US2278993A - Record controlled indicating mechanism - Google Patents

Description

April 7, 1942. R. B. JOHNSON RECORD CONTROLLED INDICATING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 23, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet l g) INVflE'NTOZ ATTORNEY April 7, 1942; R. B. JOHNSON 4 RECORD CONTROLLED INDICATING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 23, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY April 7, 1942- R. B. JOHNSON 2,278,993

RECORD CONTROLLED INDICATING MEICHANISM Filed Jan. 23, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 lllllll ATTORNEY April 7, 1942- R. B. JOHNSON RECORD CONTROLLED INDICATING MECHANISM 4 SheetsSheet 4 Filed Jan. 23, 1940 (KL TEE' I INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 7, 1942 Reynold B. Johnson,

Binghamton, N. Y., assignor to International Business Machines Comration, New York N. Y., a corporation of New York Application January 23, 1940, Serial No. 315,176

r Claims. (01. 171-331) This invention relates to data indicating devices for record card controlled tabulating machines and more particularly to a device arranged in the form of an attachment for use with commercial machines.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple mechanism in the form of an independent unit which may be controlled by perforated record cards to give a visual indication of data values in successively advanced record cards.

A more specific object is to provide such a device in which the principles of a stroboscope are employed. The device comprises a set of digit representing contacts for each card column. which sets of contacts are settable under control of a card to represent the value of the periorations sensed as the card passes a sensing position in the tabulating machine. A drum is provided with openings about its periphery configured to represent the digits and, as the drum is rotated. the digits are presented in succession to a sight or reading line. A lamp within the drum is controlled by the contacts to repeatedly flash for the instant that any selected digit on the drum is at the reading line. With the speed of the drum greater than 16 revolutions a second, a repeated flashing of the lamp once for each time a digit mat the reading line, the selected digit will appear to be stationary and constantly illuminated due to the persistence of vision of an observer.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose, by way of example, the principle of the invention and the best mode, which has been contemplated, of applying that principle.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view showing the card feed drive gearing of a well known form of tabulating machine.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the card feed mechanism showing the successive sensing brush stations.

Fig. 3 is a fragment of a perforated record card Fig. 4 is a detail of the contact device settable under control of the cards.

Fig. 5 is a similar view with parts in operated position.

Fig. 6 is an end view of Fig. 4 looking from the right hand side.

Fig. l is a central section through the stroboscopic device.

Fig. 8 is a detail section on line 88 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the right half of Fig. 7, showing thearrangement of the digits about the drum.

Fig. 10 is a wiring diagram showing the circuit connections through which the device is associated with the reading brushes of the tabulating machine.

Fig. 11 is a part of the wiring diagram with different plug connections and switch setting,

The type of machine to which the present invention is applied is shown and described in detail in Patent No. 1,976,617 granted to C. D. Lake et al. on October 9. 1934 In the machine,.record cards It such as shown in Fig. 3 control the operation of calculating which the machine performs. The cards are provided with data receiving columns in which digit representing perforations are made as indicated, the position occupied by the columnar perforation representing its value. Thus, in Fig. 3 the card is perforated to represent an Account number" 01389 and an Amount 321465.

The cards are arranged in Account number groups and placed in a hopper il (Fig. 1) from which they are fed singly by a picker knife I! to sets of feed rollers l3 which advance the cards past a set of upper sensing brushes UB and a set of lower sensing brushes LB. In each set there is provided a separate brush for each card column, which brush makes contact through a perforation with a common contact roller It for the upper set and a roller ii for the lower set.

The ends of the rollers l3 carry gears i6 (Fig. 1) which are driven through the usual gearing as shown from a shaft ll through a shaft l8. An eccentric link I! causes reciprocation of the picker and the ratio of the gearing is such that shaft ll makes one complete revolution for each card advanced past a set of brushes; that is, during one rotation of shaft l8 a card passes brushes LB and the following card passes brushes UB with the same index point positions on the cards being concurrently sensed by the two sets of brushes and in the order 9 8, 7, 6, etc.

The operation of the card feeding mechanism may be interrupted in the usual way by automatic or manual means and when the devices come to rest, the relative positions of the cards are as shown in Fig. 2 with the leading margins between the brushes and contact rollers in readiness to sense the "9" hole positions upon resumption of feeding operations.

