US2253229A - Calculating machine - Google Patents

Description

A Aug. 19, 1941. R. Ai CHRISTIAN CALCULATING MACHINE Original Filed March 16, 1934 4 Shee'ts-Sheet 1 FIG. 1

gmt Raymond A. Christian Aug 19, 1941 v R. A. CHRISTIAN 2,253,229

CALCULATING MACHINE Original Filed March 16, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 jnvcntof,

Raymond A. 'Christian BZMMLLQS Hi. anun,

Aug. 19, 1941. R. A. CHRISTIAN CALCULATING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed March 16, 1934 linx/M auch,

1l8- 19, 1941- R. A. CHRISTIAN CALCULATING MACHINE 4 sheds-sheet 4 origimall Filed March 1s, 1954 Raymond A. Christian` Inventor His Attorney Patented Aug. 19, 1941 CALCULATING Macnnvn Raymond A. Christian, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to The National Cash Register Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Maryland Original application March 16, v1934, Serial No.

Divided and this application February 28, 1936, Serial No. 66,180

11 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in calculating machines of the type set forth in Letters Patent of the United States Nos. 1,197,276 and 1,197,278, issued September 5, 1916, to Halcolm Ellis, Patent No. 1,203,863, issued November 7, 1916, also to Halcclm Ellis, and Patent No. 1,819,084 issued August 18, 1931, to Emil John Ens.

The present application is a division of an application for Letters Patent of the United States, of Raymond A. Christian, Serial No. 715,801, illed March 16, 1934, now United States Patent No. 2,127,673, issued on August 23,- 1938. y

In business establishments where merchandise is sold on the deferred payment or installment plan it is quite often the practice to prepare a schedule of periodical payments for each purchaser at the time or soon after the sales agreement is consummated. Generally such a schedule shows the cost of the article plus any carrying charges, such as insurance, interest -and bookkeeping costs, the amount of the downpayment, if any, and the unpaid balance which is to be divided into monthly payments extending over a period of time determined by the amount the purchaser agrees to pay each month. Opposite each monthly'payment a new balance is printed showing the amount owed -by the p urchaser after each payment is made.

It is not feasible to use completely printed forms for this purpose, as these schedules must be varied to meet the requirements of businesses handling a variety of merchandise; for example, an automobile dealer handling cars in different price classes, or a merchant who handles radios,l

washing machines, vacuum cleaners and other electrical.y goods. It is also necessary to vary the schedules to meet the requirements of purchasers who contract to pay a certain amount each month, the size of the monthly payments varying with the purchasersll ability to pay. Then too, in this connection it is necessary to consider the fact that payments may begin in any month of the year, another reason why it is necessary to be able to vary the schedule.

From the above it will be seen thatit is advantageous to have partially printed forms and to complete such forms at the time the sales contract is entered into by filling inthe amounts and dates with an accounting machine such as is disclosed in the patents referred to at the beginning of this specification.

In order to facilitate the filling in of these schedules or ledger sheets it is desirable -to advance the date printing mechanism automatically at each payment entry. Therefore, it is broadly an object of this invention to provide an accounting machine with automatic date ad vancing mechanism.

A more specific object is to supply means whereby conditioning the machine for a certain type of operation causes the date ,type carrier control device to be automatically advanced.

With these and incidental objects in view, the invention includes certain novel features of construction and combinations of parte, the essen'- tial elements of which are set forth in appended claims and a preferredy form or embodiment of which is hereinafter described with reference to the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification.

Oi said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the keyboard of the machine of the instant invention.

Figs. 2 and 3 are facsimiles, in reduced scale, of schedule or ledger cards used in the machine of the instant invention.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the machine taken just to the right of the date key bank.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of the date keys.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing in particular the automatic date advancing mechanism and the automatic operation controlling `mechanism.

mechanism including the control keys, the total--y izer engaging mechanism, and the control key release mechanism.

Fis. 10 is a left end view of the lower totalizer frame and engaging cam.

GENERAL Dnscnrrrxon The mechanism of the instant invention is incorporated in the well known Ellis type of accounting machine which is fully illustrated and described in the patents referred to at the beglnning of this specification.

A part of the instant invention consists of mechanism to automatically advance the month type control wheel one step each time a certain sub-total operation is performed. Located on the left of the machine keyboard are two rows -of month keys similar in every respect to the regular amount keys. These keys control a reciprocating actuator rack similar to the regular amount actuators, and the actuator rack in turn cooperates with a month control wheel mounted on the No. 2 totalizer shaft but otherwise independent oi' said totalizer. 'I'he month actuator rack is connected in the usual way toa month printing type carrier or segment and controls the positioning of said type segment in the well known manner, described in the patents to which reference has been made.

The month actuator control wheel, being mounted on the No. 2 totalizer shaft, naturally moves therewith. Consequently the month control wheel is engaged with and disengaged from its actuator rack as the No. 2 totalizer shaft is moved to engaged or disengaged position. Mechanism similar to transfer mechanism, independent of the No. 2 totalizer, cooperates with the month control wheel to advance the month wheel each time a sub-total operation involving the No. 2 totalizer takes place. In the nal operation of a series of operations the No. 2 totalizer and the month control wheel are reset to zero. Consequently the month control wheel is invariably standing at zero at the beginning of a new series of operations, from which position it may be set by a keycontrolled adding operation of that totalizer. l

. In preparing a new schedule the first monthly payment is invariably added into the previously cleared No. 2 totalizer. In this adding operation into the No. 2 totalizer, depressing the desired month key causes the month actuator rack and the month control wheel to be positioned commensurate with said month key. In succeeding operations the No. 2 totalizer is operated in subtotal operations, and in such operations the month actuator rack is not positioned by the month keys but is positioned by means of the month control wheel which is stopped in its zero position by a transfer pawl in the usual manner. Depressing the No. 2 subtotal key the rst time in a series of operations causes the mechanism for advancing the month control wheel to be tripped and this in turn immediately advances the month control wheel one step. The month control wheel then positions the month actuator rack and its printing segment to print the following or succeeding month.

