US1438014A - Computing machine - Google Patents

Description

F. w. BLAKE.

COMPUTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 26, 1920.

Patented Dec. 5, 1922.

Patented Dec. 5, 1922.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK W. BLAKE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO UNDERWOOD COMPUTING MACHINE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

COMPUTING MACHINE.

Application filed May 26,

To all whom it may concern:

i been returned to zero.

-provided with a suitable resistance.

Be it known that I, FRANK W. BLAKE, a citizen of the United States, residing in Brooklyn Borough, in the county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Computing Machines, of which the follow ing is a specification.

This invention relates to the registers of computing machines, es ecially those of the type known as the nderwood standard bookkeeping machine, which both typewrites and computes.

In the Underwood'machine, the registers which display the totals, and which are located at the extreme front of the machine, are usually in the shadow of the operator, so that they are not easily read.

According to the present invention, the registers are provided with electric lights to illuminate them, and provision is made whereby when any register is out of use, its light is automatically extinguished, thereby economizing electricity. Other advantages are gained, inasmuch as a check is also afi'orded for thebenefit of the operative, who is apprised by the extinguishing of any light that the dials in that register have all The operative is also able to distinguish easily which registers are in active use, and it is never necessary to scrutinize the dials to ascertain whether they all stand at zero. In other words, in a machine having several registers, there may be a separate light for each register, and each light may be separately controlled by its own register, so that the state of any register may be recognized Without attempting to read the dials.

The register lights may, be connected to an ordinary lighting circuit, and may be In some cases, the resistance may be in the form of an electric desk lamp, which customarily is placed in position to illuminate the keyboard. A telltale or warning signal is atforded, in case any lamp burns out. Preferably, the register lights may be connected in series with the desk lamp, and may be short-circuited when the dials of the register stand at zero, each registerlight being separately short-circuited b the movement of its own register bar or ail.

The closing and opening of the register 1920. Serial No. 384,312.

lamp circuit or circuits may be dependent upon the movements of a bar or bail, which is usually provided at each register to control a type which prints a clearance star upon the work-sheet.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the front of an Underwood standard bookkeeping machine, the cover and many other parts being largely broken away.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic, sectional, side View of the same.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a register and a diagram of its electric connections when used with another register, as embodied in one form of the invention.

Figure 4 is a diagram of wiring, showing an alternative form of the invention.

Figure 5 is a side view of the register and electric contact seen in Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a side view, somewhat similar to Figure' 5, but showing the contact for the form of the invention illustrated in F igure 4-.

In the Underwood standard bookkeeping machine, register or computingwheels 10 are rotated by rack bars 11 on the front ends of pin bars 12, which latter are adapted to be driven forward at the actuation of a general operator 13, herein diagrammatically shown as adapted to be driven forward by drawing forward the handle 14 used on some types of the Underwood standard bookkeep-- ing machine,

The rack bars 11 are driven varying distances according to the pins set up on the pin bars 12, the pins being set in the usual manner shown in the patent to Hans Hanson, No. 1,278,812, dated September 10, 1918. One form of said machine, having several registers is shown in the patent to Frederick A. Hart, No. 1,281,953, dated October 15, 1918.

In order to enable a sign to be printed ects printing by releasing a star type-bar (not shown herein, but oneform of which is upper end of its stem, because a locking bail 19 is held in the path of said lug whenever any wheel of its register shows any digit other than'zero. To bring about this result, each wheel 10 usually comprises teeth 20, which are, engaged by a detent 21, adapted to normally seat itself to a limited extent between .any two of the teeth 20. \Vhen, however, any wheel 10 of a register stands at zero, its detent 21. can seat itself more deeply, because it seats in the cut-out portions 22 of the teeth 20 which then stand adjacent its detent 21. V

The bail 19 of any register extends past all the detents 21 of that register, and is adapted to engage tails 23 on said detents,

with the result that its spring 24 swings thebail 19 rearwardly, carrying its detents into the teeth 20 of its register wheels 10, and thus, whenever said wheels stand at zero, carrying the detents 21 into the cut-out portions 22. The bail 19 is fast to rock arms 25, so that it swings as a whole to and from its wheels 10, with the result that when any detent 21 engages with any teeth 20, which are not cut away, the bail 19 is swung outwardly to its Figure 5 position, thus locking its star-printing key 15 by underlying the lug 18 thereof.

