US1415297A - Calculating machine - Google Patents

Description

Patented May 9,1922.

F. A. BELT.

CALCULATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 4. 1920.

FRANCIS A. BELT, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

CALCULATING MACHINE.

`Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 9, 1922.

Application mea March 4, 1920. serial No. 363,155.

Beit known that I, FRANCIS A. BELT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of? Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Calculating Machines, of whichthe following-is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the drawings forming apart'of this specification.

invention relates to improvements in calculating machines wherein movable charts or columns of figures are vused with relation to a permanent column and has as its general object an arrangement of movable and fixed factors which lend themselves to easy, rapid and accurate calculation.

The exact nature of the numbers or the arrangement of factors which occurs in the showing 'of my invention is not essential since the factors selected for illustration have been chosen merely as a means of exemplifying the invention residing therein. The example chosen for illustration is 'one wherein the fixed factors run froml l to 100 and are arranged in a column running lengthwise of the exposure opening..for the movable factors. The movable chart has 100 columns and each column begins with a consecutive number from l to 100. There are in each column 100 numerals comprising the successive products of multiplication of .the first numerals bly each numeral in a series of from l to 100.

My invention also consists in certain lmarkings on the movable chart which greatly facilitate the vspeed and accuracy with which the calculation can be made.

In the drawing, the figure illustrates a.

lan view of a double box indicator partly Eroken away to show the charts.

A simple form of mechanism for employing the features of my invention is a box l, which may be in two sections with hinges 2 between them, which boxes mount spindles 3, 3, on which are pinions`4. These spindles mount rolls 5 which carry the movable charts 6.

The top ofthe box, be there one or more, is formed of ruled cover 7 which has a. longitudinal exposure or slot covered with a suitable transparent material. I-prefer to have running through lengthwise along this sheet of transparent material a l1ne of dots 9, or a very light continuous line to serve as decimal points for the numerals on the movable chart.

Extending along one of the edges of the opening will be the series of numerals which have been selected as the factors which will be convenient for the desired calculat1on,|that is to say the calculations for which the device is especially arranged.

In this instance we have shown a series of numerals running from l to 100. Any other arrangements for quick calculation can be inserted on the covers either in conjunction with the xed factors or without special relation to them.

The movable charts 6 are wound on the rolls 5 and theI rolls 5 lrapidly turned by means of a pinion `l0 mounted on a spindle 11 and controlled by a hand wheel 12 mountedv exterior of thebox.

In the instance shown the charts 6 are made up of a series of columns of'numbers, each column having 100 numerals in it whlch are equal to the product of the first numeral at the head of the column and the fixed factor opposite which any one numeral will come during the movement of the chart past the .transparent opening in the fixed cover 7.

In the left hand chart 6 shown in the drawing there will be 100 columns of numerals each column beginning with a consecutive number running from 1 to 100. Thus the column which is exposed through the transparency begins with the lnumeral 40 and the numerals running down the column from the numeral 40 are the result of multiplying 40 bythe numeral on the chart 6 opposite which any numeral of the movable chart column will come. Thus opposite the numeral 39 on' the fixed chart will bethe numeral 1560 on the movable column which is the result of multiplying 40 by 39. Also the numeral 1600 appears opposite the fixed numeral 40, 1600 being the product of 40 multiplied by 40 or in other words the square of L10.

In order to facilitate working fractions, particularly simple fractions, I find it desirable to print all simple numbers appearing in the various columns in heavier type than the complicated numbers are printed, thus the numeral 1560 is in small type while 1600 is in large type, being a simple number.

Further due to the fact that the decimals or decimal points are on the transparent element in the slot of the fixed cover the proper decimals can be readily arranged for, throughouteach column since thev operator by arranging the position of the decimal with relation to the first numeral in the column will thereby adjust it properly for all numerals' in the column.

IVithout a certain additional feature of the movable chart, it would be more orless a slow o eration to find the proper product and factors desired for a calculation and accordingly I print on the face of the movable chart a series of special indicators or slugs 13. There will be as many of the special indicators as there are factor numbers on the fixed chart.

Since the number of columns of gures in the movable chart will always be equal to the number of numerals in the one column of the fixed chart, the slugs will be printed opposite the product of the number at the head of the column multiplied by itself. This will bring the slugs for each column opposite the number on the fixed chart which corresponds to the factor number of the movable chart column.

Thus in the exposed column at the left of the figure of the drawing, will be found an indicator printed opposite the numeral 1600.

At the head of the column will be found the basic number 40, and on the fixed chart. the indicator will point to the numeral 40, thereby indicating that the basic numeral of the column is 40. n

The operator by rapidly twirlingthe operating knob can make the chart move so quickly as to form a seemingly continuous line of indicators running downwardly or upwardly of the exposed slot, and since the fixed chart is .not moving, he can Very rapidly arrive at any desired column of the movable chart, by stopping its movement as soon as the indicator comes opposite the number which he desires for a basic number.

