US2261539A - Accounting machine - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 4, 1941. F. M. CARROLL 2,261,539

ACCOUNTING MACHINE Filed June 15, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 U INVENTOR ATTORNEY Nov. 1941- F. M. CARROLL ACCOUNTING MACHINE Filed June 15, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 if INVENTOR ATTORNEY Nov. 4, 1941. F. M. CARROLL ACCOUNTING MACHINE Filed June 15, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ATTO R N EY Patented Nov. 4, 1941 2,261,539 v ACCOUNTING MACHINE Fred M. Carroll, Binghamton, N. Y., asalg'nor to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 15, 1938, Serial No. 213,840

'1 Claims.

The cards are fed through the machine automatically and analyzed by suitable mechanism which inturn controls the accumulating and printing devices of the machine so that the data represented by the perforations in the card may be accumulated and printed.

The control records are usually divided into groups representing difierent classifications, the group classification being represented in each card by a similarly located perforation and it is desirable to continue the automatic feeding of the records to the analyzing mechanism as long as the group classification does not change but to interrupt card feeding for the purpose of taking totals or performing other operations when the group changes. This is ordinarily accomplished by providing two sets of analyzing brushes which are spaced apart so that one card is fed to one of them as the preceding card feeds to the other and so that the same index point positions on successive cards are under the analyzing mechanisms simultaneously. When the control date on two cards is in agreement, circuits are closed through series connections including perforations in both cards, and this circuit serves to keep the card feeding mechanism active to feed another card during the succeeding cycle. If the controlling perforations are not identical in successive cards, the series circuit s fails to make and the machine either stops or automatically takes a total of the data entered into the accumulators.

In carrying out the present invention there is required but a single card sensing or analyzing station by which the record cards pass in succession. Driven in synchronism with the movement of the card is a disk provided with a number of notches about its periphery so spaced that each notch passes a given point as each index point position of a record card passes the sensing brushes. Upon the sensing of a perforation, a ball is moved into one of the notches and carried around by the disk. At exactly the same time in the. next cycle, the same index point position of the next following record is at the sensing brushes and a second ball is moved into a notch of the disk to rotate therewith. The balls serve as interposers and, if two balls are positioned in response to the sensing of the same perforations in successive cards, aset of contacts is shifted by each ball which control circuits to keep the machine running. It the perforations sensed in succeeding cards do not agree, the peripheral relationship of the balls will cause opening of the circuits to interrupt further card feeding operations.

An object of the invention is to provide a group control mechanism responsive to a single set of sensing elements which is arranged to be controlled in accordance with numerical or alphabetic data, where numerical data is represented by a single perforation in a record column and alphabetic data is represented by multiple perforations in a single card column.

Further objects of the instant invention reside in any novel feature of construction or operation or novel combination of parts present in the embodiment of the invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings whether within or without the scope of the appended claims and irrespective of other specific statements as to the scope of the invention contained herein.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view showing the essential elements of the card feeding and sensing mechanism of a conventional tabulating machine.

Fig. 2 is a representation of a record card showing the manner in which a controlling field may be perforated.

Fig. 3 is a timing chart showing diagrammatically the relative timing of the pertinent electrical devices of the machine.

Fig. 4 is a wiring diagram of the electric circuits of the driving mechanism of a tabulating machine, only so much thereof being shown as is necessary for an understanding of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a view showing one unit of the improved group control mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a further view of the group control mechanism.

Fig. '7 is a sectional view taken along lines 'l---! of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a view of one of the control disks in operating position.

The machine to which the invention may be best applied is that shown in the patent to C. D. Lake and G. F. Daly, 1,976,617, granted October 9, 1934. Reference may be had to this patent for a complete explanation of the various functions performed by a tabulating machine so that the explanation herein may be confined to a description of the invention and an explanation as to the manner in which it may be applied to such a machine. In doing so reference characters of parts corresponding to similar parts shown in the patent will be the same as in the patent and the mechanisms relating to the improvements will begin at 500.

Referring to Fig. 1, record cards are advanced singly from the supply hopper by the vertical reciprocating picker knife 28 which advances the cards to pairs of feed rollers 30, 3|, 32, and 33. As the card advances, it passes between the contact roller 55 and a set of sensing brushes designated UB. Exactly one machine cycle later, the same card passes between a further contact roller 56 and a set of sensing brushes designated LB. At each brush sensing station are the usual card levers which close contacts 58 and 58 while the card is passing their respective stations. The pairs of rollers are geared together for concurrent operation by gearing designated 31.

