US726586A - Adding-machine. - Google Patents

Description

No. 726,586. PATENTED APR. 28, 1903..

A. H. STANTON.

ADDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 13, 1901.

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PATENTED APR. 28, 1903..

A. 11. STANTON. ADDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 13, 1901.

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PATENTED APR.- 28, 1903.

vNo. 726

A. H. STANTON. ADDING. MACHINE. APPLICATION nun JULY 13, 1901.-

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UNrrnD STATES.

PATENT @rrrcn'.

ALBERT H. STANTON, OF HUNTINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ADDING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming; part of Letters Patent No. 726,586, dated April 28, 1903.

Application filed July 13,1901. Serial No. 68,235. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT H. STANTON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Huntington, county of Hampshire, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Adding-Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like numerals on the drawings representing like parts.

In certain types of adding-machinessuch, for instance, as is shown in Patent No. 366,945, dated July 19, 1887-the indicating- Wheels are positively rotated by the depression of the keys, and the construction is such that the distance which the different keys are depressed in order to properly actuate the corresponding indicator-wheels varies, as does also the force required to depress the diferent keys. For instance, in the device illustrated in the said patent the distance which the key numbered 1 has to be depressedin order to advance the indicating-wheel one number is less than the distance the key numbered 9 has to be depressed, and owing to the lever construction the force required to depress the 9 key is very much greater than that required to depress the 1 key. The result of this construction is that the operator until he becomes thoroughly expert is very liable to use insufficient force in depressing the 9 key, and hence fail to depress the key to its full extent, the result being that the indicator-Wheel will not be ad vanced nine points, as was intended, but Will instead be advanced a less number of points.

Consequently the number indicated by the wheels is not the number desired, nor the number Which corresponds to the keys manipulated, and therefore the final result obtained by the operation of the machine is in-v accurate. This inaccurate .result is frequently obtained by the failure of the opera tor to depress the long-stroke keysthe keys numbered 7, 8, 9, 856., in the patent above referred tot0 their full extent, becanset he natural inclination of a person operating the keys is to depress them all to the same extent and with approximately the same force.v l

. It is the object of my invention to devise a novel form of adding-machine wherein all of the keys have the same stroke and require the same amount of force to depress them to theirfull extent. With such a machine the operator soon learns the distance each key must be depressed to properly actuate the same and also the force required to depress the key, and since all the keys have a uniform stroke and require the same force to depress them there are no inaccurate results reached by the failure of the operator to depress any individual key to the particular extent necessary to operate it. In order to secure these results, my improved adding-machine comprises the usual indicator-Wheels, but instead of con necting the indicator-wheels directly to the keys, so that the said wheels are positively operated by the keys, I provide means independent from the key mechanism for rotating the Wheels. The keys operate looking devices which serve to lock the Wheels to a driver, whereby the rotation of the driver carries the indicator-Wheel with it, and a suitable stop mechanism is employed to stop the indicator-wheels when they indicate the desired number. Since the keys do not positively actuate the indicator-Wheels, but only operate the lock mechanism, it is possible to so construct the keys that they all have the same length of stroke and require the same force to fully depress them.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention the driver is in the nature of a shaft which has means connected thereto tending constantly to rotate the same, and the shaft has fast thereon a plurality of disks. Adjacent each disk and loose on the shaft is an indicating-Wheel, there being of course one disk and a corresponding indicator-Wheel for each denomination represented.

The means employed for locking the indicator-Wheels to the shaft when desired is herein illustrated as comprising a series of pins carried by each indicator-wheel, there being as many pins in each series as there are consecutive numbers in any denomination. Each pin is controlled by an actuatinglever, which is in turn actuated by the key having the number corresponding to the number of the pin. When the key numbered 5 is depressed, for instance, the pin corresponding to this number is forced through the disk by the actuating-lever, thus locking the disk to the shaft. The rotation of the shaft carries with it the disk, and a suitable fixed stop is employed, against which the projecting end of the operative pin engages to stop the disk to indicate 5, or the number of the key depressed. If the next key depressed is the key numbered 3, the pin corresponding to three will be forced through the disk and at the same time the pin previously inserted will be restored to its inoperative position by a restoring device which is common to all the keys. The disk now rotates the distance of three points, when the pin corresponding to the key numbered 3 will strike the stop and restrain further rotation of the shaft.

