US3317128A - Pin carriage input arrangement - Google Patents

Description

H. SCHMIDT 3,317,128

PIN CARRIAGE INPU-T ARRANGEMENT Filed Dec. 30, 1964 WI 22 l United States Patent O Forest, Germany Filed Dec. 30, 1964, Ser. No. 422,352

Claims priority, application Germany, Jan. 7, 1964, K 46.742 Claims. (Cl. 23S- 60) The present invention relates to an input arrangement for the pin carriage of an accounting machine or lcalculator of the ten key type, and more particularly to an input arrangement in which electromagnetic means control the actuators by which the pins of the pin carriage are set to represent digits, and by which control pins are shifted on the pin carriage to cause stepwise movement of the same to successive ordinal positions.

In some constructions according to the prior art, the digit representing pins and the control pins are individually operated by a corresponding series of electromagnetic means. However, this has the disadvantage that each electromagnetic means must have suicient power to actuate and shift a pin on the pin carriage. Electromagnetic means capable of performing this task are comparatively large and difficult to build into the limited space available in a business machine. y

In accordance with an improved construction of'the prior art as shown in the British Patent No, 950,242, selector magnets are respectively associated with the digital pins of each order, and operate a coupling means which connects the actuators of the pins with an electromagnetic operating means so that the force for setting any of the pins is not supplied by the selector magnets, but by a single electromagnetic operating means which is constructed to have sufficient power for this purpose. In such an arrangement, the selector magnets can be small and take up little space so that a great deal ot space is saved compared with older constructions, even though an additional electromagnetic operating means of greater power has to be added.

The electromagnetic operating means moves a bar which is coupled by the coupling members of energized selector magnets to the actuators by which the digital pins are set. The bar of the electromagnetic -operating means directly acts on the control pins so that the pin carria-ge moves one step when a digital value has been entered by actuation of a digital pin.

However, there is no assurance that a digital pin was actually set and a corresponding vaue entered in this manner int-o the pin carriage. For example, if a selector magnet fails to actuate its coupling member, the electromagnetic operating means will actuate the respective control pin and cause the pin carriage to make one step although the coupling member of the electromagnetic means of the respective digit value was not in the coupling position. In other words, instead of the intended digit, the digit zero is stored in the respective order of the pin carriage a1- thou-gh the operator has no way of knowing that this happened.

It is one object of the invention to overcome this disadvantage of known pin carriage input arrangements, and

Patented May 2, 1967 ICC to assure that the pin carriage is moved to the next following ordinal position only if a digital value was introduced linto the same.

Another object of the invention is to assure that the control pins of a pin carriage which cause the stepwise movement of the carriage are operated depending on the actuation of the digital pin.

Another object of the invention is an input arrangement for a pin carriage in which the actuators by which the digital pins are set, control the actuator for the control pins by which the pin carriage is caused to move to the next following ordinal position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pin carriage arrangement in which a series of selector magnets are associated with the digital pins, and with the control pins and actuate coupling means by which an electromagnetic operating means is coupled to actuating means for digital pins which also cause the actuation of the corresponding control pins.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide in an input arrangement which is controlled by electromagnetic means, manually operated means which control the actuation of the digital pins while the movement ofthe pin carriage takes place under the control of the actuators of the digital pins.

With these objects in view, the present invention relates to an input arrangement for the pin carriage of an accounting machine or calculator. One embodiment of the invention comprises pin carriage means including a movable carriage, a group of pins mounted on the carriage and including a series of digital pins and a control pin; an actuating member operable for actuating the control pin; a plurality of digital actuating means individually operable for actuating the digital pins and for operating the actuating member; and operating means for selectively operating the digital actuating means.