The arrangement and operation as thus far described are the same as in the patent referred to. The manner in which the invention is applied will now be explained. A plurality of contact setup devices shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are ll'ovidsd, each of which has ten pairs 01' contacts ll arranged in columns oi three, there being one pair i'or each oi the digits. Associated with each pair of contacts is a vertically slidable bar II with a ledge 22 positioned beneath the lower blade of its pair of contacts. Each bar II has a tooth it along a common line for cooperation with a spring urged and pivoted plate 24.

Plvoted to and depending from each bar 2| is a lever II normally held by a spring It in the full line position of Fig. 4. In line with each lever II there is a lilting arm 21 secured to a shaft which may be the shaft ll of Fig. l or a shaft geared thereto with a 1:1 ratio. The arms 21 are positioned about the shaft in the form of a helix and spaced so that the leading edge of the first arm is Just below the lower end 01' its related lever II at the time the corresponding index point position is at the sensing brushes. Specifically, when the .l" index point position is at the brushes, the arm 21 designated "1" is in the position shown in Fig. 4.

It the 1'' position contains a p'erioration in armature II has an upstanding angle ll integral therewith which extends across the levers 25 to 0 the circle of action of their related arms 21, and,

the fl arm 21 will engage and raise its lever 25 to the position of Fig. 5. As a consequence, bar II is elevated to close contacts and plate It snaps under tooth II to retain the bar and contents in shifted position. In a similar manner, each of the arms I! will raise its related lever when the sensing of the related hole position causes magnet 28 to become energized. When a second bar II is elevated, the incidental rocking of plate 24 thereby will release any previously latched bar, so that the contacts assume the new setting and release the old.

Each lever II has a cam'tooth I2 positioned to engage a fixed rod It as the lever is raised, to cause it to move out of engagement with its arm 21. This rocking or lever 26 through cam tooth 82 also acts against the angle II to restore armature It and permit springs It on the other levers to immediately retract them. A notch II in each lever II is in line with angle II when the lever is in its upper position, so that the lever does not interfere with the action 0! the angle in subsequently moving the other levers.

In Fig. 10 are shown the circuit connections for controlling three sets of contacts II. Plug connections II are made between three selected sockets 8| oi the upper brushes U3 and sockets llwiredtomagnetsil. Asacardpassesthe brushes UB. a circuit will be completed in each of the three columns at the time a hole arrives at the brushes. Buch circuit is traceable from negative side or line 88, through the usual card lever contacts UCL (closed while a card is passing brushes UB). contact roller ll, hole in the card, brush UB, socket a, plug connection It, socket II, magnet II, switch it to positive line II. I! the hole encountered were in the 2 position, contacts II in the "3" position would be latched closed. I! the next card passing the upper brushes contains a 5" hole, the same circuitwill be completed when the "5" hole in this card is sensed, resulting in the opening of the "2" contacts II and closure of the 5" contacts II. It is understood, of course, that each 01' the three sets oi contacts ll shown is separately and independently set in accordance with the holes sensed by its connected brush U8.

Accordingly, upon any interruption of card feeding, there will be a contact setting which represents the number periorated in the card that passed the upper brushes UB Just prior to themterruption ol the feeding.

If it is desirable to have the contacts set in accordance with the value of the holes in the last card passing the lower brushes prior to interruption of feeding, the plug connections II are made between sockets 81 and sockets ll of the lower brushes LB as shown in Fig. 11 and switch it is shifted to the position shown. With this change, the lower brushes control the contact setting with the circuits traceable from positive side of line I, the usual lower card lever contacts LCL (closed while cards are passing the brushes LB). the usual circuit controlling contacts generally designated 42, contact roller l5, hole in the card, brush LB, socket 4|, connection 35, socket 81, magnet II, switch 3! to negative line 3|.

Thus, the device may be conditioned to respond to either the upper or lower brushes to successively receive and retain the value of selected data on each card sensed, the setting for each card superseding that for the previous card and the setting for the last card sensed prior to interruption 01' card feeding being retained indefinitely.

Referring now to Figs. '7, 8 and 9, there is keyed the head 52 of a drum or closed cylinder whose opposite head 53 is rotatable upon a bearing 54 on a standard 55 secured to base ll. Extending between the heads 52 and 53 is a sheet or film of opaque material 51 with translucent figures 0 to 9 spaced thereon in parallel lines. A casing or shield Bl encloses the drum and this shield has a longitudinal window ll through Within the drum and in line with each column of figures is a neon bulb or flash lamp CI in a socket 6|, all of which are carried by a name 82, one end of which is supported by a pin 63 extending into a bearing 84 in head 52, and the other end of which is locked to the fixed standard '5, so. that the lamps are stationary beneath window 5! while the figures move past the same. Partitions 85 on frame 62 separate the lamps.

