally open contacts.

Returning to FIG. 1 it can be appreciated that only for signals derived from terminals 4 through 8 of memory unit 1-07 will contact 47 be caused to close. It is only in these instances that current will he applied to relay 108 to cause closure of the normally open contact 47 associated therewith. Thus, for signals deriving from terminals 0 through 3 of memory unit 107, signals will flow directly to the relays 10. For signals representing digits 4 through 8, contact 47 will be closed and when combined with the closure of the switches 27 through 31 will cause energization of the corresponding solenoids 32 through 46 and cause the opening of, for example, normally closed switches 32-1, 35-1, 38-1, 41-1 and 44-1 as shown in FIG. 1.

Thus, for signals representing digits 4 through 8, the following operation takes place: (the explanation is best understood by referring simultaneously to FIGS. 1 and 2). The control circuit 112 containing memory unit 107 and computation unit 106 upon signalling from an external source causes a particular digit or set of digits to be totalled and a signal such as, for example, the digit 5, to be transmitted from terminal 5 of memory unit 107 through its corresponding conductor 10917 in FIG. 1 to contact 35-1. Simultaneously, the signal is caused to flow through relay 108 of FIG. 1 to cause its operation and the closure of normally open contact 47 thereof. At the same time, timing cam 22 of FIG. 2, which is rotated on shaft 126 by motor 113, causes the closure of normally open switch 28. Thus, power source 115 of FIG. 2 causes current to flow through

solenoids

35, 36 and 37 thereby to cause opening of their normally closed contacts. For example, contact 35-1 of FIG. 1 will be caused to open. Thus, no signal is applied to relay 10b.

Concurrently, the control circuit 112 signals the motor 113 to move main cam 54 to cause driving arm 62 to drive the adding rack 1 horizontally to the left as shown by arrow 100. Thus, during the time the signal from terminal 5 of memory unit 107 is prevented from flowing through open contact 3'5-1, the gear 3 is 'being moved in a counter-clockwise direction. The main cam 54 and the timing cam 21 through 25, more particularly timing cam 23, are arranged on the shaft 26 such that the switch 28 will be reopened when a predetermined revolution stopping teeth, in this case 50, is directly opposite the clapper arm 6b for digit 5. When switch 28 is opened, current will no longer flow through solenoid 35 and hence its contact 35-1 of FIG. 1 will be caused to close. Thus, the signal representing digit 5 will be allowed to flow through conductor 11012, through closed contact 35-1, through conductor 10511, to the Winding of the relay 10b to ground. In this manner, relay 10b will be energized to attract clapper arm 6b and cause it to be inserted into the revolution stopping teeth 5c.

Similarly, for others of the digits 4 through 8, other clapper arms 6 will be inserted into predetermined noncorresponding revolution stopping teeth 5.

For signals emanating from computing unit 106representing digit 9, however, the control circuit 112 will cause motor 113 to rotate main cam 54 and its connected driving arm 62 to drive the adding rack 1 and hence, pinion gear 3 to its extreme position. Hence, gear 3'will be at its extreme counter-clockwise position for the digit 9.

A summary of the different positions of the clapper arms and revolution stopping teeth in corresponding and predetermined non-corresponding positions and the appropriate timing cam switch and solenoid involved for the respective digits through 9 is shown in the table below.

Revolution Stopping Teeth Relay N 0.

Clapper Switch Arm N 0.

Solenoid No No.

X X X X 32 35 38 41 44 X Final Point.

It should be noted in FIG. 1 that the circumferential spacing between the revolution stopping teeth 5a through '5e and the corresponding and predetermined non-corresponding clapper arms 6a through 6d are of increasing distances for the increasing digits. For example, the circumferential distance between clapper arm 6a and teeth 5b for digit 4 is greater than the circumferential distance between clapper arm 60 and teeth So for digit 3. Thus, the time required for the signals to be registered increases sequentially for increasing digits represented thereby.

Having described the arrangements for converting electrical signals to rotational positions of the gear, an arrangement which is also part of this invention for converting mechanically keyed digits represented by rotational positions on a pinion gear into electrical signals for transmission to a computing unit will be described in connection with FIG. 3.

In FIG. 3, there is shown a shaft 122 on which can be disposed the pinion gear 3 of FIG. 1, disc 11 and plate 8; a stop relay 20; a slidable bar connected to and drivable by a connecting bar 127 and adding rack 1 of FIG. 1.