Whenever a selected digital actuating means is operated, it actuates a digital pin to represent a digital value, and at the same time it operates the actuating member so that the control pin is actuated to cause movement of the carriage to the next `following ordinal position. i

Since the control pin is not actuated by the operating means, but is actuated by the digital actuating means, the pin carriage cannot perform a step unless a digital pin has been actuated and set.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a single electromagnetic operating means, and a plurality of electromagnetic selector means are provided. The selector means, when enengized, move coupling means to a coupling position in which the electromagnetic operating means is coupled with one of the digital actuating means to cause actuation of a digital pin. The actuating member of the control pin is operated by the digital actuating means only when a selector means has moved a coupling means to the coupling position so that it is assured that a control pin cannot be actuated unless a digital pin has been actuated.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the nonactuation of a digital pin represents the digit zero, so that a coupling means and an electromagnetic selector means is also provided for the actuating member and used when the digit zero is to be represented. Actuation of the control pin by the actuating member coupled to the electromagnetic operating means causes the pin carriage to move one step without the entry of a digit by the digital actuating means which are associated with the digits from 1 to 9.

Unless the digit zero is to be entered into the pin carriage, it is not possible that the pin carriage moves to the next following ordinal position without the entry of one of the digits from 1 to 9, even if the corresponding selector magnet fails. In this event, no digital value from 1 to 9 is entered, and the actuating member of the control pin is not operated and consequently the pin carriage remains in the ordinal position, indicating to the operator that a malfunction has occurred.

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 advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specic embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a rst operational position of the apparatus shown in FIG. l; and

FIG. 3 is -a fragmentary perspective View illustrating another operational position of the apparat-us.

Referring now to the dra-wing, a pin carriage 1 is mounted on a pair of guide rails 2 and 3 for movement along the same. A spring 4 is secured by a hook to pin carriage 1 and urges the same to move in the direction of the arrow A. Digital pins 5 respectively representing the digits from 1 to 9 are arranged in parallel rows which extend transverse to the direction of movement of the pin carriage, each transverse row being associated with a decimal order. A control pin 6 is correlated with each ordinal row of digital pins 5, and aligned with the same.

The input carriage means 1, 5, 6 is operated in a conventional manner to store digital values by depressing a digital pin 5 of each row to an actuated position. Whenever a pin 5 is actuated in an ordinal row, the corresponding pin 6 must also be depressed and actuated to cause movement of the pin carriage in the direction of the -arrow A to the next following position thereof in which a digital pin is depressed and actuated in the next following ordinal row together with the corresponding control pin v6. When the digit values of the several orders of a number have been entered into the parallel rows of digital pins, the actuated digital pins are sensed by differential elements, not shown, in a conventional manner to transfer the number into a storage register, as is well known to those skilled in the art.

Whenever a control pin 6 is depressed and actuated, the stop 7 is no longer effective to hold the pin carriage against the action of spring 4, and the pin carriage moves one step to the next following position in `which the control pin 6 of the next following order abuts stop 7. No digital pin 5 is provided for the digit zero, since nonactuation of the digital pin of the respective ordinalrow, `and actuation of the respective contr-l pin `6 represents the digit zero. In other words, when the pin carriage 1 makes a step upon actuation of a control pin 6 lwhile no digital value is entered, the corresponding position of the pin carriage represents the digit Zero.