For each ring 01 digits there is a brush structure 66 secured on shaft 5! which structure comprises two brushes, electrically connected with one another, one of which cooperates with a common segment 81 while the other contacts successively with individual segments II. In Fig. 10 the brush structure 86 and the segments 61, 88 are shown diagrammatically. The relationship of the parts is such that, when the digits "0" are at window 59, brush it connects the com- ,mon segment 81 with individual segment I designated "0"; when the digits 1" are at the window, the brush connects the common segment I! with individual segment "1 and so on.

momentarily illuminated each time a selected digit is at window 59. Repeated momentary illumination will cause the selected digit to appear stationary and constantly illuminated due to the persistence of vision of the observer.

The selection of what digits are to be rendered visible is controlled by the contacts 20 which, as shown in Fig. 10, are wired to the corresponding segments 68 so that, if, for example, the "9 contacts in any set are closed, a circuit will be completed each revolution of brush 66 at the time the 9 digit appears at window 59. This circuit is traceable .from negative line 38, 9 contact 20, 9 segment 68, brush 86, segment 61, lamp 60 to positive line 40. During each revolution the other sets of contacts 20 will also complete circuits appropriate to the digits they are set to represent with the net result that the entire multiple digit number appears in window 59 and, after card feeding has been interrupted, this number will continue to be visible as long as motor 50 continues to operate or until all contacts 20 are opened. Provision is made for opening all the contacts 20 which comprises a lever 10 (Figs. 4, and 6) secured to a rod 1| which has figures I2 overhanging the several latch plates 24. Rocking of lever 10 will simultaneously release all bars 2|, so that all contacts will open.

Motor 50 may be in operation continuously throughout card feeding operations and the account numbers on the successive cards will appear in succession in window 59. In this connection it may be pointed out that the cards are generally fed at the rate of 80 or 150 cards a minute depending upon whether the machine is listing" or accumulating data from the cards. With a so-called 16 point cycle machine (in which a point is the interval between successive hole positions on a card) a hole position passes the brushes in about of a second for the 80 card per minute speed and in about of a second for the 150 card per minute speed. Thus, the shift in the setting of the contacts 20 is very rapid and results in only a slight flicker in the illuminated number as it passes from one number to another.

The device has great utility in the operation of tabulating equipment, especially in the type of accounting involving the posting of entries on ledger sheets. In such use, the cards are arranged in groups according to account numbers and the machine is adjusted to stop automatically when the last card of one group and the first card of the next following group have concurrently passed the lower and upper brushes, respectively. At the time of stopping, the window 59 will display the account number of the next group about to be fed past the lower brushes which control the adding and printing functions of the machine. This serves to inform the operator of the next account number and enables him to select from a file the proper ledger sheet and insert it in the printing section of the machine in readiness to receive thereon the data contained in the cards of the next group when feeding is resumed.

A further feature of utility lies in the ability to continuously feed cards with the account numbers successively appearing in window 59. whereby the operator upon the appearance of sought-for cards can press the stop key and prepare the machine to receive data from any selected card or cards.

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 therefor to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An indicating device comprising an opaque cylinder having a plurality of like rings of translucent characters about its periphery, said rings being arranged in parallel with corresponding characters in the several rings lying on a common line parallel to the axis of said cylinder, a stationary shield with a window therein, said window extending across all the rings of characters, a separate flash lamp for each ring, said lamps being located within the cylinder so that each lamp illuminates only its related ring of characters, means for rotating the cylinder at a rate of about sixteen revolutions a second so that in each ring the characters appear at the window in rapid succession, with corresponding characters in all rings appearing concurrently, a plurality of selectively settable devices, one for each ring and each settable in accordance with any character in its related ring, a timing device for each ring coordinated with said moving means and means controlled by said timing devices and said settable devices to cause the repeated flashing of each lamp when the selected characters in the related rings are at the common window whereby the several selected characters appear as a single stationary transilluminated line of characters forming a composite of all the characters.

2. In a machine of the class described, a plurality of pairs of contacts, a lever for each, operable to close the related pair of contacts, a constantly moving actua'torfor each lever, the separate actuators being arranged to effect operation of their levers in succession at different predetermined times in their movement, means for moving all the levers into'engaging positions with respect to their actuatorsat any of said predetermined times, said movement rendering the one of the actuators whose time of effective operation coincides with the time of movement of the levers, eifective to operate its related lever to close the related contacts, and means for moving the selected lever out of engaging position upon operation thereof.

REYNOLD B. JOHNSON.

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