Referring now to Fig. 4, the upper part of which corresponds to the uppermost section of Fig. 29 in the patent referred to, a brief explanation will be'glven of the controlling circuits of the machine. TM represents the driving motor of the machine and 22 represents the clutch magnet which, when energized, couples the card feeding and accumulating mechanism to the driving motor TM. While the cards feed through the machine in succession, a relay magnet 338 is maintained energized so that its contacts 338a are closed and its contacts 338b are open. A circuit is traceable from right side of line 335, through contacts 338a, stop key contacts SP. relay contacts 339e, upper card lever relay contacts UCLa, relay contacts 339a, relay magnet 339, relay magnet 340, clutch magnet 22, contacts Pl to left side of line 334. With relay 340 energized, its contacts 340a are closed to complete a circuit through the driving motor TM. This circuit is initially set up by the initial operation of the start key and through closure of the start key contacts ST or automatically after a total taking operation upon closure of cam contacts P2, and the-circuit remains effective as long as the perforations in the successive cards agree. Upon disagreement, relay magnet 338 is deenergized to open contacts 338a in the circuit.

As explained in the patent, a preliminary operation of the machine is required to initially energize the relay magnet 338. This initial energizing circuit is controlled by cam contacts P1 and P8 which are timed to close concurrently so that a circuit is traceable from left side of line 334 to contacts P1, contacts P8, relay magnet 366, magnet 361, wire 368, relay magnet 338, wire 369, cam contacts Ll0, L8, wire 363 to line 335.

A parallel circuit is also traceable from cam contacts P1, through relay magnet 310, contacts L8, wire 363 to line 335. Contacts 366:: and 310a serve to maintain these circuits when contacts P1 and P8 again open.

ment. The short circuiting is effected by relay contacts 500a and 502a which are normally closed so that, when contacts Ll0 are opened, a circuit is traceable directly across these contacts through the contacts 502a and, when contacts L0 are opened, a circuit is traceable across them including contacts 500a and contacts UCLe which are closed while cards are passing the upper brushes UB.

Referring now to Figs. 5, 6, and '1, the mechanical structure of the group control mechanism will now be explained. 504 represents a shaft in the card feeding mechanism which makes one revolution for each card fed or it may be a shaft geared thereto. On this shaft is provided a gear 505 for each order of the group control mechanism, of which there are usually 16 provided. Each order is separately supported on a plate 506 slidably insertible in suitable framework. Each plate carries a gear 501 for meshing with a gear 505. Gear 501 also meshes with a gear 508 to which is secured a disk 509provided with notches 5l0 about its periphery. The notches 5l0 are arranged to receive balls 5 which pass through a chute 5l2 to a loading position at the bottom of the disk. A magnet 5l3, when energized, will attract its armature 5 and through a connection 5l5 will rock a loading lever 5|6 to elevate one of the balls 5 into a notch 5l0. When a ball is elevated by a lever 5|6, it passes by a spring-pressed plunger 5" (Fig. 7) which serves to retain the ball in its raised position in a notch 5l0.

Referring momentarily to Fig. 4, the magnets 5l3 are shown wired to plug sockets 5| 8 from which plug connections 5 l 9 are made to the high sockets 30! of the upper brushes UB, so that'as the record card passes the upper brushes, a circuit will be completed when a perforation is encountered which is traceable from line 334, contacts Li I, wire 36l, upper brush common roller 55, plug socket 30l, plug connection 5I9, socket 5i8, magnet 5|3 to line 335. The ratio of the gear connections is such that a notch 5l0 (Fig. 5) passes the leading position for each index point of the card passing the brushes UB.

Fig. 6 shows the position of the parts with magnet 5l3 energized to rock the lever 5|6 and elevate a ball into one of the notches 5l0. 1mmediately after a ball is so elevated, it travels with the disk, being retained in the notch by the housing 520. In turning with the disk 508, the ball acts as an interposer and will engage the nose of a lever 52l which is pivoted at 522 and cooperates with pairs of contacts 523 and 524 to close the former and open the latter. When the same index point position of the next succeeding card is at the brushes UB, the ball 5 will be about to pass the nose of a second lever 525 which has connection with pairs of contacts 526, 521. If this next card also has a perforation in the same position as the preceding card, magnet 5I3 will be energized to elevate another ball 5 into a notch of the disk so that this ball in turning with the disk will engage and rock its lever 521 as the previously selected ball passes and rocks its lever 525.