A shaft 8 is mounted in the frame of the machine and supports a digital series of actuating lever means, of which only the lever means 9 and 10 are shown. An actuating lever means is provided for each of the digital pins 5, that is for the digits from l to 9, most of the digital actuating means being omitted in FIG. 1 for the sake of clarity. The two Iactuating lever means 9 and 10 have downwardly projecting pointed actuating portions 12 and 13 respectively resting on the tops of corresponding digital pins, and it will be understood that all digital pins of a CTL row are engaged in the same manner and that pivotal movement of an actuating lever means will cause movement of the corresponding engaged digital pin 5 to a lower -actuated position. FIG. 1 shows the actuating lever means cooperating -with the first row of digital pins 5, and after a value have been entered in the rst row of digital pins, the carriage performs one step in the direction of the arrow A, and the actuating portions 12 and 13 of the actuating lever means will then cooperate with the digital pins 5 of the second row. Some of the actuating lever means are straight double-armed levers, as shown for actuating lever means 9, while other actuating lever means are constructed as shown for actuating lever means 10, and have one arm ending in actuating portion 13, a bridge portion extending parallel to shaft 8, and a second double-armed lever 10 also mounted for turning movement on shaft 8. Lever arm 10 has a projecting stud or roller 16, Iand actuati-ng lever means 9 has an arm at whose end a corresponding stud or roller 15 is mounted. Studs 15 and 16, and corresponding studs on the other digital actuating lever means, which are not shown in the drawing, cooperate with coupling means in the form of arms, of which -only coupling means 18 and 20 are shown in FIG. 1. Coupling ` arms 18 and 20 have thinner coupling portions 18 and 20 respectively cooperating with studs 15 and 16 in a manner which will be described hereinafter in greater detail. A coupling means is provided for each of the digits from yone to zero, and since the coupling means have to be spaced a certain distance from each other, it is necessary to provide some of the actuating lever means, for example lever means 10 with a second lever 10 which is positioned to cooperate with the respective coupling arm 20, 20.

An actuating lever member 11 which is correlated with control pins 6, is also mounted on shaft 8 for turning movement. A control rod 28 is secured to actuating lever member 11 and is connected at the ends thereof to a pair of arms 29 which are turnable about shaft 8, only-one arm 29 being shown in the drawing for the sake of clarity.

Control rod 28 extends across all digital actuating lever means, as shown for lever means 9 and 10 and constitutes a connectiong means for connecting the same with actuating members 11, 28, 29. A spring 36 is secured to the actuating members 11, 28, 29 and to a stationary rod 36a which is -secured to the frame of the machine, so that the actuating lever member 11 is urged to turn in counterclockwise direction until its stop portion 38 abuts a stop bar 37. Actuating lever member 11 has an actuating portion 14 which projects downwardly and is located directly above a control pin 6 in the position illustrated in FIG. 1. When actuating lever member 11 is turned in clockwise direction, the respective control pin 6 is depressed and actuated, permitting carriage 1 to move one step in the direction of the arrow until stop 7 engages the next following pin.

Corresponding springs 36 are attached to all digital actuating lever means, as shown for lever means 9 and 10 and urge the same to turn in counterclockwise direction until abutting stop portions 39 of manually operable key levers 40, of which only one is shown in FIG. 1.

Actuating lever member 11 has a stud 17 cooperating with a coupling portion 19 of a coupling arm 19.

Coupling arm 19 cooperates with a movable armature 21 of Aan electromagnetic selector means 23. Nine additional electromagnetic selector means, of which only selector means 24 and 25 are shown, are provided with corresponding armatures 22 which respectively cooperate with nine coupling means for the digital actuating means, of which only the coupling means 18 and 19 are illustrated.

Springs 26 act on each of the armatures 21, 22 of the electromagnetic selector means 23, 24, 25 and so forth to retract the respective coupling means to a position spaced from the corresponding studs 16, 16, 17.

It will be understood that an armature 22 is also connected to coupling means 18, but not shown in the drawing. Ten electromagnetic selector means, ten armatures, and ten coupling means are provided of which nine are correlated with the nine digits and with the nine digital actuating means, whereas the tenth is correlated with the actuating lever member 11 and with the control pins 6 which are used to represent the digit zero. Keys 40, of which only one is shown, may be used for a manual selection and act directly on actuating levers 12, 13. During normal operations, selector means 23, 24, etc., are energized by electric impulses from the storage means of an accounting machine, for example, while the keys are not used.

When the electromagnetic selector means are not energized, the coupling means are pulled by springs 26 to a position resting on Ia bar 27 which extends across all coupling means.

