US2330660A - Tabulating mechanism for accounting machines - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 28, 1943. w. A. ANDERSON TABULATING MECHANISM FOR ACCOUNTING MACHINES Original Filed Dec. 29, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR WALTER A. ANDERSON BY M AT TO R N E Y Sept. 28; 1943. w. A. ANDERSON TABULATING MECHANISM FOR ACCOUNTING MACHINES Original Filed Dec. 29, 1939 3 s -s t 2 INVENTOR WALTER A. ANDERSON W ATTO RNEY p 1943. w. A. ANDERSON J 2,330,660

TABULATING MECHANISM FOR ACCOUNTING MACHINES I Original Filed Dec. 29. 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR WALTER A. ANDERSON ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 28, 1943 TABULATING MECHANISM FOR ACCOUNT- ING MACHINES Walter A. Anderson, Bridgeport, Cnn., assignor to Underwood Elliott Fisher Company, New I York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Original application December 29, 1939, Serial No.

311,573. Divided and this application Decemher It), 1940, Serial No. 369,464

3 Claims.

This invention relates to accounting machines, and particularly to a mechanism for preventing undesirable cycling of the machine by carriage controlled cycle initiating mechanism while the carriage is tabulating through one or more columnarpositions under the control of express tabulating mechanism.

This application is a division of my application Serial No. 311,573, filed December 29, 1939.

It is customary in bookkeeping operations to post two or more debit and credit items in successive columns between the old balance and new balance columns, which are usually atthe left and right extremities, respectively, of the work forms. Frequently there are no entries to be made in one or more of the intermediate columns, so it is unnecessary to stop the carriage in all these columns. In such instances, it is desirable to tabulate the carriage from the last intermediatecolumn in which an entry is posted, directly to a blank cycle column preparatory to taking the new balance.

In some instances, one or moreof the columns that are skipped are automatic cycle columns--that is, during normal operation of the machine, the cycle initiating means is automatically operated by mechanism on the carriage when the carriage moves into these columnar positions. Therefore, when it is desired to tabulate the carriage through these positions it is necessary that the cycle initiating mechanism be temporarily disabled so that the machine will not execute a cycle while the carriage is moving through these positions. The primary object of the present invention is to provide such a disabling mechanism.

With this andv incidental objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, the essential elements of which are set forth in appended cla ms, and a preferred embodiment of which is hereinafter disclosed with reference to the drawings which accompany and form part of the specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an accountlng machine of the type to which my improved tabulating mechanism is adapted,

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the tabulating mechanism and the various controls therefor,

Figure 3 is a front plan view of the tabulating mechanism in normal position,

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing the parts in the position to which they r are moved when the customary manual tabulating key is depressed,

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but showing the parts moved to the position that they occupy when the express tabulating is depressed,

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 but showing the parts in the position they occupy when the carriage is about to reach a predetermined position incident to express tabulation thereof,

Figure 7 is a detail perspective view of a hinged lug that releases the tabulating mecha nism at the end of express tabulation.

Figure 8 is a fragmental right side elevation showing parts which prevent the carriage from initiating a machine cycle at improper times, and

Fmure 9 is a detail view of parts of the carriage controlled cycle initiating mechanism.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION This is an improvement on the machine dis-- closed in U. S. Patent No. 2,194,270, issued to Oscar J, Sundstrand on March 19, 1940.

The machine includes the customary keyboard with amount keys, date keys, and totalizer and printer controlling keys. It has the customary traveling paper carriage that is automatically tabulated from column to column and returned from a predetermined point in the carriage travel, In the present machine, the power for imparting the leftward or working stroke to the carriage comprises aspring drum which is connected to the carriage by a tape, and the power used in returning the carriage is derived from the same electric motor that is used to cycle the machine. These power means, together with the clutch mechanism and appurtenant parts are disclosed in the above mentioned patent.