The concurrent movement of two balls past 7 the two levers 52i and 525 will shift their related pairs of contacts which are wired together as shown in Fig. 4. Plug sockets 528 are provided from which plug connections 528 may be made to plug sockets 530 as indicated. When neither of the levers 52i or 525 are operated, their contacts remain in the position shown in Fig. 4 and no circuits are traceable through these contains perforations representing the letter N,

contacts and also, if both sets of contacts are shifted at the same time, there will also be no circuit connections traceable as is apparent. If either lever 52l or 525 is rocked without accompanying rocking of the other lever, one of the sets of contacts will be shifted. Assuming, for example, that a ball positioned on disk 509 advances and at the time it passes lever 525 and the related position on the next following card is at the lower brushes but does not have the coresponding perforation, so that a second ball is not elevated to operate lever 52l, contacts 526 close and contacts 521 open with contacts 523, 524 remaining in normal condition. Under such circumstances, a circuit is traceable from line 334, cam contacts L3l, timed as shown in Fig. 3, wire 53l, contacts 524 now closed, contacts 526 .to the related plug socket 528. From thence through plug connection 528 to socket 530 of magnet 502, for example, and thence through wire 532 to line 335. Energization of magnet 502 will open its contacts 502a and close its contacts 502b, the latter providing a holding .circuit from line 334, cam contacts Ll2, contacts 502b, holding winding 503, and wire532 to line 335.

This circuit is held through the period during which contacts L9 and U open, so that with both contacts 502a and U0 open the holding circuit for the control relay magnet 338 is broken and further card feeding operations are interrupted and total taking is automatically initiated according to the preliminary settin of the machine. Contacts 502a are in what is known as the minor control circuit and control operations appropriate to changes in minor group control classification. In an exactly similar manner through plug connection 529 to the upper plug socket 530, contacts 500a may be opened and the circuit held through contacts 5001) so that upon opening of contacts L9 the magnet 310 is also deenergized to control operations in accordance with a change in major group control data.

In Fig. 8 there is shown the relative position of the parts where balls 5 positioned in response to the sensing of perforations in the same index point positions on successive cards have operated their related contact shifting levers 52| and 525. It will be apparent that, when first starting the machine, the ball inserted in response to the sensing of the first card will shift the contacts 523, 524 and effect a group change and that, when the second card passes the sensing brushes the two balls will be in the position shown in Fig. 8 if there is an a reement. If the location of the perforation in the second card is different from the first. a group change will be indicated and the reading of the second card will be represented on the disk 509 by the location of the balls selected by the second card, so that it in turn may be compared with the perforations in the third card.

Thus far in the description it has been assumed that each column of the record card contained a single perforation. The device is especially suitable for record cards in which multiple perforations are made in the card 001- umns, for example, as shown in Fig. 2. In such case in the column containing perforations in the "5 and 11 positions representing the letter N, when the 5 position is sensed a ball 5| l is elevated into a notch of the disk and six points later the second ball is elevated into another notch which is removed six notches from the first. If the next following card also a third ball will be elevated in position and in time to operate the lever 52i' as the first. ball for the preceding card operates lever 525, and when the 11th index point position of the second card is sensed by the brushes, a fourth ball is elevated into a notch in the disk 509 in time to operate lever 52l as the second ball selected by the first card operates the lever 525, thus indicating agreement between these two columns. It will be apparent that the number of balls selected for each card column is not limited to two and that variation in the perforations in any manner between the two successive cards will cause a shifting of one of the levers 52i, 525 without accompanying shifting of the other and interruption of the operation will result.

Referring now to Fig. 5, as each of the balls 5| I passes the nose of lever 525, it drops out of the disk 509 into the chute 5l2 to be used over again at a later time. A spring-pressed pivoted finger 535 is provided to urge the balls 5 from the chute into the elevating position. This lever is rocked once each cycle of operation by lever 53B operated upon by a cam 53! to oscillate the flnger from the position of Fig. 6 to that of Fig. 5. It is also to be noted that in Fig. 5 the elevating lever 5|6 has an extension at its left end which, when the lever is rocked to elevate a ball 5i I, lies beneath the right hand end of lever 52| so that, when the ball 5 in passing the end of lever 52l rocks the same clockwise, it in turn will engage and rock the lever 5I6 counterclockwise, thereby effecting a positive return of the same.