An electromagnetic operating means 33 has a mov able armature 32 connected to an arm 31 which is mounted on shaft 8 for turning movement, and is secured to an operating member 30 in the form of a transversely curved bar. Operating member 30 extends across .all coupling means 18, 19, 20, and more particularly across the coupling portions 18', 19', 20'. A spring 34, shown in FIG. 2 urges arm 31 to turn with operating member 30 to a position in which the edge 30 of operating member 30 is spaced .from the studs of the digital actuating lever means and of the actuating member 11.

The distance between the edge 30' and the studs, for example studs 15, 16 and 17, is great enough to permit advance of the coupling means, for example coupling arms 18, 19 and 20 to coupling Ipositions in which coupling portions 18', 19', 20 are located between the edge 30" and the respective stud.

FIGS. l and 2 illustrate a normal position of the rest of the apparatus. The digital .actuating lever means, for example 9 and 10, and actuating lever member 11 are held by springs 36 in a normal position in which the actuating portions thereof, for example portions 12, 13 and 14 are located above the corresponding pins 5 and 6 of the rst row of pins. As shown in FIG. 2, the coupling arm is retracted from the edge 30 of operating member 30, and from the corresponding stud 16 of the digital actu-ating lever means 10. Spring 3-4 turns arm 31 in clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 2 to a position abutting a stop 35 so that the edge 30' is spaced a distance corresponding to the height of the coupling portion 20 from the corresponding stud 16, and the same position is assumed by all other coupling arms and studs.

In the position of FIG. 3, the electromagnetic selector means 23, which is associated with the digit zero and with actuating lever member 11, is energized and has attracted armature 21 to move coupling arm 19 to a coupling position in which coupling portion 19 is located between stud 17 of actuating lever member 11 and edge 30 of operating member 30.

As is well known to those skilled in the art, the electromagntic operating means 33 is energized after energization of an electromagnetic selector means such as 23, 24, 25, energization of which determines the selection of the digit to be entered.

When electromagnetic operating means 33 is energized, its armature 32 is attracted, and turns arm 31 so that operating member 30 is raised and displaces coupling portion 19 so that stud 17 is raised and actuating lever member 11 is turned about shaft 8 in clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. l to depress and actuate the respective control pin 6 permitting the carriage 1 to make one step. Since none of the digital pins 5 in the respective lirst row was depressed and actuated, none of the digits from one to nine is entered into the register during the following sensing of the position of the pins of the pin carriage, and the value zero is entered into the register.

Assuming that one of the electromagnetic selector means, which represent the digits from one to nine, iS energized, for example electromagnetic selector means 25, armature 22 will be displaced and coupling arm 20 shifted until coupling portion 20 is located between operating member 30 and corresponding stud 16 of the digital actuating lever means 10, 10. In this event, the electromagnetic selector means 23 associated with the digit zero is not energized, and consequently the .actuating lever member 11 is not coupled by coupling arm 19, 19 to the operating member 30.

Upon energization of electromagnetic operating means 33, operating member 30 is raised and displaces stud 16 by means of coupling portion 20' whereby digital actuating lever means 10, 10' is turned in clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1 so that actuating portion 13 depresses one of the digital pins 5 and places the same in an actuated position which can be sensed after entries have been made in ordinal rows of pins of the pin carriage in accordance with the number of orders of the entered number.

It is, however, necessary that the control pin 6 of -the respective row of pins is also depressed and actuated, since otherwise the carriage would not perform a step to associate the next following row of pins with the digital actuating means and with the actuating member 11.

