US756168A - Calculating-machine. - Google Patents

Description

No. 756,168. PATENTED MAR. 29, 1904 A. G. JACKSON.

CALCULATING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILE.) AUG. 24. 1903.

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6 CALCULATING MACHINE.

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Wiigcsses Ci IgQegfra r a? M y I A v v v .Alfarpeys UNITED STATES Patented March 29, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT C. J AOKSON, OF HARRIMAN, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN ARITHMOMETER COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION.

CALCULATlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters latent No. 756,168, dated March 29, 1904.

Application filed August 24, 1903.

To all whom it may concern:

, fingerkeys,and while applicable to calculating-machines of different type it is adapted more especially for use in connection with the well-known Burroughs calculating machine. In machines of this class a single release-key is employed for releasing the mechanism and allowing all of the operating parts of the machine, including the finger-key, to return to initial position, and should the operator depress the wrong key during the registration of any single horizontal row of numerals he is compelled to depress the release-key and restore all of the depressed keys of the row; including the one in error, and again start out at the beginning of the row. This necessitates unnecessary work in that registration of the row of figures in seven, eight, or more columns the last key may be the one erroneously operated and it is necessary to reset the entire line in order to correct this one numeral.

It is the principal object of the present invention to overcome this objection and to enable the operator to correct errors more quickly by providing means whereby an error in any column may be instantly corrected without the necessity of restoring all of the previously-depressed keys in other columns to initial position.

With this and other objects in view, as will more fully hereinafter appear, the invention consists inthe novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, size, and minor details of the structure may be made without depart- Serial No. 170,642. (No model.)

ing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of suflicient of a calculating-machine to illustrate the application of my invention thereto. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine, partly in section. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation of a portion of the machine on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the auxiliary release-keys forming the subject of the present invention.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

While the present invention may be employed in connection with machines of any class where the keys are arranged in rows or columns and connected to the registering mechanism, it is particularly applicable to machines of that general type shown in the Burroughs Patent No. 504,963, September 12, 1893, and it has not been deemed necessary to fully illustrate all of the mechanical details of said machine.

The frame or casing is of the usual type and supports the upper keyboard 2. The keyboard is provided with any desired number of rows of finger-keys, each row comprising nine keys and numbered from 1 to 9 in consecutive order, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2. Each of the keys 3 is secured to a vertical stem 4:, extending through a suitable guiding-opening in the keyboard, and the lower end of each stem bears upon one arm of a bellcrank lever 5, pivoted to a crossbar 6, extending transversely of the machine. Each crossbar is provided with a torsion-spring 7, having a central looped portion that passes under a retaining-rod 8, and the ends of said spring bear on the under sides of pins 9, carried by said lever 5 and tending normally to elevate the horizontal arms of the lever and raise the key and its stem to normal position.

Arranged under each series of keys is a locking-strip 10, having a series of slots for the reception of an ear or projection forming the vertical member of the bell-crank lever, and the lower end of said ear or projection is connected by rods 11 to the mechanism for adjusting the recording devices in the manner well known to persons familiar with machines of this class. The strip 10 is locked in the position to which it is moved by the compression of the finger-keys by means of a pawl 12, having a lug 13 to engage a shoulder or stop on the strip, said pawl being actuated by a suitable tension-spring 1 1. After the line of numerals has been printed the keys are unlocked and this effected by simultaneously litting all of the pawls 12. To accomplish this, the machines now on the market are provided with a cross-bar15, carried by the arms of the rocking lever on a shaft 16, the lower end of one of the locking-levers being connected by a system of levers and links to a releasingkey 17, usually disposed at the lower and lefthand side of the keyboard. The restoringbar 15 simultaneously engages all of the pawls and raises the same from contact with the shoulders 19 of the locking-strips, so that all of the parts are free to reassume an initial position.

The construction thus far described is common to machines of the Burroughs type and forms no part of the present invention. It will be noted, however, that in the machine thus far described there is no mechanism for returning one of the locking bars or strips to its initial position without returning all of said bars or strips, and this causes a considerable amount of extra work when the operator accidentally depresses the wrong key, it being necessary to restore all the keys in the line to initial position and again start the operation from the beginning of the line.

In carrying out my invention I provide means whereby any single locking-strip may be restored to its initial position without effecting the movement or altering the position of any of the other locking-strips. To this end the keyboard is provided with a number of extra keys 21, one of which is placed below each row of finger-keys. This finger-key 21 is mounted on a key-lever 22, pivoted on a transversely-disposed rod 23, immediately under the keyboard. The rear end of the keylever is provided with a depending link or hook 24, that rests under the outer portion of the pawl 12 in such position as not to inter fere with the movement of the pawl when the latter is moved to automatically engage the locking-strip. One 01'' these auxiliary key-levers is employed in connection with each row or series of finger-keys, and each is movable independently of the others. Should the op: erator depress a wrong linger-key by mistake, he can restore the linger-key and the locking-strip to their original positions by depressing the auxiliary finger-key in alinement with the key erroneously depressed, and the hook 24L, associated with said auxiliary key, will engage and raise the pawl 12 from the shoulder 19 of the locking-strip and permit the latter to reassume its initial position, a suitable spring or other auxiliary mechanism being employed to restore the strip to position when released from the influence of the pawl.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. In a calculating-machine, the combination with a plurality of series of keys, of a longitudinally-movable locking-strip for each series, an independent pawl for engaging each locking-strip, means for simultaneously moving all of the pawls to releasing position, and an ind ependent releasing device for each pawl.

2. In a calculating-machine, the combination with a plurality of series of keys, of a locking-strip for each series, a pivoted pawl for each of the strips, means for engaging the series of pawls to simultaneously release the same, an auxiliary key-lever for each series of keys, a finger-key carried by each lever and projecting through the keyboard, and a pendent hook member disposed at the opposite end of each lever for loosely engaging a pawl whereby either a single or the plural releasing means may be independentlyactuated, substantially as specified.

In testimony thatI claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT (J. JACKSON. WVitnesses:

W. S. MoKINNEY, J. F. NICHOLSON.

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