In a given series of operations, all but the th'st and last operations, which involve the No. 2 totalizer, are reading or subtotal takings. As the pressing of the sub-total key causes the advancing mechanism for the month control wheel to be tripped, and as the sub-total key is not restored until after the restoring bar functions to latch tripped pawls, it results that when the transfer pawl restoring mechanism functions, the trip pawl will not be latched in the potentially effective position, but will act to again advance the month control wheel as the restoring bar moves to allow tripped mechanism to function. This is due to the sub-total key being held in depressed position until the restoring bar has nished the latching function. Therefore, at the end of any sub-total operation, the advancing mechanism will be inoperative to advance the month control wheel by mere depression of the No. 2 sub-total key.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the initial adding operation in the No. 2 totalizer, by means of the month keys. positions the month control wheel to the desired month and that in the rst succeeding sub-total operation, depressing the No. 2 sub-total key advances the month wheel to cause the following month to be printed.

Thereafter in the series of sub-total operations, involving the No. 2 totalizer, it is not the initial depression of the No. 2 sub-total key but its retention in the depressed condition, until after the transfer pawl restoring bar has gone through the restoring motion. that causes the month control wheel to be advanced, ready for printing the proper month on the next machine operation involving that totalizer.

Used with the instant invention is mechanism to lock the machine against operation after a predetermined number of operations have been performed. This mechanism may be conveniently set to any desired number of operations from 1 to 50 and after the machine has performed the desired number of operations the starting bar is automatically locked against depression. This notifies the operator that the desired number of operations have been completed and enforces the making of a total reading operation in which depression of the No. 2 total key unlocks the starting bar so that the machine may be further operated. This mechanism is fully disclosed in theV above mentioned parent application, to which reference may be had for the details of its construction.

The mechanism brieiiy outlined above will now be described in detail.

Dsrmsn DESCRIPTION Machine keyboard and operating mechanism It will be recalled that the instant invention is embodied in the well known Ellis type accounting machine, the mechanism of which is supported by main frames 26 and 21 (Fig. 6) in turn supported by a base plate (not shown) and various cross frames, one of which. 28, is shown in F18. 4`.

In the ilgure showing the frame work in phantom by dot and dash lines, where the dot and dash lines do not show behind the Parts it indicates that such parts are lin front of the frames, but where the dot and dash lines are shown crossing the full line parts it indicates that such parts are behind the trames.

A typical keyboard arrangement of such a machine is shown in diagrammatic form in Fig. 1. This machine has a plurality of rows o! amount keys 2l, two rows of month keys Il and JI, and a row of control keys 20. The machine is operated by the usual type of electric motor which is clutched to the machine operating mechanism by the depression of a starting bar 33. The machine of the instant invention is also equipped with a traveling carriage which is generally automatically tabulated from one column to the other but may be manually tabulated by means of a tabulating key 2| located just above the starting bar I3.

In its present embodiment, the machine is equipped with two registers or totalizers arranged in vertical alinement at the rear of the machine. The upper or No. 1 (Fig. 4) totalise: is an add-subtract or balance totalizer and the lower or No. 2 totalizer is a straight adding totalizer. However, it is not intended to limit this invention to a machine having only two totalizers, as a machine having additional totalizersl may be used if desired. The wheels of the totalisers are actuated by reciprocating actuator racks under control of the amount keys in adding and subassenso tracting operations and the actuators in 'turn position type carriers or printing segments adapted to impress amounts on material wound around a platen roll 35 (Fig. 4) supported by the traveling carriage. In total recording and sub-total operations the actuator racks and amount type carriers are positioned by the totalizer wheels as said wheels are returned to zero.

It will be noted that the amount actuator racks and their associated printing segments for the totalizers are not here shown. However. the month actuator rack 36 and its printing segment 31 are similar to the regular totalizer actuators and their corresponding printing segments. The month actuator rack 36 cooperates only with a month wheel 38 and has no connection whatever with the wheels of the No. 1 and No. 2 totalizers. The wheels of the No. 2 totalizer are not here shown. but the month wheel 38 (Fig.

' 4) is loosely mounted on the No. 2 totalizer shaft and moves in-to engagement with and is disengaged from its actuator rack 36 at exactly the same time as the wheels of the No. 2 totalizer are engaged with and disengaged from the regular actuators. For example, if an adding operation is being performed in the No. 2 totalizer, the month wheel 38 is engaged with and disengaged from its actuator rack 36 in adding time.

vand if a total recording operation is being performed in the No. 2 totalizer, the month wheel is engaged with and disengaged from its actuator 36 in total recording time.

Control keys and totalizer mechanism nated by name above the key tips, are slidably mounted in the usual manner, being in effective position in their depressed position and .in ineffective position in the raised or restored condition.

A left key release plate 200 leaves the depressed subtract, No. 2 total, No. 1 add, and No. 1 total keys in depressed condition latched against the urge of restoring springs, not shown, until `the lever to which the release plate 200 is pivotally connected, is moved in a clockwise manner, causing the said plate to move to releasing position. A right release plate 202, serving the same purpose for the No. l2 sub-total and No. 1 sub-total keys, is similarly moved to effective condition by clockwise motion of lever 203.