Since the rod 28 is engaged by any one of the digital actuating lever means when the same moves to actuate a digital pin 5, movement of actuating lever means 10 will cause depression of rod 28 against the action of spring 36 so that actuating lever member 11 will be turned by rod 28 in clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. l although its coupling means 19, 19 is not in the coupling position. Turning of actuating lever member 11 effects depression and actuation of control pin 6 by the actuating portion 14 so that the pin carriage can move one step to the next following ordinal position. It will be seen -that the control pin 6 can only be act-uated if either the digit zero is to be entered in the register, or when one of the digital actuating means has actually entered a digital value by actuating a digi- -tal pin 5. In the event that one of the electromagnetic selector means 24, 25, etc. fails to operate, the value zero will not he entered into the register which is the case in the construction according to the prior art. Unless one of the digital actuating lever means moves and actuates actuating member 11 by connecting means 28 to depress a digital pin, the corresponding control pin will not be actuated, and consequently the pin carriage will remain in the same position and perform no step which will indicate that no digital value has been entered into the pin carriage. In the constructions of the prior art, operation of the electromagnetic operating means 33 caused actuation of the respective control pin 6 and movement of the carriage, even if due to failure of the electromagnetic selector means no digit vwas actually entered into the pin carriage by displacement and actuation of a digital pin.

When the electric impulses energizing electromagnetic operating means 33 and the electromagnetic selector means 23, 24, 25, etc., are terminated, springs 36, 34 and 26 return all movable parts of the device to the normal position of rest.

It is also possible to enter digital values by operation of key levers 40 which directly act on the digital actuating lever means, as shown for lever means 9 and 10. When one of the digital actuating lever means is turned, rod 28 is displaced, as described above, and actuating lever member 11 is turned about shaft 8 to depress and actuate control pin 6 so that the pin carriage performs one step to the next ordinal position. The selector means 23, 24, 25 and the associated coupling means are not actuated during a manual selection. Un-

less a digital actuating lever means has actually moved down and operated a digital pin, control pin 6 will not be actuated, and pin carriage 1 will not move. Arm 39 of each key lever 40` is raised by the corresponding digital actuating lever means under the action of the respective spring 36 until arm 39 abuts the lower edge of stop bar 37.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of input arrangements for the pin carriage of a calculator or accounting machine differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a pin carriage input arrangement preventing movement of the pin carriage without entry of a digital value, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

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

1. Pin carriage input arrangement comprising, in cornbination, pin carriage means including a carriage movable in one direction to a plurality of positions, and a `group of pins mounted on said carriage for movement with the same, each pin being individually movable relative to said carriage between a normal position and an actuated position, said group including a series of digital pins and a control pin, said control pin in said actuated position being adapted to cause movement of said carriage to the next following position thereof; an actuating member operable for moving said control pin to said actuated position thereof; a plurality of digital actuating means individually operable for moving said digital pins to said actuating positions thereof; connecting means connecting said digital actuating means with said actuating member for operating said actuating member to move said control pin to said actuated position when any one of said actuating means moves the respective digital piu to said actuating position; an electromagnetic operating means having a movable member operable to move to an actuating position; a plurality of coupling means individually movable between an inoperative position, and a coupling position for coupling said digital actuating means, respectively, with said operating means; and a plurality of electromagnetic selector means connected with said coupling means, respectively, for moving the same individually to said coupling positions whereby said actuating member is operated to actuate said control pin dependent on the operation of a digital actuating means.

2. Pin carriage input arrangement comprising, in combination, pin carriage means including a carriage movable in one direction to a plurality of positions, and a group of pins mounted on said carriage for movement with the same, each pin being individuallf movable relative to said carriage between a normal position and an actuated position, said group including a series of digital pins and a control pin, said control pin in said actuated position being adapted to cause movement of said carriage to the next following position thereof; an actuating member operable for moving said control pin to said actuated position thereof; a plurality of digital actuating means individually operable for moving said digital pins to said actuating positions thereof; connecting means connecting said digital actuating means with said actuating member for operating said actuating member to move said control pin to said actuated position when anyone of said actuating means moves the respective digital pin to said actuating position; an electromagnetic operating means having a movable member, said movable member extending across said digital actuating means and being operable to move toward the same to an actuating position; a plurality of coupling means individually movable between an inoperative position, and acoupling position located between said movable member and a correlated digital actuating means for coupling said digital actuating means, respectively, with said movable member; and a plurality of electromagnetic selector means connected with said coupling means, respectively, for moving the same individually to said coupling positions whereby said actuating member is operated to actuate said control pin dependent on the operation of a digital actuating means.