The keys are so arranged that the stroke of each key the same and the same force is required to depress each key, and hence af ter the operator has once learned the length of the stroke and the force necessary to depress the key there will be no inaccurate results obtained by reason of the fact that (lifferent keys have to be depressed different distances and with different force, as in the patent above referred to.

In the drawings, Figure l is a central vertical section of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3, Fig. 1. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are details hereinafter described.

The casing which incloses the operative parts of the machine is designated by 3 and may be of any suitable construction.

Mounted for rotation at one end of the easing is the main shaft 4, which in this embodiment of my invention constitutes a driver and upon which the indicatorwheels are loosely mounted, as hereinafter described, and said shaft is provided at one end With any suitable mechanism 5, tending normally to rotate the same, such mechanism con veniently being any suitable form of spring-motor. The shaft has fast thereon a plurality of disks 6, and adjacent each of said disks and loosely mounted on said shaft are indicator-wheels 7, said wheels each bearing the consecutive numbers of a particular denomination.

In the form of mechanism shown I have illustrated a device having a units-disk, a tens-disk, and a hundredsdisk, and therefore each disk will have imprinted thereon the consecutive numbers from 0 to 9. I wish y it understood, however, that the machine may be made to add fractions by employing a suitable disk having the consecutive numbers of any denomination thereonas, for instance, if the disk were to add quarters the numbers thereon would be O l 2 3. The machine may also be constructed to add pints, quarts, gallons, the, by employing disks suitablyimprinted.

In the embodiment of my invention herein disclosed each disk has two series of the nu mbers of any denomination-that is, on one half the periphery of each disk are the numbers O to 9, consecutively arranged,

and on the other half the same numbers repeated. This particular arrangement, however, is not necessary, for by making the disks larger or smaller more than two series of the numbers or only one series of the numbers may be used.

Each indicator-wheel has near its periphery a series of holes in which are slidably mounted pins 9, there being in this embodiment of my invention twenty pins in each indicatorwheel. It will be understood, of course, that if each indicator-wheel had on its periphery only one series of consecutive numbers only ten pins would be employed. The disks 6 are each provided with holes 10 in alinement with the pins 9, which holes are adapted to receive the pins 9 to lock the indicator-wheel to the disk, as will be presently described. The pins when in their operative position project through and beyond the face of the disk 6, as shown by pin 9, Fig. 4.

Supported in any suitable way at the rear of the casing and adjacent each of the disks (3 are a series of rigid stop-bars 12, which are adapted to engage the projecting end of the operative pin to limit the rotation of the disks. With this construction it will be seen that if the third pin from the stop-bar is forced through the disk 6 the motor 5 in rotating the shaft will carry with it theindicator-wheel in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1, until the projecting end of such third pin engages the stop-bar 12, when the rotation of the indicator will cease. The indicator-wheel has now moved through three points, so that if the figure opposite the opening 14 in the casing 3 indicated 0 before the third pin was rendered operative to lock the parts together the number 3 will be brought opposite the opening 14 when the shaft is rotated until the third pin strikes the stop 12. If new the fifth pin from the stop 12 be inserted through the disk 6 and at the same time the pin abutting the stop 12 be forced into its inoperative or normal position, the motor will turn the shaft 4 through five points, or until the said fifth pin has engaged the stop 12, when the number 8 is brought opposite the opening 14.

By providing suitable mechanism for operating any desired pin it will be seen that the disk may be rotated through any desired distance to indicate any desired number. The mechanism for rotating the disk of each denomination is the same, and hereinafter I will confine my description to the mechanism operating in conjunction with a single indicator-wheel.

Since the keys do not positively operate the indicating-wheels, but instead operate the pins, and since the longitudinal movement of all of the pins is the same, thelength of the stroke of all of the keys is equal. This I consider to be quite an important feature of my invention.