Secured-on the left end of shaft 204, which oscillates clockwise and counter-clockwise once each machine operation, is a plate 205 having pivotally mounted on the left side thereof flying lever 206 associated with the -upper or No. 1 totalizer, and having pivotallyI mounted on the right side thereof a similar flying lever 201 associated with the lower or No. 2 totalizer. Flying lever 206 has pivoted to its outerend a link 208 pivoted to totalizer engaging. lever 208 of the No. 1 totalizer, and flying lever 201 has pivoted to its outer end a link 2|0 pivoted to totalizer engaging lever 2| I of the No. 2 totalizer. Forward motion of the links engages their respective totalizers and rearward motion disengages them. The totalizer assembly has a main supporting frame or which the ieft end plats 2|: is seen in Fig. 9. The end plates are connected by tie rods. Mounted on the tie rods are the upper and lower totalizer units. Fig. 10 shows the lower unit or No. 2 totalizer frame and engaging cam. Pivotally ymounted at 2M on the left frame 2|3 of the No. 2 totalizer unit itself is the left arm 230, of the frame in which the totalizer pinion shaft No. 2 is mounted. The right end of the totalizer shaft is mounted in a similar fashion forming a rocking frame around stud 2M, as a center, allowing the totalizer pinions to be engaged and disengaged by means of cam 2|5 rocked by lever 2| I, both being secured on shaft 28|. Clockwise motion of cam 2|5 engages the totalizer pinions and counterclockwise motion disengages them. The upper or No. 1 totalizer is mounted and operated in the same fashion except the parts are counterparts of the No. 2 totalizer so as to allow the use of a single rack 63. The No. 1 totalizer, in addition, has mechanism permitting subtracting operations, but no description of that will be given, as it is well known and described in the references cited.

On the pivot pin 2|8, connecting flying lever 206 with link r208, is pivotally mounted a bell crank lever 2|1 held by a spring 2|8 against a stud 2|8 on flying lever 205. The stud 220 will strike the end of the near arm of bell crank lever 2|1 as plate 205 turns clockwise pulling link 208 forward, and upon counter-clockwise motion of plate 205, stud 22| strikes the edge of lever 206, forcing link 208 to the rear. This motion of link 208 engages anddisengages its totalizer in adding time.

A condition is set up at the beginning of each machine operation preventing the mechanism from performing an adding operation of the No. 1 totalizer. At the beginning of each machine operation, the toe 222 of plate 205, normally holding lever y223 from counter-clockwise rotation, is withdrawn as the plate 205 rocks clockwise,

which serves, through link 224, to allow beu crank lever 226 to rock counter-clockwise. Stud 226 on one arm of bell crank lever 225, by being rocked away, is positioned so as to miss engagement as the upper arm of bell crank lever 2|1 approaches it, due to the turning of plate 205.

However, the lower arm of bell crank lever 225 will engage the rear end of lever 221 if said lever 221 is in rest( position as shown in Fig. 9, keeping lever 225 from rocking counter-clockwise in response to the action of spring |2218. Lever 221 is controlled by the No. l ad-d key, through lever 228, so that depression of said key will allow stud 226 to be rocked out of the path of movement of the upper arm oi lever 2|1. If the No. 1

add key is not depressed, stud 226 remains at rest position, the upper end of bell crank lever 2|1 engages it as plate 205 rocks clockwise, which causes the lower end to miss the moving stud 220, thus preventing engagement of the No. l totalizer. If the No. 1 add key is depressed, causing a disengagement of lever 221 from lever 225, the return of plate 205 to normal position resets the parts by causing lever 225 to be rocked clockwise, whereupon the lever 221 returns to normal position by means shown in the Ellis Patent No.

ing bar 232 for the transfer trip pawls, said restoring bar being shown in the United States Patent No. 1,203,863, issued to Halcolm Ellis. As the totalizer engages, the stud 230 slips from engagement with the hook on link 23| by passing it, freeing the restoring bar so it will be returned rearwardly toward home position. After the restoring bar has traveled rearward slightly, it is held by a hook 293 engaging stud 235, which hook was by-passed on the forward motion oi the stud. 'I'his hook 283 pivoted at 233 is rocked counter-clockwise by lever 223 as the plate 205 returns to home position, thus freeing the restoring bar so it may complete its movement to home position. The flrst rearward movement of the restoring bar allows,the restored trip pawls to be tripped, but holds the transfer segments from making their actuating movement until the end of the machine cycle, when the totalizer pinions are in engagement with them. It is evident that the restoring bar for a given totalizer operates only when that totalizer goes into engaged position.

The adding operation of the No. 2, or lower, totalizer is accomplished in a manner similar to that of adding in the No. 1 totalizer except the control is through a link 238 actuated by a carnage-positioned control element, not shown, which link 236, when moved upward, causes lever 231 to turn counter-clockwise, allowing bell crank lever 238 to turn counter-clockwise when the toe 222 has moved to disengaged position. Pin 239 thereupon is not in a position to move bell crank lever 230 and therefore the lower end of said bell crank will engage the portion of stud 229 emerging from the right side of plate 205 as said plate rocks clockwise. As plate 285 oscillates, the No. 2 totalizer will be pulled into and out of engagement with the racks in adding time Just as is the No. 1 totalizer. The link 2|0 before mentioned is pivoted to lever 2| I fastened to the shaft bearing the cam 2|5 (Fig. 10) for ensuing the No. -2 totalizer. 'I'he hook 232 pulls the restoring bar to restoring position and hook 233 holds the restoring bar in potentially active position until the end of the machine cycle Just as in the No. 1 totalizer. In add timing, the racks have completed their rearward movement before the totalizer wheels are engaged with them.