3. Pin carriage input arrangement comprising, in combination, pin carriage means including an carraige movable in one direction to a plurality of positions, and a group of pins mounted on said carriage for movement with the same, each pin being individually movable relative to said carriage between a normal position and an actuated position, said group including a row of digital pins and a control pin aligned with said row, said row extending transversely to said direction of movement of said carriage, said control pin in said actuated position being adapted to cause movement of said carriage to the next following position thereof; an actuating lever member operable for moving said control pin to said actuated position thereof; a plurality of digital actuating lever means individually operable for moving said digital pins to said actuating positions thereof; connecting means connecting said digital actuating means with said actuating member for operating said actuating lever member to move said control pin to said actuated position when any one of said actuating means moves the respective digital pin to said actuating position; an electromagnetic operating means having a movable member, said movable member extending across said digital actuating lever means and being operable to move toward the same to an actuating position; a plurality of coupling arms individually movable between an inoperative position, and a coupling position located between said movable member and a correlated digital actuating lever means for coupling said digital actuating lever means, respectively, with said movable member; and a plurality of electromagnetic selector means connected with said coupling arms, respectively, for moving the same individually to said coupling positions whereby said actuating lever member is operated to actuate said control pin dependent on the operation of a digital actuating lever means.

4. Pin carriage input arrangement comprising, in combination, pin carriage means including a carriage movable in one direction to a plurality of positions, and a row of pins mounted on said carriage for movement with the same, each pin being individually mo-vable relative to said carriage between a normal position, and an actuated position, said row of pins including a series of digital pins for representing the digits from one to nine and a control pin, said control pin in said actuated position being adapted to cause movement of said carriage to the next following position thereof; a shaft extending parallel to said row of pins and transverse to said direction of movement; an actuating member turnably mounted on said shaft and having an actuating portion cooperating with said control pin, said actuating member having a normal inoperative position and an operative position for moving said control pin to said actuated position thereof; a rod extending parallel to said shaft secured to said actuating member; a plurality of digital actuating levers mounted on said shaft for turning movement and extending across said rod, said actuating levers having actuating portions respectively cooperating with said digital pins and being individually movable between an inoperative position and an operative position for moving said digital pins, respectively, to said actuated positions thereof; an electromagnetic operating means including an operating bar eX- tending across said digital actuating levers and having an inoperative position, and an actuating position more closely spaced from said digital actuating levers; a plurality of digital coupling arms individually movable between an inoperative position, and a coupling position located between said bar and the respective digital actuating lever; and a plurality of digital electromagnetic selector means having armature members operatively connected with said coupling arms for moving the same individually to said coupling positions whereby upon energization of one of said electromagnetic selector means and of said electromagnetic operating means a selected digital actuating lever is turned to actuate a digital pin, and engages said rod to move said actuating member to said operative position so that said control pin is actuated dependent on the operation of a digital actuating lever by an electromagnetic selector means.