Extending longitudinally of the casing 3 are the series of partitions 16, there being as IIO many such partitions as there are indicatorwheels, and each partition has extending therefrom at suitable intervals ribs 17, in which are mounted a series of shafts 19, as seen in Figs. 1 and 3. Each shaft has extending from one end thereof a slotted arm 20, in the slot of which plays a suitable pin or similar projection upon the stem 21 of a key 22.

Where the device is designed to add units, tens, hundreds, &c., as in this embodiment of my invention, there will be a series of keys for each indicator-wheel, and the keys will be numbered 1 to 9, respectively.

In Fig. 1 the numbers are applied to the side of the key for convenient reference. Each key is connected to a separate shaft 19, and, as seen in Fig. 1, key No. 1 would be connected to operate the lowest shaft, key No. 2 thenext lower shaft, and so on. Connected to the opposite end of each of said shafts is an arm 23, said arms being connected by suitable links 24: to actuating-levers 2'5, pivotally mounted upon any suitable support, such as partitions 26, said partitions being situated at the rear of the casing and operating to support the shaft 4. The actuating-levers 25 are disposed upon a curve, as seen in Fig. 1, and a lever is situated opposite each pin 9 of the series.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that if key No. 1 is depressed the lower rock-shaft 19 will be oscillated and the actuating-lever 25 at the right, Fig. 1, will be turned, said actuating-lever operating against the pin 9 which is next adjacent to or one point distant from the stop 12. WVhen this occurs, the said pin 9 is forced through the disk 6, as seen in dotted lines, Fig. 5, thus locking the indicator-wheel to the shaft, and the motor 5 will advance the indicator-disk in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1, until the projecting end of the said pin strikes the stop 12 as seen in Fig. 4. 1f the key numbered 9 is depressed, the upper shaft 19 will be oscillated and the left-hand actuating-lever actuated to force that pin which is nine points distant from the stop 12 through they disk, thus locking the shaft to the disk, and if at the same time the pin in engagement with the stop be disengaged from the stop the indicator-wheel will rotate through a distance of nine points.

The mechanismjust described is duplicated for each of the indicator-wheels.

Since the movement which it is necessary to give to anyone pin 9 is the same as that given to any other pin 9 and since the bell-cranks 25 are all of the same size, as seen in Fig. 1, it follows that the rotary movement necessary to give any one shaft 19 is the same as that necessary to give any other shaft in order to properly operate the pins corresponding to the said shafts. Consequently the device. Furthermore, the force necessary to operate any one pin 9 is the same as is required to operate any other pin, and consequently the force necessary to depress the keys is alike'with all the keys. as extremely important, because it reduces to a minimum the liability of mistake which occurs when the keys have a different length of stroke, as with some existing types of machines.

In order that the device may operate, it is necessary if the operator after operating a key in the units-column next operate one in the tens-column that the pin in the unitsdisk which is engaging the stop 12 should be disengaged at the same time that the appropriate pin is inserted in the tens-disk, and I have therefore provided what I have called a restoring device, which is common to all of the keys of all of the series, such device being so constructed that when any key of any series is depressed the said device operates to restore to normal position or render inoperative any pin which may be engaging any of the stops 12. In the drawings such restor- This I regard ing device is designated by a sliding rod 28,

which is mounted to slide through suitable apertures in the partitions 26, and said rod 28 carries the bent arms 29, there being one such arm for each of the disks 6, and each of said arms has a horizontally-arranged offset portion 30, which is in alinement with the aperture in the disk adjacent the stop 12. Whenever the rod 28 is reciprocated to the right in Fig. 2, the arms 30 thereof enter the apertures next adjacent the stops 12 and force any pins which may be therein through the disk 6 and into the indicator-wheel 7. Supported in the ribs 17 are a series of shafts 33, each shaft having extending therefrom and directly under the end of the stem of each of the keys an arm 34:, upon which the said key-stems rest. Each'shaft 33 has fast thereto at its rear end an arm 34, connected by a link 35 to a suitable cam device 36, bearing against a shoulder 37 on the rod 28, said cam being suitably pivoted to the partition 26. It will thus be seen that whenever any key of any series is depressed the shaft 33 of that series will be oscillated and through the cam 36 the rod23 will be reciprocated to the right, Fig. 2, thus releasing any pin which may be engaging any of the steps 12, and at the same time the pin corresponding to the key which has been depressed will be inserted through the disk 6 to lock the indicator to the shaft, as has been above described.