Disc 11 is disposed on shaft 122 through a hole 14a, and is engageable with gear 3 by key 12a insertable into keyhole 12b of gear 3. Spring 13 is arranged to hold the disc 11 in engagement with gear 3 to enable disc 11 to rotate simultaneously with gear 3. Plate 18 also is disposed about shaft 122 through hole 18a but is not movable thereby. Rods may be inserted through holes 1812 to hold the plate 18 stationary.

Both plate 18 and disc 11 have electrodes 19 and 17 respectively thereon for mutual electrical contact. The electrodes, which can be plated electrodes or printed circuitry, are arranged such that the relative rotational position of each will provide different resistances and hence provide suitable signals indicative thereof for transmission through wires 123 and 124- to control circuit 112. The signals may be caused by current applied by a source located in the control circuit 112 (but not shown).

Slidable bar 15 has a protrusion 16 and is held by spring 133 and is used to move disc 11 away from the pinion gear 3 and into contact with plate 18 when stop relay 20 is energized by a signal applied by control circuit 112 through conductor 26.

In a typical situation when a digit is keyed, adding rack 1 is moved (by a mechanism not shown, although arm 62 could be used for this purpose) to cause movement of gear 3 to a particular rotational position representative of the keyed digit. Since disc 11 is engaged with .gear 3, its rotational position is also changed and also represents the keyed digit. Plate 18, however, is held 8 stationary. After the digit is keyed, it may be desired to convert the rotational position of the gear and disc into electrical signals which can be used in a computing unit. This conversion of rotational position of gear 3 and disc 11 into usable electrical signals is achieved when signals from the control circuit 112 are applied to stop relay 20 to cause its energization. Operation of stop relay 20 will cause bar 127 and slidable bar 15 attached thereto to move against the tension of spring 133 toward a left direction (as represented by arrow The protrusion 16 catches one of the teeth 14 on disc 11 and moves disc 11 away from gear 3 and. into electrical contact with plate 18. The relative positions of plate 18 and disc 11 will cause a particular signal indicative of the rotational position of the gear 3 to be sent to the control circuit 112 through

conductor

123 and 124. The arrangement of the printed circuitry on disc 11 and plate 18 are such as to present different impedances to current applied thereto depending upon the relative rotational positions of the disc and plate. The printed circuitry coding used 'k-herein may be of any known type, such as a diadic system.

After the converted signal representative of the rotational position of the gear 3 is sent to the control circuit 112, the current being applied to stop relay 20 is moved and spring 133 causes bar 15 to be moved to the right and causes disengagement of disc 11 from plate 18 and again into engagement with gears 3 for the next registration of a keyed digit.

Of course, the plate 18 can instead be caused to move against disc 11 for causing generation of electrical signals representative of the relative rotational positions of the gear 3. In this case, it would be possible to make gear 3 an integral part of disc 11. A slight modification of the stop relay 20 and the bar arrangement 15 would be necessary. Spring 133 would be on the left end of the bar 15, which bar would be caused to move to the right and the protrusion 16 would be situated to move plate 18 to the right instead of disc 11 to the left.

A plurality of gear arrangements as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 can be bunched together in one compact unit for use in simultaneously registering and converting one or more digits. Such a bunched unit is depicted in FIG. 4.

In FIG. 4 there is shown a pair of side plates 129 and a pair of end plates 128 held by fasteners 130 to form a supporting structure 134 for the bunched unit. In the bundled unit, on a common shaft 122 are disposed a plurality of gears 3, a plurality of discs 11 and a plurality of plates 18. A plurality of relays 10, held in flux guides 104, a plurality of clapper arms 6 and intermediate bars 9 held by rods 7 are shown below each gear. Stop relay 20, to which is attached bar 127 for movement of slidable bar 15 is shown at the rear of the supporting structure 134. Bar 15 is shown slidable upon a supporting structure 131 and attached thereto by screws 132 and held in tension by spring 133 at the right end thereof. Control circuit 112 is shown in block diagram form having leads 105 going to the units. Each of the gears in the arrangement can be used separately or in combination with the others to perform both conversion of rotational positions of the gears to suitable electrical signals and conversion of electrical signals to rotational positions of the gear.