5. Pin carriage input arrangement, comprising, in combination, pin carriage means including a carriage movable in one direction to a plurality of positions, and a row of pins mounted on said carriage for movement with the same, each pin being individually movable relative to said carriage between a normal position, and an actuated position, said row of pins including a series of digital pins for representing the digits from one to nine and a control pin, said control pin in said actuated position being adapted to cause movement of said carriage to the next following position thereof; a shaft extending parallel to said row of pins and transverse to said direction of movement; an actuating member turnably mounted on said shaft and having an actuating portion cooperating with said control pin, said actuating member having a normal inoperative position and an operative position for moving said control pin to said actuated position thereof; a rod extending parallel to said shaft secured to said actuating member; a plurality of digital actuating levers mounted on said shaft for turning movement and extending across said rod, said actuating levers having actuating portions respectively cooperating with said digital pins and being individually movable between an inoperative position and an operative position for moving said digital pins, respectively, to said actuated positions thereof; springs means for urging said digital actuating levers to said inoperative positions thereof; an electromagnetic operating means including an operating bar extending across said digital actuating levers and having an inoperative position, and an actuating position more closely spaced from said digital actuating levers; a plurality of digital coupling arms individually movable between an inoperative position, and a coupling position located between said bar and the respective digital actuating lever; a plurality of digital electromagnetic selector means having armature members operatively connected with said coupling arms for moving the same individually to said coupling positions whereby upon energization of one of said electromagnetic selector means and of said electromagnetic operating means a selected digital actuating lever is turned to actuate a digital pin, and engages said rod to move said actuating member to said operative position so that said contr-ol pin is actuated dependent on the operation of a digital actuating lever by an electromagnetic selector means; and a plurality of manually operated key means respectively engaged by said digital actuating levers in said inoperative positions, and being movable for moving said digital actuating levers to said .actuating positions.

6. Pin carriage input arangement compirsing, in combination, pin carriage means including acarriage movable in one direction to plurality of positions, and a row of pins mounted on said carriage for movement with the same, each pin being individually movable relative to said carriage between a normal position, and an actuated position, said row of pins including a series of digital pins for representing the digits from one to nine and a control pin, said control pin in said actuated position being adapted to cause movement of said carriage to the next following position thereof; a shaft extending parallel to said row of pins and transverse to said direction of movement; an actuating member tumably mounted on said shaft and having an actuating portion cooperating with said control pin, said actuating member having a normal inoperative position and an operative position for moving said control pin to said actuated position thereof; a rod extending parallel to said shaft secured to said actuating member; spring means for urging said actuating member to said inoperative position thereof; a stop member cooperating with said actuating mernber for stopping the same in said inoperative position; a plurality of digital actuating levers mounted on said shaft for turning movement and extending across rsaid rod, said actuating levers having actuating portions respectively cooperating with said digital pins and being individually movable between an inoperative position and an operative position for moving said digital pins, respectively, to said actuated positions thereof; spring means for urging said digital actuating levers to said inoperative positions thereof; an electromagnetic operating means including an operating bar extending across said digital actuating levers and having an inoperative position, and an actuating position more closely spaced from said digital actuating levers; a plurality of digital coupling arms individually movable between an inoperative position and a coupling position located between said bar and the respective digital actuating lever; a plurality of digital electromagnetic selector means having armature members operatively connected with said coupling arms for moving the same individually to said coupling positions whereby upon energization of one of said electromagnetic selector means and of said electromagnetic operating means a selected digital actuating lever is turned to actuate a digital pin, and engages said rod to move said actuating member to said operative position so that said control pin is actuated dependent on the operation of a digital actuating lever by an electromagnetic selector means; and a plurality of manually operated key means respectively engaged by said digital actuating levers in said inoperative positions, and being movable for moving said digital actuating levers to said actuating positions, said manually operated key means being spring-loaded and abutting said stop member while stopping said digital actuating levers in said inoperative position.

7. A pin carriage input arrangement as set forth in claim 4 and including an electromagnetic selector means correlated with the digit zero and having an armature member, a coupling means movable between an inoperative position, and a coupling position located between said bar and said actuating member, said coupling means being movable between said positions thereof by said last mentioned electromagnetic selector means so that said actuating member is moved by said electromagnetic operating means to -said operative position upon energization of said electromagnetic operating means and actuates said control pin whereby said carriage moves to the next following position thereof without the entry of la digit from one to nine, and consequently represents the digit zero.