In subtract operations, the totalizer wheels are engaged before the racks start their rearward motion and are disengaged before the racks start their forward motion to home position. The No. 1 totalizer, alone, is equipped with mechanism for subtract operations. The subtract key (Fig. 9) is depressed, which act causes lever 233 to rock clockwise due to the upper end being pulled into notch 235 in the key stem. Pin 236 there upon rocks lever 231 around stud 238. Also mounted on stud 230 is a lever 239 which moves with lever 2|1 by reason of spring 250 drawing lever 239 into contact with stud 25| on lever 231. The rear end of lever 239 is then in the path of the lower end of lever 205 as plate 205 rocks clockwise, making immediate engagement therewith, which, on continued motion, pulls the totalizer No. 1 into engagement before the racks start their motion rearwardly.

As the plate 205 rocks clockwise, in the subtract operation, after the totalizer is engaged, the lower end of flying lever 206 is moved upwardly sumcient to clear the rear end of lever 239, and to contact pawl 252, forcing it to turn clockwise on its supporting stud 253 against the tension of spring 253, and finally lay-passing said pawl. On the return counter-clockwise movement of plate 205, the lower end of lever 288 contacts the pawl 252 from the opposite side, serving to force the link 208 rearwardly, thus disengaging the totalizer pinions from the racks at the completion of their rearward movement.

The sub-total operation of the No. 1 totalizer is performed by leaving the totalizer in engagement with the racks during the complete forward and rearward motion of the racks. The No. 1 sub-total key is depressed. allowing the upper end oi' lever 255 to be pulled into notch 256 by spring 251, whereby the pin 258 on the lower end of the lever 255 rocks lever 259 around center 238 which, through stud 250 and lever 231, forces the rear end of lever 239 upwardly into the path of the lower end of lever 208, causing engagement of the No. 1 totalizer before the rearward movement of the racks. Inasmuch as the pawl 252 must be taken out of the way to prevent the disengagement of the totalizer at the half-cycle, the No. 1 sub-total key is released by movement of release plate. 202 controlled by lever 203, which releases the keys associated with it, before the half -cycle is completed.

In the performing of a total operation with the No. 1 totalizer, the depression of the No. 1 total key, through stud 28|, performs the same function as in the sub-total. operation in placing the rear end of lever 239 in the path of movement of the lower end of lever 206, as does the` depression of the No. 1 sub-total key. However, the No. 1 total key is held in depressed position until after the first half-cycle of operation, which serves to disengage the totalizer before the racks make their return movement because pawl 252 is held in effective position until after the halfcycle.` Lever 20|, actuating the release bar 200, is by-passed by stud 252 on the clockwise motion of plate 205 `and moves said lever on the return motion to release the No. 1 total key. Movement of lever 20| releases, in addition, the No. 1 add. No. 2 total, and the subtract keys if those are in depressed position.

In taking a subltotal from the No. 2 totalizer, that key is depressed, which allows the upper arm of lever 263 to engage notch 283, allowing it to rock clockwise and causing the forward arm, through stud 265, to rock lever 266 around stud 261 as a center, forcing the rear end of lever 268, by means of spring 269, into the path of flying lever 201, causing the engagement of thc No. 2 totalizer during the first half-cycle. Lever 201 by-passes pawl 210 on the rst half of the cycle as pawl 210 is taken out of its path by the release of the No. 2 sub-total key caused by stud 21| striking the lever 203 at mid-cycle. causing it to be restored.

Depressing the No. 2 sub-total key causes another controlling condition to be set up. Lever 8| (Fig, 6) is rocked in engaging notch 82, causing a forward movement of link 11 (Fig. 6), the purpose of which is explained in detail hereafter, as it controls the automatic advancing of the month printing control wheel.

It should be noted that the first rearward movement of the restoring bar occurs immediately after engagement of the totalizer with which it is associated and that the No. 2 sub-total key is not restored until long after the No. 2 totalizer has been engaged in such an operation.

In taking a total from the No. 2 totalizer, the No. 2 total key is depressed, causing a rocking of lever 213 in'a clockwise direction. causing the positioning of the rear end of lever 263 in the immediate engagement of the No. 2 totalizer as the machine cycle commences. As the No. 2 total key is released through action of lever 20| on plate 209, which occurs after the middle o! the machine cycle, the by-pass pawl 210 is not taken out of the path of lever 201 and the total izer is disengaged after being reset.

Automatic month advancing mechanism yBy referring to Figs, 1 and 4, it will be observed that there are two rows of month keys 30 and 3|, nine of which are in one row and three in the other row. Each of the three keys 30 has secured thereto a U-shaped bracket 39 (Fig. which embraces a square stud 40 in` an auxiliary key stem 4| located in a plane with the stems of the keys 3| and mounted for vertical sliding movement on a keyboard plate 42 by means of a stud 43 and the stud 40, both of said studs extending through vertical slots in said plate 42. Each of the keys 3| has secured in its stem a square stud 44 which, together with the studs 43 in the stems 4| for the October and November keys, are adapted to cooperate with graduated steps 45 on the month actuator rack 36.

The rack 36 is mounted for horizontal reciprocating movement on a rod 46 and a bar 41, both oi which are supported by the frames 26 and 21 (Fig. 6). The rack 36 has a Vertical slot which straddles a stud 49 (Fig. 4) carried by a segment 49 loosely mounted on a leading frame vshaft 50 journaled in the frames 26 and 21. The

segment 49 has an arm 5| pivotally connected by a link 52 to the month printing segment 31 which is pivotally supported by an arm 53 loose on a printer shaft 54, journaled in the .main frame 21 and the printer end plates (not shown). Connected to the arm 53 is an anti-rebound plate 53 with a projection arranged to cooperate with a release trigger 59 tumably mounted in the printer frame.

The segment 49 is normally maintained in contact with the crossbar of a leading frame 60 by means of a spring '6| tensioned between said cross bar and said segment 49. The arms 62 of the leading frame 60, only one here shown, are secured to the shaft 50.