FIG. 5 depicts a calculating machine which utilizes this invention and comprises a covering or supporting structure 135 on which is disposed a plurality of digit keys 49 in one bank and at least one control key 137. The digit keys 49 are connectable to supporting bar 169 by key stem 50 and operate blocking slide 53. The control key 137 is connected by a stem to a cam 5111 which causes key release 51 to operate, and is connected also to a procedure control circuit 149 which causes signals to be applied via conductor 144 to a main control circuit 112. Index strip 52 located immediately below the key stems 50 of the digit keys 49 is connected to an index rack 55 by a link and spring arrangement (151) and to a rocking link 139. The index rack 55, which is movable in a circular direction, is connectable to the adding rack 1 which moves in a horizontal direction in response to movement of the index rack 55 against tension of the spring 150, and is guided by the accumulator gears 57 and 56. The rocking link 139 is connected for moving the main cam 54 in the manner shown, which in turn is connected by another cam 152 to typing bars 61. The typing bar 61 has on its head a plurality of type sets (162) having digit representations. The gear 3 and unit 134 shown in greater detail in FIGS. 1 through 4 are connectable with the teeth of adding rack 1. The embodiment herein illustrated shows only one bank of keys for digits through 9 and the mechanism necessary for their registration and conversion of calculated electrical answers to typed or displayed digits. However, it is to be understood that more than one bank of digit keys, index racks, adding racks, etc. may be used in one adding machine.

When a particular digit key 49 is depressed, index strip 52 is moved to cause movement of rack index 55 in a counterclockwise direction to cause horizontal movement of the adding rack 1. This horizontal movement of adding rack 1 causes movement of gear 3. Concurrently, the index strip 52 causes movement of rocking link 139 to move main cam 54 and subsidiary cam 152 to cause the vertical movement of typing arm 61 and display of the appropriate digit representing the keyed digit. When a digit is keyed, arm 62 is arranged such as to not move the adding index 1, and the typing bar 61 is not moved by cluster gear 58. Instead, the typing bar 61 is moved by the subsidiary cam 152.

When the keyed digit or series of digits, such as 456 etc. is desired to be transmitted as suitable electrical signals to a computing unit, control key 137 is depressed to cause key release 51 to release the depressed digit key 49 and to cause procedure control circuit 149 to send a signal via conductor 144 to the main control circuit 112. The main control circuit 112 sends a signal via conductor 126 to stop relay 20 to cause in a manner as discussed with respect to FIG. 3, conversion of the rotational position of the pinion gears 3 into electrical signals which are returned via conductor 123 to the control circuit 112.

The adding rack 1 has an extension arm 60 which is engageable with cluster gear 58 which cluster gear is engageable also for movement of typing bar 61 in the manner depicted. Latch 59 is provided for holding the adding rack in a particular position after being moved by the index rack 55. Driving arm 62 which may be connected either to the main cam directly or to the auxiliary cam 152 may also move the adding rack 1. Motor 113 is connnected via a shaft 113A to shaft 26 which holds a plurality of timing cams (such as that numbered 25) and .a plurality of levers (such 'as 20) and switches (for example 31) which are connected via conductor 143 to the control circuit 112 as explained in greater detail in FIG. 2.

When a total digit count or answer is desired, an operator depresses control key 137 completely or for a particular length of time to cause key release 51 to release all the digit keys 49 and procedure control circuit 149 to instruct the main control circuit 112 to compute the final answer. When the final answer, comprising a plurality of digits, is obtained the control circuit 112 sends a signal via conductor 141 to motor 113 to cause it to rotate shaft 26 in a manner discussed with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2. Simultaneously, signals are being transmitted from a memory unit 107 of the control circuit 112 via conductor 105 for appropriate energization of the relay 10 to cause insertion of clapper arms 6 into the revolution stopping teeth of gear 3. Gear shaft 26 is rotated by motor 113 upon signalling or registration of the final answer to cause movement of driving arm 62 to move adding rack 1 and movement of the plurality of timing cams (such as 25) to cause appropriate operation of switches (for example 31). Thus, for the number of an answer having digits 0 through 3, relays 10 are operated directly to cause insertion of clapper arms 6 into corresponding revolution stopping teeth 5 of gears 3 in the manner discussed with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2. The extension 59 on the adding rack 1 moves cluster gear 58, and hence, typing bar 61 to a position which would display or type the number or numbers of the answer.