The carriage includes a control plate carrying a series of magazines with control lugs for automatically controlling the numerous operations that are controlled manually by the keyboard. The forward ends of these magazines strike one of a pair of tabulating stops as the carriage rtabulates from right to left, to arrest the carriage in the various columns. The stops are arranged to be cooperatively actuated by either of two separate controls to release the carriage from one column to the next. One of these controls is operated as an incident to each machine cycle to automatically tabulate the carriage to the next column, and is also operated by the customary tabulating key on the keyboard, for the same purpose. The other control may be termed an express tabulating key, which upon depression withdraws the effective tabulating stop from engagement with its abutting magazine. The stop is then held in inef fective position 'while' the carriage passes through the succeeding intermediate columns.

When the carriage reaches the blank cycle col umn, an element carried bythe carriage releases the tabulating sto to arrest the carriage in "this column.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION INDEX or TOPICS The machine sections.

. Carriage tabulating mechanism.

. Automatic tabulation of the carriage.

. Manual tabulation of the carriage.

. Express tabulation of the carriage to a predetermined column.

. Carriage controlled starting mechanism.

. Preventing the machine from cycling during travel of the carriage.

1. The machine sections Referring to Figure 1, the machine includes the customary keyboard having amount keys 2 and operation controlling keys 3 including the customary manual tabulating key 4, an express tabulating key 5, type bars 6 for printing on the Work sheets, and a laterally movable paper carriage mounted on a track 8. A control plate I! is mounted on the paper carriage and carries a plurality of control magazines !2 for automatically controlling the operations of the machine in predetermined columnar positions. The carriage is provided with the customary roller platen l3 and has a bail structure !4 for facilitating the insertion of front fed forms.

The machine is actuated by an electric motor (not shown). The motor is started by the closing of suitable switch mechanism and is coupled to the main actuating shaft (not shown) by a suitable clutch mechanism upon depression of a motor bar !5.

2. Carriage tabulatz'ng mechcmtsm The tabulating mechanism is mounted on a plate l6 (Figures 2 and 3) mounted in the rear of the machine beneath the forward end of control plate ll. Plate !6 is supported for sliding movement in a direction parallel to the travel of the carriage. This sliding movement is made possible through theprc-vision of slots I8 registering with screws I! mounted in the machine frame. A pring 2! connected to the upper arm of a lever 22 pivoted at 23 tends to move the plate toward the right. The upper arm of the lever carries a stud 24 lying within a recess 25 on plate It. The lower arm of lever 22 is connected to a dash pot (not shown) of any desired construction. When the carriage is released for tabulation, spring 2! moves the plate to its right hand position wherein the left ends of slots !8 are engaged with screws I! as shown in Figures 2, and 6. i

A lever 26 is mounted for pivotal movement on a stud 2'! secured in plate !6. The right end of lever 26 constitutesa tabulating stop 30 coacting with a companion stop 3! formed upon a slide 32 mounted for vertical movement on plate !6 by means of a screw 33 extending through a slot 34 in slide 32, and by a lever 35 pivoted to slide 32 at 39 and fulcrumed on a stud 36 secured to plate it. A spring 31 normally holds stop 3! in its lower ineffective position shown in Figures 2 and 3. A spring 38 tends to hold stop 30 on lever 26 in its upper position where a lug 46 on lever 26 rests against a stud 45 on lever 35. As before stated, the carriage is provided with a plurality of magazines !2 (one for each position at which it is desired to have the carriage stop) to co'act with the tabulating stops 3!] and 3!. When the carriage is moved to the left by the spring motor, it brings a magazine I2 against tabulating stop 3!]. The stop 30 is permitted to slide to the left, through the provision of a slot 4!, through which stud 2'! extends. This tensions spring 38 until the left end of lever 26 strikes an abutment 42.

The pring of the spring motor which pulls the carriage to the left has suiiicient strength to hold lever 25 and plate It in their left hand positions (Figures and 3) when the carriage is at rest, causing springs 38 and 2! to be normally tensioned.