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single modification, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention therefore to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine of the class described, a sensing element, means for advancing record cards in succession past said sensing element, each card having a column of spaced index point positions which pass said element in succession, each column being perforated in any one or more index point positions, a disk having notches spaced about its periphery, means for rotating said disk to cause said notches in turn to pass a fixed point opposite the periphery of the disk, said rotating means being synchronized with said card advancing means so that for each index point position presented to said sensing element there will be a notch presented to said fixed point, a plurality'of balls and a receptacle therefor located adjacent to said disk, means controlled by said sensing element upon sensing each perforation in a card column for moving a ball from said receptacle into the notch which is at said fixed point when a perforation is sensed, means for retaining said balls in said notches, a machine control device, controlling means therefor, and means operative under control of the balls on the disk,-for rendering said controlling means efiective when the location of each of two of the balls about the periphery of the disk has been effected in response to the sensing of perforations in unlike index point positions of two successive cards.

2. In a machine of the class described, a disk having a plurality of notches about its periphery, means for rotating said disk to cause the notches to, in turn, pass a fixed point, a plurality of balls anii a receptacle therefor located adjacent to said disk, means for moving a ball from said receptacle and placing it in one of said notches, retaining means to hold the ball in the notch, means for sensing record designations, means responsive to said sensing means to control said moving means to place a plurality of balls, one in each of a plurality of the notches in response to corresponding record designations, a pair of members located at fixed points about the periphery of the disk and engageable by the balls on the disk, a magnet and a circuit connection therefor, means controlled by one of said members when it is engaged by a ball for completing said connection, and further means controlled by the other member when it is also and concurrently engaged by a ball for rendering said completing means ineffective.

3. The invention set forth in claim 2 in which the retaining means is constructed to release the balls, in turn, after each has passed both of said members, for return by gravity to said receptacle.

4. In a cyclically operable machine of the class described, a sensing element, means for feeding record cards, each having a column of spaced index point positions in which one or more designations may be made past said element, a card passing said element for each cycle, with the corresponding index point positions on the cards passing the element at the same time in their respective cycles, a wheel having a plurality of pockets, equally spaced about its periphery, a plurality of similar control elements external to said wheel and interchangeably settable in any of different pockets on the wheel, means for rotating said wheel, means for setting said elements in said pockets, control means therefor responsive to said sensing element and operative at differential times during the rotation of the wheel upon the sensing of record designations to cause said setting means to selectively set elements in said pockets in accordance with the time of operation of said control means, retaining means for the set elements, a pair of members disposed in the path of the set elements for engagement thereby during the continued rotation of the wheel and spaced a predetermined distance apart, a switch controlled by each memher, a control magnet with circuit connections therefor including said switches, both switches being arranged to complete a circuit to said magnet when one of the members is engaged by a control element and to prevent completion of said'circuit when both members are concurrently engaged.

5. In a cyclically operable machine of the class described, a sensing element, means for feeding record cards, each having a column of spaced index point positions in which one or more designations may be made, past said element, a card passing said element for each cycle, with the corresponding index point positions on the cards passing the element at the same time in their respective cycles, a settable device having a series of interposer receiving positions, a setting station, a plurality of interposers, means for moving said settable device to cause an interposer receiving position to pass the setting station as each index point position passes said sensing element, means controlled by the sensing elements, upon sensing each designation in a card column for placing an interposer in the interposer receiving position which is at the setting station when the designation is sensed, a magnet, normally open control circuit connections including said magnet, a means responsive to each set-up interposer as it passes a predetermined point for effecting completion of one of said connections, and a further means responsive to each set-up interposer a cycle later as it passes a further predetermined point for effecting completion of another of said connections, both of said last mentioned means being controlled by two of said set-up interposers when each is at one of said predetermined points at the same time for preventing completion of said connecions.

6. The invention set forth in claim 5 in which means is provided for effecting removal of the interposers from the receiving positions after each interposer has passed said further predetermined point.

7. In an accounting machine, a single record sensing element, means for feeding record cards in succession to cause a column of spaced data receiving positions in each to traverse said sensing element, said columns containing multiple perforations representing alphabetic data, a conveyor moving in synchronism with said feeding means so that a section thereof passes a.

fixed point during the passage of a card by the sensing element, a plurality of interposer elements located adjacent to said conveyor, means at said fixed point for placing an interposer element upon said conveyor, means controlled by said sensing element in response to the sensing of the multiple perforations in a card column for rendering said placing means effective to place upon the conveyor a corresponding number of elements, an element being placed upon the conveyor for each perforation sensed and the movement of the conveyor causing the elements to be spaced in the passing section of the conveyor in accordance with the spacing of the perforations on the card, means for interrupting the opera.- tion of the machine, and means operative under control of the interposer elements for causing an operation of said interrupting means when the positioningof each of the elements in one section of the conveyor for one card is not the same as the positioning of each of the elements in the preceding section of the conveyor for the preceding card.

FRED M. CARROLL.

Images