The rack 36 is normally maintained in zero position by a zero stop pawl (not shown) which is moved to ineiective position by depression of one of the keys 30 or 3| with the exception of the December key 30.

The stud 43 in the stem 4| for the December key 39 (Figs. 1 and 4) does not cooperate with oneof the graduated steps 45 on the rack 36. This key is merely a release key for other depressed month keys and unlike said other month keys does not release the zero stop pawl for the month rack 36. Thus it is evident that the home or zero position of the rack 36 and the segment 31 is the proper position for printing the month of December.

As it is necessary to printin zero position, the regular zero elimination pawl has been omitted. The month printing segment 31 is controlled by a bail 94 of a non-print yoke pivoted at 95 to the printer frame, in cooperationV a proloopath of the lowerend of lever 201, which causes tion 96 of the arm 53.V Themen-print yoke has an extension 91 normally-maintained in the path of-.an extension of acontrol velement. by a spring |50, said control element93` being adjustably mounted in predetermined '.fcolumnar positions on a bar 99 connected to the front of the traveling carriage. i

From the above description it is obvious that when the traveling carriage isso positioned that one of the control elements 96 engages the extension 91 of the non-print yoke the bail94 is then back to normal position as shown in Fig. 4.

"- 64 isY disengaged from the segment 49 andthe The rack 36 has a plurality of teeth 63 which cooperate with the teeth of the month wheel 38.

As previously brought out, when a schedule for a new account is made out on a ledger card the month in which the rst payment is to be made is printed on the ledger card by depressing the proper key 30 or 3|. Depression of a month key other than the December key disengages-the zero stop pawl from the rack 36, consequently upon release of the machine for operation the segment 49 and the rack 36 are yieldingly urged by the spring 6| to follow the leading frame '60 in its initial movement counterclockwise. The segment and the rack move in unison with the leading frame 60 until one of the steps 46 on said rack engages the stud 43 or 44 of-.the vdepressed month key. ThisA 'reaches the terminus of its initial movement.

an aliner 64 is engaged with the teeth of the segment 49 and immediately thereafter'the trigger 59 is rocked counterclockwise to release the arm 53 to the action of a spring 65, which rocks the printing segment 31 intofcontact with the ledger card to print the first month thereon.

It will be recalled that the first monthly payment is added into the No. 2 totalizer and that the month wheel 39 is always in home or zero position at the beginning of this operation. When the leading frame 60 reaches the end of its counterclockwise movement, the month wheel is rocked into engagement with the teeth ofthe rack 36. After the impression is made, thealiner leading frame 60 l starts its return movement clockwise to vpick up the segment 49 and return l it and the rack 36 to their home positions. rRekey.

The'month wheel 30 differs from the regular amount totalizer wheels in that it has 24 teeth instead of 20. This provides two divisions of 12 teeth each' to take care of the 12 months in a year.

.The month wheel 39 (Fig. 4) has secured thereto aplate 66 having two teeth diametrically opposite which cooperate with a zero stop pawl I9 rotatably mounted on a shaft 69 supported in the rockable No. 2 totalizer frame. This zero stop pawl operates in total and subtotal operations to stop the month wheel 33 in zero position,thereby setting the differential rack in accordance with the data on said month wheel. This mechanism. comprising the stopping of a data wheel by a pawl when reversely rotated. is old in the art. and detailed disclosure is found in United States Patent No. 1,203,863, issued to Halcolm Ellis on November 7. i916, and in the other patents to which reference has heretoforeV been made.

A second pawl 99 (Fig. 4), similar to pawl II but loosely mounted on'shaft 99 to the right of the month wheel 39 and corresponding to the transfer pawl that would ordinarily be tripped by the wheel of next lower order were one present. is held against shaft 1| by a spring 19 (Fig. 7). The pawl 99 (Figs. 4 and 7) carries a stud 12 adapted to cooperate with an arm 13 oi' a yoke 14 loosely mounted on a shaft 1l the opposite ends oi which are supported by extensions of the main frames 26 and 21. The yoke 14 (Fig. 6) has another arm 19 pivotally connected by a link 11 to a stud 19 secured in an arm 19 turnably mounted on a stud 90 secured in the left frame 29. The arm 19 has a rightangled extension 9| adapted to cooperate with a notch 92 in the No. 2 sub-total key 94. A spring 93 is tensioned to urge the arm 19 counter clockwise, as observed in Fig. 6.

Directing attention to Figs. 6 and 7, the pawl 99 has an earlike extension 94, acting as a latch, which cooperates with a projection 99 of an arm 99 loosely mounted on a shaft 91 supported by the extensions of the frames 29 and 21. The arm 99 has therein a cam slot through which extends a stud 99 in a month wheel advancing segment 99 pivoted on a stud 99 in a stationary plate of the No. 2 totalizer. A spring 9| (Fig. 7) is tensioned to urge the arm 99 in a clockwise direction.

As explained above, in preparing a new ledger card, the first month in which a payment is to be made is selected by depressing the proper month key. This, upon operation of the machine, prints and also positions the month control wheel 39. In the succeeding operation, depressing the No. 2 sub-total key 94 (Fig. 6) advances the month control wheel 99 one step, and as this is a reading or sub-total operation inthe No. 2 totalizer, the wheel 39 positions the month accumulator rack 39 (Fig. 4) and the printing segment 91 to print the succeeding month on the ledger card.