When the carriage is in its position of rest, one of the magazines !2 rests against the tabulating stop 3 When the carriage is to be released for movement from one column to the next, stop 30 is lowered and stop 3! is simultaneously raised. These stops are so positioned that stop 3| is elevated suiiiciently to lie in the path of movement of magazines l2 before stop 3!) is lowered out of the path of the magazines (see Figure 4) so that before the carriage is released for tabulation, it moves from its position of contact with stop 30 to a position of contact with stop 3!, these stops being slightly offset in the direction of travel of the carriage. After the stops are so moved, and the magazine !2 has moved into engagement with stop 3!, plate 32 is lowered to its original position. This movement releases the carriage to the action of the spring motor which effects the desired tabulation. During this tabulation, stop 39 is raised by spring 33 to its normal position as soon as the magazine passes to the left thereof. This places stop 3%) in position to engage the next magazine.

3. Automatic tabulation of the carriage Tabulation of the carriage from one column to another by operation of the stops 3!! and 3! may be performed automatically by the general operator of the machine. To accomplish this, the following connections are provided.

A lever 43 (Figure 3) is pivoted on a stud 44, and has its right end forked to engage pin 45 carried by lever 35. The left end of lever 43 (Figure 2) overlies a slide 4'! corresponding to slide 685 in the aforementioned patent. As disclosed in this patent, during the first half of a machine cycle slide M is raised, and during the second half of the cycle the slide is lowered. During the rise of the slide, stop 3!) is lowered as stop 3! is raised, and during the fall of the slide, spring 3'! lowers stop 3! to release the carriage for its tabulating movement. As slide 4'! ,is lowered, stud 45 (Figure 3) is raised, allowing spring 38 to move stop 30 into its raised position at the proper time, as explained above.

' 4. Manual tabulation of the carriage Mechanism similar to that disclosed in the beforementioned patent, and under control of the customary manual tabulating key, is provided to permit manual operation of the tabulating mechanism. This mechanism includes the customary tabulating key 4 (Figures 1' and 2) carried by a lever 48 pivoted on a rod 5! fixed in the machine frame. The rear end of lever 48 carries two lugs 52 and 53. Lug 52 lies under the left arm of lever 43, and lug 53 lies under the left end of a lever 54. Depression of tabulating key 4 raises the left arm of lever 43, thereby raising the tabulating stop 3| and lowering the tabulating stop 38. When the operator releases "key 4, a spring 55 (Figure 2), connected to this key and to the machine frame, restores the key to itsrnormal position. This restoration allows spring 3'! to lower stop 3|, releasing the carriage as above explained.

Lever 54 is pivoted on stud 21 and is connected with lever 25 by an intermediate lever 56 also pivoted n stud 21. The right arm of lever 56 is connected with lever 26 by a pin-and-slot connection 51, and the left arm of lever 56 has a shoulder 58 engaging the upper end of an arm 68 pivoted at i to lever 54. A spring 59 connected between arm 60 and lever 54 normally tensions the arm clockwise about pivot 6 I, engaging its upper end with shoulder 58. This mechanism provides an alternate connection between the tabulating mechanism and the key 4, so that when the left end of lever 43 is moved rearwarclly in the machine by depression of the customary normalizer key 69 (Figure l) (the operation of which is fully described in Patent No. 2,194,270), to such an extent that lever 43 no longer lies above lug 52 and slide 41, it will still be possible to tabulate the carriage by depression of key 4. It will be noted, however, that in such instances, although lever 25 is lowered from the path of themagazine l2, the tabulating stop 3! is not simultaneously raised as it is when these parts are operated by movement of lever 43. This is due to the fact that the lower arm of layer 26 lies under the pin 45 but does not embrace it as does the right end of lever 43. This makes possible express tabulation of the carriage until the "tabulating key 4 is released.