For numbers in the answer having digits 0 through 8, as discussed with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2, the timing cam, switches and other circuitry cause the clapper arms 6 to be inserted into predetermined non-corresponding ones of the revolution stopping teeth 5 of the gears 3. For digit 9 the driving arm 62 causes the adding rack 1 to move the gear 3 to their extreme position. Thus, a final computed answer will be registered or displayed.

While specific embodiments of this invention have been shown and described, it will be understood that they are merely illustrative of the principles of this invention and that various modifications may be made thereon without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

41. A function converting mechanism comprising a gear which is rotatable about an axis and having a first set of teeth and a second set of teeth, a rack which is engageab-le with said first set of teeth for rotating said gear, a set of arms each disposed adjacent a corresponding one of said second set of teeth, a set of relays for operating said arms, and control means for selectively operating said relays to cause said arms to be inserted into corresponding ones and non-corresponding ones of said second set of teeth to cause said gear to stop at particular rotational positions.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein second control means are provided for disabling said relays after movement of said second set of teeth beyond a predetermined rotational position to allow said arms to stop noncorresponding ones of said second set of teeth.

3. The invention according to claim 2 wherein said second control means comprises a shaft, a set of cams disposed on said shaft and rotatable thereby concurrently with rotation of said gear by said rack, and means responsive to said set of cams for controlling the operation of said relays to cause said arms to be inserted against non-corresponding ones of said second set of teeth.

4. A function converting mechanism comprising a gear having at least a first set of teeth, a rack having teeth engageaible with said first set of teeth for rotating said gear, at least one connector means having an electrode printed there-on in a diadic system and attachable to said gear and rotatable thereby, at least a second connector means having an electrode printed thereon in a diadic system which is contactable with said at least first connector means, and control means for causing electrical contact of at least first connector means and said at least second connector means thereby to produce signals indicative of the rotational position of said gear.

5. In a computation system an apparatus for converting electrical signals to mechanical movements comprisa gear having a plurality of teeth thereon with predetermined spacings between said teeth,

a plurality of relays,

a plurality of arms eac'h operable by a respective relay and positioned to be insertable between ones of said teeth, and

means for selectively energizing said relays to cause said arms to selectively be inserted between different ones of said teeth in response to different ones of said electrical signals to cause said gear to stop at predetermined rotational positions.

6. The invention according to claim 5 wherein said plurality of teeth are at least five in number, and said arms are at least four in number and are located within the vicinity of said teeth such that the spacings between corresponding arms and teeth are of successively increasing rotational distances of said gear and the spacings between predetermined non-corresponding arms and teeth are of successively increasing rotational distances of said gear.

7. The invention according to claim *6 further comprising first control means for sequentially causing said relays to cause corresponding ones of said arms to be inserted between corresponding teeth in direct response to ones of said electrical signals which represent numerals 0 through 3, and second control means for causing predetermined ones of said relays to be disabled while said gear is being rotated such that said arms will be caused References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,895,121 7/ 1959 Bliss 23561 1 3,009,633 11/1961 Dilks et al. 235--611 3,025,510 3/1962 Lovejoy 235611 3,050,246 4/ 1962 Corner et a1 2356-11 LOUIS J. CAPOZI, Primary Examiner.

LEO SMlLOW, Examiner.

Claims

1. A FUNCTION CONVERTING MECHANISM COMPRISING A GEAR WHICH IS ROTATABLE ABOUT AN AXIS AND HAVING A FIRST SET OF TEETH AND A SECOND SET OF TEETH, A RACK WHICH IS ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID FIRST SET OF TEETH FOR ROTATING SAID GEAR, A SET OF ARMS EACH DISPOSED ADJACENT A CORRESPONDING ONE OF SAID SECOND SET OF TEETH, A SET OF RELAYS FOR OPERATING SAID ARMS, AND CONTROL MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY OPERATING SAID RELAYS TO CAUSE SAID ARMS TO BE INSERTED INTO CORRESPONDING ONES AND NON-CORRESPONDING ONES OF SAID SECOND SET OF TEETH TO CAUSE SAID GEAR TO STOP AT PARTICULAR ROTATIONAL POSITIONS.