Depressing the No. 2 sub-total key 34 (Fig. 6) moves the notch 92 opposite the projection 9| of the arm 19. 'Ihe spring 93 is then free to urge said arm 19 counter clockwise to retain said key 34 in depressed position. This counter clockwise movement of the arm 19 through the link 11 rocks the yoke 14 clockwise causing the arm n thereof, in cooperation with the stud 12, to rock the trip pawl 99 counter clockwise (see also Fig. 7). This moves the ear 9'4 out of engagement with the projection 99 on the arm 96. The spring 9| then rotates said arm 99 clockwise until a projection 92 thereof engages the restoring bar 93, which bar is the usual and well known transfer restoring bar shown and described in the above mentioned Ellis patents. This clockwise movement of the arm 96 by means of the cam slot therein cooperating with the stud 99 rotates the advancing segment 99 clockwise to advance the month control wheel 39 one step counter clockwise. At this time the wheel 39 is out of engagement with the rack 39.

As this is a sub-total recording operation in the No. 2 totalizer, the month wheel 39 is eugaged with its actuator 39 and consequently disengaged from the segment 99 before the rack 39 has started its initial movement rearwardly. The pawl 99 (see also Fig. 4) moves with the totalizer frame, thereby retaining its relation to the wheel 39 and this also moves the stud 12 upwardly but not out of engagement with the arm 13 of the yoke 14, as their point of contact is near the center of motion of the totalizer frame 2|4 as shown in Fig. 10. Immediately after this disengagement of the totalizer from the segment 99, the restoring bar 93 makes its restoring movement counter clockwise to return the arm 99 to its untripped position, but the pawl 99 cannot latch arm 99, as it is still held out of engaging position by arm 13. The restoring bar then falls back to an intermediate position during the engagement of the control wheel with the rack and moves to home position after wheel 39 re-engages segment 99.

The arm 13 remains in its effective position until the sub-total lzey is restored just before mid-cycle after the pawl 99 and arm 99 have been kept from engagement during the restoring motion of bar 93. Thereafter, in the same series of operations, whenever the sub-total key for the No. 2 totalizer is depressed, the arm 19 holds the pawl 18 in ineffective position so that the month wheel will advance as the restoring bar 93 moves to home position near the end of the machine operation.

Initial movement rearwardly of the rack 39 (Fig. 4) rotates the wheel 39 clockwise until the proper tooth of the plate 96 is stopped by the projection 61 of the trip pawl I9 which is effective for this purpose whether tripped or not. This positions the month printing segment 31 to print the succeeding month on the ledger card, due to the fact that the wheel 39 was advanced one space at the close of the previous operation, or in the case of the first sub-total of the No. `il totalizer by the depression of the No. 2 sub-total key.

Machine operation While it is probable that an understanding of the operation of the machine of the instant invention has been obtained from the preceding description, still it is thought advantageous to give a brief description oi operation in the following explanation.

In the system to be outlined, an automobile dealer has been chosen as an example. However, it is not the intention to limit the use of this machine to automobile agencies, as it may be used in any business where merchandise is sold on the deferred payment or installment plan.

In machines of this character it is usually the practice to automatically select and condition the totalizers for addition and subtraction by means of control elements on the traveling carriage. These control elements are also used as stops to locate the diiferent columns oi the ledger card in proper relation to the printing segments. As an alternative, the control keys may be used instead of the control elements to select and condition the totalizers for addition and subtraction and in this outline of operation the latter method has been employed. This, however, is merely a matter of choice and the former method could just as easily have been used.

Fig. 2 shows the facsimile of a typical ledger card used by automobile dealers in handling the accounts of customers who purchase automobiles on the installment plan. As an example, let us assume that a customer purchases an automopayment,l of $500.00 and agrees to pay the balance at the rate of $200.00 per month. Immediately after the sale is consummated, a ledger card is made out for the purchaser showing the amount of his purchase, the amount of his down payment. the amount of the insurance premium and the amount of carrying charges, which include interest and bookkeeping charges. After the down payment has been subtracted from the amount of the purchase and the insurance premium and the carrying charge added thereto the remaining sum is, the amount that the purchaser agrees to pay in monthly installments of $200.00 each. In preparing such a ledger card, the following sequence of operations is performed:

First the operator sets the knob of the operation prede'termining mechanism Vvto the desired number of operations, in this case twenty-five. It will be noted that there are twenty-seven operations on the ledger card shown in Fig. 2, but the last two operations are not included in the number of predetermined operations. Next the ledger card is placed around the platen roll so that the impression will be made on the proper e line, the traveling carriage is tabulated to the proper column and the amount of the purchase, in this case, $2450.00, is set up on the amount keys. The No. 1 add key is then depressed and the machine released for operation by depressing the starting bar 33. This operation of the machine causes the amount of the purchase to be added in the No. 1 or balance totalizer and simultaneously printed in the proper space on the ledger card. When the traveling carriage is in this columnar position a ringer of one of the control elements 98 (Fig. 4) moves the non-print bail 94 into the path of the projection 96 to block printing movement of the arm 53 and month printing segment 31.

Next the down payment of $500.00 is printed upon the ledger card land simultaneously subtracted from. the $2450.00 in the balance totalizer. In the next operation a sub-total is printed from the No. 1 totalizer in order to print the amount Aof the balance, in this case $1,950.00, on

. the ledger card. The traveling carriage then is tabulated to the Balance" column where another control element 98 disables the month printing segment 31 and in the two succeeding operations, $15.00, the amount or premium on the insurance, and '$35.00, the carrying charge, are added to this balance of $1,950,00. In another sub-total recording operation of the No. 1

totalizer the balance of $2000.00, or the amounty of the note signed by the purchaser, is printed on the ledger card. The amount of the note, $2000.00, is again printed in ithefBalance" column of the ledger card by again performing a sub-total recording opera-tion with the balance totalizer. At the end of the above operation the traveling carriag'e is returned to the Payment column on the ledger sheet in which position the month printing segment 38 (Fig. 4) is free to print as there is no control element 98 in this position to prevent printing of the month.