On the right hand chart I have shown a different arrangement wherein the basic numerals are the decimal expression of fractions based on divisions of the numeral 144/144ths. The fixed numbers run from 1 to 100, and are used as the factors of 144 in succession. Thus the basic number for the first column of the movable chart is the decimal expression for 1/144th, and the exposed column in the drawing is 60/144ths.

In this second chart, the indicator is printed as before and comes opposite the fixed factor numeral which is the same as the factor of the movable column adjacent to which the indicator is to be found.

Thus in the exposure for the right hand chart, the indicator is printed opposite the number v25, which is the product of 60 times 60/144ths, or the decimal .4166, said 60/144ths being the factor number of the column. y

This right hand side ofthe device is to be employed in computing problems'involving feet and inches anddozens and gross and hours, minutes and seconds.

It may also be employed in computing interest in banks which employ the system of finding daily interest by dividing the total yearly *sum by 360 instead of by 365. The number 36 on the fixed chart will be the key number in figuring interest, and the number which comes opposite 36 on the movable columns, will be the percent per annum, a thousand dollars dependent upon the decimal position of the chart.

This will be evident upon examination of the example shown on the right hand chart. If any number shows opposite the numeral 36, it is obviously 36 or 360 times the basic numeral of the column, and since percents on a thousand dollars for one year are mere decimal expressions, of the interest factor itself, the operator can readily bring opposite the number 36 the number which is at one and the same time, both the expression of the product of a thousand dollars times the interest desired and also the rate of interest itself. Thus on the chart in the drawing, fifteen per cent on a thousand dollars for a year would bring in 315.4166 per day.

lVith .4166 at the head of the column, the product of any number up to 100 by it will give total of the interest for that many days, for twenty-four days the total at fifteen per cent would be $10.00. Interest on $6000 at fifteen per cent for one day would `be $2.50.

Should it be desired to work at 365 days per year then the right hand chart will readily adapt itself to the calculation although not to -more than two decimals, with absolute accuracy.

It can readily be understood that to ref' duce interest at 360 days to interest at 365 days, the resulting sum for 360 days should be reduced by one seventy-third of the total. My chart will work in 72nds, (one half of 144) and after the sum per day is calculated, thelopera-tor will turn to the second column of the movable chart (or 2/144ths) to find the proper subtrahend.

The right hand chart is better for interest calculation than the left hand because it is figured out to a decimal which includes fac tors of the number 12, the same being also a factor of 360.

By reading on the left hand chart, for example it can be seen that if the interest otn one vthousand dollars is $144.00 per annum, i. e., at the rate of 14.40%, then the daily interest will be 40 cents.

But it would be impossible to bring a numeral 15 opposite the 36 mark on the fixed chart at the left, because the basic numerals of none of the columns when multipliedby 36 would give 15.

The above examples, as have been statedf are merely those selected for illustration, as great many different arrangements would be possible for different sorts of work.

As has bee'n said I do not desire to limit myself to any one special form of calculation or arrangement of fixed factors. My invention is essentially one involving certain basic principles which may be adapted to a wide number of uses. Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1..;[n a calculating machine, the combination with a housing, a chart mounted therein upon suitable rollers having transverse columns of numerals, said housing having an'e'longated opening to expose vthe transverse columns on the chart, a seriesvof numerals arranged along the opening, each numeral of said series having special relation to one of the columns on the chart, and a 'special indication device on each column on the chart adapted to come oppositev the numeral having special relation to said column, whereby the operator may rapidly move the chart and watch the special numeral for the desired column until an indicator comes opposite. it.

2L In a calculating machine, the combination with a housing, a chart mounted therein upon suitable rollers having transverse columns of numerals, said housing having an elongated opening to expose the transverse columns on the chart, aseries of numerals arranged along the opening, each numeral of said series having special relation to one of the columns on the chart, and a special indication device on each column on the chart adapted to come opposite the numeral having special relation to said column, whereby the operator may rapidly move the chart and watch the special numeral for the desired column until an indicator comes opposite it, said series of numerals and columns arranged in regular order,- so that the operators view of the chart through the slot will be'of a traveling line formed by the indicators as they iiash across the slot.

3. In a calculating machine, the' combination wi-th a housing, a chart mounted therein on suitable rollers having transverse columns ofpnumerals, said houslng having an elongated opening to expose the transverse:

columns on the chart, a series of numerals located along the opening and arranged for coincidence with numerals of the columns, and a transparent decimal marker extending over' said slot and having points arranged in line with the'numerals in said columns, whereby displacement ofthe chart by one space Will result in a shift of the points in common to all numerals on the column of the chart exposed at the time of the shift. FRANCIS A. BELT.

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