The actuating-levers for forcing the pins through the disk 6 and the restoring device are so constructed that the pins are forced through the disk 6 sufficiently far so that the projecting end thereof is in line with the stop 12 before the pin engaging the stop has beenthrown back out of engagement with said step, as seen in Fig. 5, so that there will be no time during the operation of the machine when there will not be a pin in position to engage said stop.

A suitable spring 50 is employed to return the restoring device to its inoperative position whenever the keys have been released.

The carrying device is illustrated in Fig. 4.

Each indicator-wheel except that corresponding to the highest denomination has projecting therefrom two lugs 40, which are adapted to engage an arm 42, carried by a suitably-mounted rock-shaft 43, just as the said indicator-wheel passes from the 9 point to the 0 point. The other end of the rock-shaft 43 has fast thereto an upright arm 44, to which is pivotally mounted a pawl 45, engaging suitable teeth on the periphery of the indicator-wheel for the next higher denomination, and the parts are so constructed that as the indicator-wheel of the lower denomination passes from the 9 to the 0 point the stop 40 rocks the rockshaft 43 through the arm 42 and retracts the pawl 45 sufficiently so that the nose thereof engages the next tooth in the periphery of the indicator-wheel of the higher denomination. A suitable spring mechanism 47 operates to restore the pawl 45 to its normal position after the pin 40 has passed, thereby feeding forward the indicator-Wheel of the higher denomination one point, as will be obvious.

It will be understood of course that the periphery of the indicator-wheels have as many teeth thereon as there are numbers imprinted on the wheel, and preferably the numbers will be placed on the face of the teeth, as seen in Figs. 2 and 5.

To prevent those disks which are not locked to the shaft from rotating when any key is depressed, I employ a suitable brake device 60, pivotally mounted on any suitable support and bearing at one end against the periphery of the indicator-wheels, said brake being yieldingly held against the wheels by a suitable spring 61.

From the above it will be seen that one important feature of my invention resides in providing mechanism whereby the keys all have the same length of stroke and require substantially the same force to fully operate them, and while I have herein illustrated one form of my invention it will be obvious that various changes may be made in the structu re of the device without departing from the spirit of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. For instance,although I have herein chosen to illustrate the locking devices in the form of pins, yet it will be obvious that some other equivalent locking device for connecting the disks and indicating-Wheels may be employed, if desired, and still be within the invention. So, also, it is not necessary that the particular manner of connecting the keys to the locking devices herein disclosed be employed.

While I have herein illustrated one form of my invention, it will be obvious that various changes may be made in the structure of the device without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an adding-machine, a series of independentlyoperative indicator-wheels, a driver to rotate the same, key mechanism to look any one of said indicator-wheels to said driver, and means to stop the movement of the driver when the operative indicator-wheel has been rotated to indicate a number corresponding to the number of the key operated.

2. In an adding-machine, a shaft, means tending normally to rotate the same, a series of'indicator-wheels of. different denominations loose on said shaft, and each bearing the consecutive numbers of its denomination, means to lock each wheel to the shaft, and means to stop the rotation of the shaft when the indicator-wheel indicates any predetermined number.

3. In an adding-machine, a shaft, means tending normally to rotate the same, a series of indicator-wheels loosely mounted on said shaft, said indicator-wheels denoting different denominations, and each bearing the consecutive numbers of its denomination, a series of keys for each indicator-wheel, means operated by any key of a series to lock the corresponding indicator-wheel to the shaft, and means to stop the rotation of the shaft when the indicator indicates the number corresponding to the number of the key actuated.