In the next operation the operator depresses the key representing the month in which the first payment is to be made, in this case April, sets up the amount of the first monthly payment, $200.00, on the keyboard; depresses the subtnct key and releases the machine for operation by depressing the starting bar 33.

ThisY causes the month and the amount of the payment to be printed on the ledger card and the amount of the payment, $200.00, is simultaneously subtracted from the balance of $2000.00 'coritained in the No. 1 totalizer and addedin the previously cleared No. 2 totalizer. The machine is conditioned to add into the No. 2 totalizer, when in the payment column, by a control element on the carriage, similar to control element 99 (Fig. 4), contacting a hanging bar lever. When the sub-total key or the total key for the No. 2 totalizer is used, it supersedes the action of the adding control mechanism. For a more detailed description of this mechanism, reference is made to Letters Patent ci' the United States No. 1,197,276 above mentioned. The traveling carriage is then tabulated to the Balance" column and in a sub-total recording operation of the No. 1 totalizer the balance of $1800.00 is printed on the ledger card.

In the succeeding operation for the month of May, the operator depresses the No. 2 sub-total key and the subtract key and releases lthe machine for operation in the usual manner; 'I'his causes the amount in the No. 2 totalizer, which it will be recalled in this case is $200.00, to be subtracted from the balance totalizer and simultaneously printed in the payment column on the ledger sheet. It will be recalled that depressing the No. 2 sub-total key the first time in a given series causes the month control wheel to be advanced one step to automatically print the month of May simultaneously with the printing of the amount of the payment for that month. Near the end of the machine cycle, the transfer pawl restoring bar moves rearwardly, permitting the arm 86 actuated by spring 9| to turn the month control wheel to the June position, ready for the next operation. After this operation, the traveling carriage is again tabulated to the balance column and in a sub-total recording operation of the No. 1 totalizer the Balance of $1600.00 is printed on theledger card.

As the restored date advancing mechanism has immediately spent itself in advancing the month control wheel, there will be no advance of the month wheel when the No. 2 sub-total key is next depressed. such depression only serving to keep v the pawl 68 from latching arm 88 as it is moved to latching position bythe restoring bar. The sub-total for the June operation having been printed. the restoring bar moves to home position. permitting the arm 86 to turn the month control wheel to July position. ready for the next No. 2 sub-total operation. This setting of the month control wheel to position for the next operation will continue so long as the restoring bar functions while the No. 2 sub-total key is depressed. However. when the No. 1 totalizer is operated in 'a sub-total recording operation to print the balance ($200.00) for the month oi' December the machine is automatically locked against a sub-total operation by the operation predetermining mechanism. f

This notifies the operator that the schedule is about complete and enforces a total recording operation of the No. 2 totalizer. Depressing the No. 2 total key unlocks the machine starting bar as fully explained in the above. mentioned parent application and the No. 1 totalizer is conditioned for a subtract operation by depressing the subtract key, after which. operation of the machine causes the $200.00 to be cleared from the No. 2 totalizer and simultaneously subtracted from the balance of $200.00 in the No. 1 totalizer. A ilnal clearing oi the No. 1 totalizer proves the account by printing a single zero in the Balance" column of the ledger card.

The taking of a total from the No. 2 totalizer serves to reset the month control wheel transfer mechanism, because the No. 2 sub-total key is in normal position when the restoring bar 93 lunctions.

To illustrate the operation oi.' the machine when the monthly payments do not come out even at the end, let us take the gures used in the example Just given, that is, we will use the same purchase price of $2450.00, the same down payment of $500.00. an insurance premium of $15.00 and a carrying charge of $35.00. This leaves an identical balance of $2000.00 to be paid oil' in monthly payments. The purchaser agrees to pay this balance of $2000.00 in twelve monthly payments, the first eleven payments being $170.00 each and in the final payment he cleans up the balance of $130.00. Such an account is illustrated by the ledger card shown in Fig. 3.

In this example, the operator sets the operation predetermining device for twenty-seven operations to cause the starting bar to be locked after the January balance of $300.00 is printed. The February payment ot $170.00 is subtracted from the $300.00 balance and simultaneously printed on the ledger card and the No. 2 totalizer cleared which it will be remembered unlocks the starting bar. 'I'he $130.00 balance is then printed by performing a sub-total recording operation with the No. 1 totalizer.

The final payment of $130.00 is set up on the key-board, the non-add key depressed to prevent this amount being added into the No. 2 totalizer, the subtract key depressed, and the machine released for operation. In this operation the $130.00 payment is subtracted from the No. 1 totalclzer and simultaneously printed on the ledger card. A final total recording operation with the No. 1 totalizer prints a single zero in the balance column to show that the sum of the monthly payments equals the amount of the note signed by the purchaser.

As stated previously, the ledger cards are prepared in advance and credit is given the purchaser when he makes a monthly payment by stamping the date the payment is made opposite the payment then due in the column headed Date paid.

While the forms of mechanisms herein shown and described are admirably adapted to fulfill the objects primarily stated, it is to be understood that it is not intended to confine the invention to the forms 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:

1. In a machine of the class described, a totalizer including a shaft upon which totalizer wheels are mounted; a month printing control member mounted on said shaft; a plurality oi.' racks operable to enter data into said totalizers and said control member; a separate actuating means for said control member to advance it step by step; means to simultaneously engage said totalizer and control member withthe racks; a total key and a sub-total key for controlling the engaging means in total and sub-total timing; and means controlled by the sub-total key for rendering the separate actuating means eiective whereby the month printing control member is actuated each time the member and its associated totalizer are operated in sub-total timing.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with recording mechanism to record amounts and months, oi a totalizer mounted on a carrier and operable to control the amount recording mechanism; a month recording control element also mounted on the totalizer carrier and shiftable therewith; means to cause the totalizer to be operable in sub-total recording operations; means for actuating said month recording control element in said sub-total recording operations whereby the control element controls the recording of a different month in each successive sub-total recording operation; and means to control the totalizer and control element in a total recording operation in which both the totalizer and the control element are simultaneously reset.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination with recording mechanism including amount type and month type, of a totalizer and a month printing control element for controlling the amount and month type respectively, said totalizer and control element being mounted on a single shaft for operation as a unit; an actuating means for the element; racks associated with the recording mechanism; means for engaging the totalizer and control element with the racks; a sub-total key for controlling the operation of. the engaging means to engage the totalizer and control element with the racks in sub-total timing to control the recording mechanism; and means controlled by the sub-total key to ,render the actuating means for the element eil'ective, whereby the amount standing on the totalizer and successive months are recorded on successive sub-total recording operations.