8. A pin carriage input arrangement as set forth in claim 7 wherein said coupling means are coupling arms equally spaced from each other, and wherein some of said digital actuating levers are double-armed levers having a shorter arm carrying a stud cooperating with the respective coupling arm and a longer arm having said actuating portion, and others of said digital actuating levers comprise a bridge portion and two levers one of which has said actuating portion and the other of which includes an arm carrying a stud cooperating with the respective coupling arm, said stud-carrying arms being equally spaced the same distance as said coupling arms.

1 1 1 2 9. A pin carriage input arrangement as set forth in References Cited by the Examiner claim 4 wherein said actuating member includes two arms at the ends of said rod connected to the -same and being UNITED STATES PATENTS mounted for turning movement on said shaft, said actnat- 2,034,345 3/1936 Kottmann 23S-60 ing member including a lever having said actuating por- 5 2,824,688 2/ 1958 Mehan '235-60 tion at one end and being secured to said rod intermediate 3,053,443 9/ 1962 Trumpelann 23S-60 said two arms.

10. A pin carriage input arrangement as set forth in FOREIGN PATENTS claim 4 wherein said bar is mounted for turning move- 932,097 7/ 1963 Great Britain. ment about said shaft and has a straight edge cooperating 10 with said coupling anni STEPHEN I. TOMSKY, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. PIN CARRIAGE INPUT ARRANGEMENT COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, PIN CARRIAGE MEANS INCLUDING A CARRIAGE MOVABLE IN ONE DIRECTION TO A PLURALITY OF POSITIONS, AND A GROUP OF PINS MOUNTED ON SAID CARRIAGE FOR MOVEMENT WITH THE SAME, EACH PIN BEING INDIVIDUALLY MOVABLE RELATIVE TO SAID CARRIAGE BETWEEN A NORMAL POSITION AND AN ACTUATED POSITION, SAID GROUP INCLUDING A SERIES OF DIGITAL PINS AND A CONTROL PIN, SAID CONTROL PIN IN SAID ACTUATED POSITION BEING ADAPTED TO CAUSE MOVEMENT OF SAID CARRIAGE TO THE NEXT FOLLOWING POSITION THEREOF; AN ACTUATING MEMBER OPERABLE FOR MOVING SAID CONTROL PIN TO SAID ACTUATED POSITION THEREOF; A PLURALITY OF DIGITAL ACTUATING MEANS INDIVIDUALLY OPERABLE FOR MOVING SAID DIGITAL PINS TO SAID ACTUATING POSITIONS THEREOF; CONNECTING MEANS CONNECTING SAID DIGITAL ACTUATING MEANS WITH SAID ACTUATING MEMBER FOR OPERATING SAID ACTUATING MEMBER TO MOVE SAID CONTROL PIN TO SAID ACTUATED POSITION WHEN ANY ONE OF SAID ACTUATING MEANS MOVES THE RESPECTIVE DIGITAL PIN TO SAID ACTUATING POSITION; AN ELECTROMAGNETIC OPERATING MEANS HAVING A MOVABLE MEMBER OPERABLE TO MOVE TO AN ACTUATING POSITION; A PLURALITY OF COUPLING MEANS INDIVIDUALLY MOVABLE BETWEEN AN INOPERATIVE POSITION, AND A COUPLING POSITION FOR COUPLING SAID DIGITAL ACTUATING MEANS, RESPECTIVELY, WITH SAID OPERATING MEANS; AND A PLURALITY OF ELECTROMAGNETIC SELECTOR MEANS CONNECTED WITH SAID COUPLING MEANS, RESPECTIVELY, FOR MOVING THE SAME INDIVIDUALLY TO SAID COUPLING POSITIONS WHEREBY SAID ACTUATING MEMBER IS OPERATED TO ACTUATE SAID CONTROL PIN DEPENDENT ON THE OPERATION OF A DIGITAL ACTUATING MEANS.

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