5. Express tabulation of the carriage to a predetermined column As explained above, it is desirable in certain bookkeeping operations to tabulate the carriage from the last intermediate column where an entry is posted, to a predetermined column, without stopping the intervening columns. The mechanism for accomplishing this is under the control of the express tabulating key 5 and comprises a bell crank 62 (Figure 2) pivoted at 63 in the machine frame and having one arm thereof underlying a pin 64 fixed on the stem of "key 5. The opposite arm of the bell crank is pivoted at 65'to a link 65, the opposite end of which is pivoted at 61 to a depending arm of a bail 68 pivoted on a rod H secured in the machine irarne. Bail 58 has a forked arm 12 that embraces a pin 73 fixed on one end of a lever 14 pivoted on rod 5! adjacent lever 48. The rear end of lever M carries a 111* I5 corresponding to lug 53 on lever 48, and his rise underlies the left end of lever 54. By the connections just described, depression of key 5 raises lever 54, and through its connection with lever 26, lowers tabulating stop 30 out of the path of magazines I2 to permit express tabulation of the carriage. It will be noted that depression of key 5 does not move lever 43, since there is no lug on lever 14 corresponding to lug 52 on lever 48. Therefore, stop 3! remains ineffective during these operations.

A latch 16 (Figure 3) is provided to hold stop 30 out of the path of the magazines l2 until the carriage has reached a predetermined position where the latch is released to permit stop 30 to rise and engage the next magazine. Latch 16 is pivoted on stud 36 and is normally tensioned clockwise about the stud by a spring N to a position where the latch bears against a pin 82 fixed in lever 26. A shoulder 33 is provided on latch 16 to engage pin 62 and hold tabulating stop 38 out of the path of magazines l2 (see Figure 5) when lever 26 is actuated by the express tabulating key 5.

To restore stop 38 to eiiective position so it can arrest the carriage at the desired column, lever 26 must be released after the carriage passes the last column it is desired to skip, and before it reaches the column in which it is to stop. To accomplish this, a magazine [2 carrying a lug 84 (Figures 5, 7 and 8) is placed on the carriage in a position immediately to the left of the magazine that is to stop the carriage. The details of mounting lug 84 are shown in Figure 7, and comprise a pin 85 that extends between the side walls of the magazine and on which lug 84 is pivoted. A spring 86, coiled about pin 65 and lying within a slot in the lug, has end resting on the lug and its opposite end resting on the base of the magazine to normally tension lug 84 downwardly, as shown in Figure 7. Lug 84 projects into the path of the upper end of latch 15 as shown in Figures 5 and 8. Hence, after the carriage tabulates through the columns to be skipped, the lug strikes latch TE. rocking the latch counter-clockwise about stud 36 against the tension of spring 85, and releasing pin 82 from shoulder 33, as shown in Figure 5. Immediately upon such releasing action. lever 25 rises under the tension of spring 38. placing stop 36 in position to stop the carriage at the desired column.

When the carriage returns to the right, after completing its working stroke, lug 84 strikes the upper edge of latch 16, but due to its being pivoted on its magazine l2, merely rises when it strikes the latch, and returns to its lower position when it passes the latch.

The releasable connection between levers 54 and is provided to disconnect key 5 from lever 26 as soon as latch 16 becomes efiective to hold the lever in depressed position. This prevents the carriage from tabulating past the proper position if the operator should fail to release the key as soon as it is fully depressed. This connection operates as follows.

As lever 54 is raised by depression of key 5, the left side of arm 68 strikes a pin 81 (Figure 3) on plate I6. This rotates arm counter-clockwise about pivot 6| against the tension of spring 58, withdrawing the upper end of arm 68 from engagement with shoulder 58, as shown. in Figure 5. This occurs immediately after shoulder 83 engages pin 82, so that as soon as lever 26 is latched down, the key is rendered ineffective to hold the lever down, should the latch be released before the key is restored to its raised position. Upon the release of key 5, a spring 88, connected between lever 54 and plate l6, restores the lever, bringing the upper end of arm 60 into the plane of shoulder 58, whereupon spring 59 rocks the arm clockwise about pivot 6| into engagement with the shoulder in readiness for the next operation.

It might be here noted that depression of the customary tabulating key 4 during regular bookkeeping operations, where the normalizer key is not depressed, will not cause lever 26 to be latched in itsdepressed position. As explained above, depression of the tabulating key 4 when the no-rmalizer key is not depressed rocks lever 43 as well as lever 54, and rocking of lever 43 raises slide 32. In the present disclosure, slot 34 in slide 32 is long enough to permit slide 32 to become effective against the magazines [2 when the slide is raised, but is at the same time short enough to arrest the movement of lever 13, and consequently key 4, before the key rocks lever 54 far enough to cause lever 26 to be latched down.