4. In a machine oi the class described, the combination of month keys; a month printing control wheel; printing means including month type; a differentially movable rack for setting the month type from the keys or from the month printing control wheel; a driving member having invariable movement; means cooperating with the driving member for operating the rack under control of the month keys; means operated by the driving member for engaging and disengaging the month printing control wheel and the rack; means for automatically changing the data on the month control wheel in unit steps on each of certain machine operations; and manipulative means for causing the automatic means to be operative preliminary to ksaid certain machine operations.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination of month keys; a month printing control wheel; printing means including month type; a differentially movable rack for setting the month type from the keys or from the month printing control wheel; a driving member having invariable movement; means cooperating with the driving member for operating the rack under control of the month keys; means operated by the driving member for engaging and disengaging the month printing control wheel and rack; means comprising a spring-actuated toothed segment rendered operable on each of cetan operations of the machine for changing the data on the month control wheel by a step; means to restore the toothed segment to potentially effective position; means to latch the toothed segment in potentially effective position; and latch tripping means comprising a manipulative key to render the latch ineffective so as to allow said segment to become immediately effective if the segment is latched in effective position and to prevent the latching of the segment in effective position upon the operation of the restoring means. t

6. In a machine of the class described having a main operating means operable to cause cycles of machine operation, printing means including amount type and month type; a totalizer; month printing control means associated with said totalizer; means comprising a movable springactuated segment normally latched in potentially operable position so as to enter a unit of data into the month printing control meansI on each operating movement of said segment; means operated by the main operating means to restore the segment, if unlatched, each time the totalizer is operated; and a key operated before the commencement of a machine operation to trip the segment latch and operative during the ensuing machine operation to prevent the relatching of the segment on the restoring motion, thus causing two data-entering movements of the segment unless the key was used in connection with the previous machine operation in which event the operation of the key before the commencement of the machine operation will not cause data to be entered by mere operation of the key, as the segment has not been latched in potentially operable position.

7. In a machine of the class described, the combination of month keys; a month printing control wheel; printing means including month type; means comprising a toothed segment operable to change the position of the month printing control wheel; a spring actuator for the segment; means to latch the actuator in potentially operable condition against the tension of the spring; a restoring means to relatch the actuator if spent; and a key operated preliminary to a machine operation to trip the latch and hold it in ineffective position until after the restoring means has operated during the ensuing machine operation.

8. In a machine of the class described having printing means including amount type and month type; amount keys; month keys; a totallzer shaft having mounted thereon amount printing control wheels and a month printing control wheel; differential racks for setting the wheels and printing means under control of the associated keys and the printing means under controlLof the'wheels; rack actuating means; and means to engage the wheels and the racks, the combination of means comprising a spring-actuated segment to position the month printing control wheel; means to latch the segment in potentially effective condition; means to restore the segment to latched position on each operation of the machine; and manual means to trip the latch before a machine operation and to hold it ineiective` until after the restoring means has operated.

9. In amachine of the class described having a main operating means operable to cause cycles of machine operation, in combination, a data y Wheel; a rack for entering data. into or withdrawing data from the data Wheel; a second means for entering data into the data wheel preliminary to and during a cycle of operation the data entered preliminarily being caused by releasing the said`second means to the action of a tensioned spring and the data entered during the cycle being caused by the main operating means acting through the said spring and thereby operating said second means; means operated by the main operating means for rendering said second data entering means potentially operative; means to engage the data wheel with -both the rack and 'the second data entering means in one cycle of machine operation; and key means controlling the engaging means and the second data entering means whereby data entered into the data Wheel preliminary to a cycle of machine operation may be withdrawn therefrom during the ensuing cycle of machine operation and whereby data entered into the data wheel during a cycle of machine operation may be withdrawn therefrom in a subsequent cycle of machine operation.

l0. In a machine of the class described having a main operating means operable to cause cycles of machine operation, the combination of a data wheel; means actuated by the main operating means for entering, data into or withdrawing data from the data wheel; a control key; and means comprising a segment releasable by the operation of said control key; la spring to actuate said segment, when the segment is released by the operation of said key, for entering data into the data wheel preliminary to the commencement of a cycle of operation, said spring being potentially conditioned by the main operating mechanism in a preceding operation of the machine involving the data Wheel, and operated by the main operating means acting through the spring in the ensuingvmachine operation to enter the data a second time if released by operation of the key. l

11. In a machine of the class described, having a main operating means operable to cause cycles of machine' operation, in combination, a data wheel; a rack for entering data into or withdrawing data from the data wheel; a second means for entering data' into the data wheel, said means having a potentially effective and a. spent position; a7 latch for said second means normally effective to latch said second means 1n potentially effective position; means to selectI the data wheel for a machine operation; means operated each cycle of machine operation and effective in operations in which the data wheel is selected to restore the second data entering means to effective position if spent; and a manual means to render the latch means ineffective during the next ensuing machine operation.

y RAYMOND A. CHRISTIAN.

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