4. In an adding machine, an indicatorwheel having a series of numbers, rotating means therefor, a series of numbered keys, a separate locking device actuated by each key, said locking devices when actuated operating to connect the indicator-wheel to the rotating means, whereby the wheel is rotated, and a stop to engage the operative locking device and stop the rotation of the wheel when it indicates the number of the actuated key.

5. In an adding-machine, a shaft, means tending normally to rotate the same, an indicator-Wheel loose on said shaft and having a series of numbers, a series of keys representing a corresponding series of numbers, key-actuated locking devices to lock the wheel to the shaft,whereby the rotation of the shaft carries with it the indicator-wheel, and means to stop the rotation of the shaft when the wheel indicates a number corresponding to the number of the key actuated.

6. In an adding-machine, a shaft, means tending normally to rotate the same, an indicator-Wheel. loose thereon and bearing a series of numbers, a series of numbered keys, a locking device actuated by each key, and operating to lock the wheel to the shaft, whereby the rotation of the shaft carries with it the indicator-wheel, and a stop to engage the operative locking device and stop the rotation of the wheel when the same indicates the number of the key actuated.

7. In an'adding-machine, a shaft, means tending normally to rotate the same, a disk fast and an indicator-wheel loose on said shaft, a series of numbered keys, a corresponding series of pins carried by the indicator-wheel, means operated by each key to force the corresponding pin through the disk to lock said indicator-wheel to the shaft, whereby the said wheel is rotated With the shaft, and a stop to engage the projecting end of the operative pin to limit the rotation of the shaft.

8. In an adding-machine, a shaft, means tending normally to rotate the same, a disk fast and an indicator-wheel loose on said shaft, a series of numbered keys, a corresponding series of pins carried by the indicator-wheel, means operated by each key to force the corresponding pin through the disk to lock said indicator-wheel to the shaft, whereby the said wheel is rotated with the shaft, and a stop to engage the projecting end of the operative pin to limit the rotation of the shaft, and means operated by each key of the series to restore the pin to its inoperative position.

i). In an adding-machine, a shaft, means tending normally to rotate the same, a series of indicator-wheels loose thereon, said wheels denominations, a series of numbered keys for each indicator-wheel, locking devices operated by keys of any series to lock the corresponding wheel to the shaft, whereby said wheel is rotated, and means to stop the rotation of the shaft when said wheel indicates the number of the key actuated.

10. In an adding-machine, aseries of indicator-wheels, each having a series of numbers thereon, rotating means for said wheels, a series of numbered keys for each indicatorwheel, a separate locking device actuated by each key, said locking device when actuated operating to connect the corresponding indicator-wheel to the rotating means, and a stop to engage the operative locking device and stop the rotation of the wheel when it indicates the number of the key actuated.

11. In an adding-machine,'a shaft, means tending normally to rotate the same, a plurality of disks fast thereon, an indicatorwheel adjacent each disk and loose on said shaft, a series of numbered keys for each indicator-wheel, a corresponding series of pins carried by each indicator-wheel, means operated by each key of any series to force the corresponding pin through the disk corresponding to that series, and thereby lock said wheel to the shaft, and a stop to engage the projecting end of the operative pin and limit the rotation of the shaft.

12. In an adding-"machine, a shaft, means tending normally to rotate the same, a plurality of disks fast thereon, an indicatorwheel adjacent each disk and loose on said shaft, a series of numbered keys for each indicator-wheel, a corresponding series of pins carried by each indicator-wheel, means operated by each key of any series to force the corresponding pin through the disk corresponding to that series, and thereby lock said Wheel to the shaft, and a stop to engage the projecting end of the operative pin and limit the rotation of the shaft, and means operated by each pin of any series to restore the operative pin to its inoperative position.

13. Inan adding-machine, a shaft, means tending normally to rotate the same,adiskfast on said shaft, an indicator-wheel loose thereon, a series of pins in said indicator-wheel, a key-operated actuating-lever for each pin, each lever when actuated operating to force the corresponding pin through the disk, whereby the Wheel is rotated with the shaft, and a'fixed stop to engage the projecting end of the pin and stop the rotation of the shaft.