6. Carriage controlled starting mechanism This machine is equipped with a mechanism similar to that disclosed in Patent No. 2,194,270 operated by the carriage, as it moves into a columnar position, to initiate a machine cycle. This mechanism may be termed carriage controlled motor repeat mechanism, and is operated by control lugs such as 9| (Figures 8 and 9) placed in those magazines l2 occupying columnar positions wherein it is desired to have the machine automatically cycled. As the carriage advances to these columnar positions, the lugs 9| engage a pawl 92 on a sel'ector'lever 93 pivoted at 94 in the machine frame. The left end of lever 93 lies above a rod 95 suitably guided for vertical movement and having its lower end resting on the horizontal arm of a bell crank 96 pivoted at 9? in the machine frame. The vertical arm of the bell crank is recessed to receive the lower end of a link 98 that is connected with mechanism for initiating a cycle (link 98 corresponds to link 26 in Patent No. 2,194,270) As lug 9| engages pawl 92, lever 93 is depressed to rock bell crank 96 clockwise and thrust link 98 forward to initiate the cycle.

7. Preventing the machine from cycling during travel of the carriage It may be that in an express tabulating operation one or more of the intermediate columns that are to be skipped have their magazines l2 equipped with lugs 9| to initiate cycles when the carriage is stopped in these columns. It is therefore necessary to provide a means to prevent these lugs 9| from being efiective to start the machine when the carriage passes through these columns. The following mechanism is provided for this purpose.

An extension Hi! (Figure 8) formed on bell crank 96 lies in the horizontal plane of a flange 32 formed on a bracket Hi3 secured to the right end of plate It (Figure 2). strikes stop 35 and pushes plate 16 toward the left as before described, flange I02 is withdrawn from the path of movement of extension Hil, as shown in Figure 3. In such position, bell crank 96 is free to be rocked to initiate the cycle as above described. When, however, stop 30 is loW- ered out of the path of magazines l2, as it is during express tabulations, spring 2| (Figure 3) moves plate l toward the right to the position When a magazine l2 of the flange (Figure 8) is sufiicient to lock bell crank 93 against clockwise movement so that a cycle cannot be started by lugs 9i. Pawl 92 is mounted in a frame Hi4 pivoted at M5 on lever 93. A strong spring H36 connected between frame I34 and lever 93 permits the pawl to yield as lugs 31 engage therewith when flange I02 is in position to lock bell crank 96 against rotation.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described is admirably adapted to fulfill the objects primarily stated, it is to be understood that it is not intended to confine the invention to the one form of embodiment herein disclosed, for it is susceptible of embodiment in various forms all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

In an accounting machine, a traveling carriage movable through working and return strokes, means operated by the carriage for initiating a machine cycle, means for arresting the carriage in columnar positions during its Working stroke, a blocking means to prevent operation of the cycle initiating means While the carriage is traveling from one columnar position to another, and means for withdrawing the blocking means from effective position by the movement of the carriage as the carriage is being arrested in a columnar position.

In an accounting machine, a traveling carriage movable through working and return strokes, means operated by the carriage for initiating a machine cycle, means for arresting the carriage in columnar positions during its working stroke, the arresting means including a movable member .on the machine frame, the carriage holding the member in one position, means connected with the movable member for blocking movement of the cycle initiating means when the member is in another position, the member moving the blocking means out of effective position when the member is moved by the carriage as the carriage is being arrested by the member.

3. In a machine of the class described, a traveling carriage movable to a plurality of columnar positions, means for initiating a machine cycle,

means on the carriage to operate the cycle initiating means, mechanism to tabulate the carriage from one columnar position to another, the mechanism including a member mounted on the machine and moved in one direction by the carriage as the latter moves into a columnar position in which it is to stop, means to move the member in the opposite direction as the carriage moves out of a columnar position, and means operated by the member to render the cycle initiating means ineffective when the member is in the position to which it is moved when operated by the said moving means.

WALTER A. ANDERSON.

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