14. In an adding-machine, a shaft, means tending normally to rotate the same,a disk fast on said shaft, an indicator-wheel loose thereon, series of pins in said indicator-wheel, a key-operated actuating-lever for each pin, each leverwhen actuated operating to force the corresponding pin through the disk, whereby the wheel is rotated with the shaft, and a fixed stop to engage the projecting end of the pin and stop the rotation of the shaft,

and means operated simultaneously with the actuating-lever to restore the operative pin to its inoperative position.

15. In an adding-machine, a shaft, means tending normally to rotate the same, a plurality'of disks fast on said shaft, an indicatorwheel adjacent each disk and loose on said shaft, a series of numbered keys for each indicator-wheel, a corresponding number of pins in each wheel, an actuating-lever connected Witheach wheel and adapted to operate against the corresponding pin and force the same through the disk when the key is depressed, a stop adjacent each disk and adapted to engage the projecting end of the pin.to limit the rotation of the indicator- Wheel, and a restoring device'common to all the keys to restore the operative pin to its normal inoperative position.

16. In an adding-machine, a shaft, a disk fast thereon and an indicator-wheel loose thereon, means tending normally to turn said shaft, a series of numbered keys, a corresponding series'of pins in said Wheel, means operated by the depression of any key to push the corresponding pin through the disk into operative position to lock the Wheel to the shaft and to simultaneously restore the pin already operative to its inoperative position, and a stop to engage the operative pin and limit the rotation of the shaft.

17. In an adding-machine, a shaft, means tending normally to rotate the same, a plurality of disks fast to said shaft, an indicatorwheel adjacent each disk and loose on said shaft, a series of numbered keys for each indicator-wheel, a corresponding series of pins in each wheel, means operated by the depression of any key to force the correspond to its inoperative position, and a stop to en-.

gage the operative pin and limit the rotation of the shaft.

18. In an adding-machine, a driver, a series of independently-rotative indicator-Wheels of different denominations, a series of keys cooperating with each indicator-wheel, the keys of each series bearing the consecutive numbers of its denomination, means operated by any key of any series to lock the indicator-wheel corresponding to said series to the driver, whereby said indicator-Wheel is rotated, and means to stop the rotation of the said indicator-wheel, when it has rotated a distance corresponding to the number of the key depressed.

19. In an adding-machine, a plurality of indicator-wheels of different denominations, a rotary driver, and key mechanism to connect any one of said indicator-wheels to the drivcr,.said key mechanism including a separate series of keys foreachindicator-wheel, all of said keys having the same length stroke.

20. In an adding-machine, a series of independentlyoperative indicatorwheels, a driver to rotate the same, key mechanism to connect any one of said indicator-wheels to said driver, said key mechanism comprising a separate series of keys for each indicatorwheel, all saidkeys having the same length stroke, and means to stop the rotation of the driver when the active indicator-wheel has been rotated to indicate a number corresponding to the number of the key operated.

21. In an'adding-machine, a series of indieating-wheels, a driver to rotate said wheels, a separate series of keys cooperating with each indicator-wheel, said keys all having the same length stroke, means whereby the operation of any key locks the corresponding indicator-wheel to the driver, and means to arrest the rotary movement of the said indicator-wheel when it indicates a number corresponding to the number of the key operated.

22. In an adding-machine, aseries of indicator-wheels, a driver including means tending normally to rotate the same, means to restrain theiaction of the driver, normally inoperative connections between each indicator-Wheel and driver, a series of keys corresponding to each indicator-wheel, means operated by any one key to render operative the connections between the corresponding indicator-wheel and the driver, and also to release the driver, and means to stop the action of the driver when the indicator-wheel has been rotated sufficiently to indicate a number corresponding to the number of the key operated. V

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to thisispecification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

V ALBERT I;I. STANTON. Witnessesi LOUISC. SMITH,

JOHN C. EDWARDS.

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