Each wheel 10 usually has nine digits, besides the digit 0 usually running from 1 to 9, and so positioned that they may be read through the sight-opening 26 in the top27 of the casing which contains the computing mechanism. The sight-opening 26 is usually covered with a piece 0 glass 28 of considerable thickness to avoid any likelihood of its breaking. Thus, digits on the wheels 10 have to be read through the glass 28, and, for structural purposes, the wheels 10, while close to the top 27, are necessarily clear thereof, with the result that only a small amount of light reaches the numerals or digits on the wheels 10. The amount of light is necessarily considerably restricted, because there is provided a shield 29 adjacent the front and rear margins of the sight-openin 26, to obscure the numera-ls or digits ad acent those to be read, thus preventing the typist from erroneously copying a digit from the wrong row.

The shields 29 are usually painted strips upon'part of the glass 28. The light upon the digits on the wheels 10 is also poor, owing to the fact that the light coming from the rear of the machine is cut oil' by the front of the frame of the machine, and the rising rear portion, 30 of the top 27 also cuts ofi some light,

may be of the form used in telephone switchboards and a little larger than a leadpencil,

said light being held over and adjacent thecenter of its register by small brackets or fingers 32 held by screws 33 to the portion 30 of the top 27. The light or lamp 31 may lie axially of the register, behind but adjacent the shield 29, so that its direct rays can hardly'b'e visible through the glass 28, and yet the light 31 is near enough the line of readable numerals on the wheels 10 to effectively illuminate them. By utilizing a lamp of the character described, it has become possible to illuminate the wheels 10 in the exceedingly narrow space between them and the top 27 of the computing casing.

Since the lamps 31, of which there is one for each register, advantageously use only a small voltage, each lamp is advantageously connected in series with a suitable resist ance, which is herein shown as a' bracketmounted, keyboard-illuminating lamp. 34, which usually is carried upon a standard to overhang the keyboard of the machine to illuminate it. Such lamps are. usually either 25 or 40 watt tungsten lamps, and, therefore.

lustrated at 35 and 36, at the left and right,

respectively, in Figure 1, and also in Figure 3, there may be a lamp 31 for one register,

and a si ilar lamp 37 for the other register,

each lam adapted toibe maintainedhghted or dark by the star-locking hail of its own register. To accomplish these results, the circuit for illuminating the lamp, 31 of the register 35, may include a conductor 38 running from the lamp 34, and forming part of its circuit, said conductor 38 being connect-- ed to a conductor 39 in series with the lamp to the main 41in series, as will presently appear. v Under such conditions,the lamp 34 is in series with the lamp 31 between its 31, and thence connected by a conductor 40 conductor 43 connected to one main 42 and 7 24 swings the bail 19 rearwardly', that is to say, to the right at Figures 2 and 3,:thus allowing an electric tenninal. 44,flwhich has been held clear of a terminal 45, as shown or unlocked, so that it may be operated for proving that the total has been accurately copied and that the register is clear. In this connection it is to be noted that the register lamp, such as 31, serves the double purpose of giving two different kinds of indications. When the register lamp is lit, it thereby indicates that the register contains a number; and when the register lamp is extinguished,

' it thereby indicates that the clearance-proving key, such as 15, maybe operated. In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the universal member or bail 19, besides controlling the register lam 31, also controls the cor? responding starey 15. Similar star-keys 15 are provided for each of the registers of the machine, as shown in Figure 1 for the registers 35 and 36. The terminal 45 may be a stiff plate fast to, but electrically insulated from, the usual front cross-bar 48 of the frame which carries the computing mechanism. The spring-terminal 44 may be a resilient plate electrically insulated both from the cross-bar 48 and from the bar forming the terminal 45, there being, for this purpose, interposed behinda plate 49, of which "the terminal 44 is the end, an insulating sheet 50, the upper end of which insulates the bail 19 from the plate 49. The two terminals 44 and 45 may be held to the bar 48 by a screw 51, suitably insulated from them by washers or other devices, and the wires 46 and 47 may be respectively connected to the two terminals 44 and 45 at their bottoms, as shown in Figures 2 and 5.

To enable the lamp 37, of the register 36, to be lighted, it is interposed between the conductor 38 and the conductor 39, thus normally being in series with the lamps 34 and 31. In order to extinguish the lamp 37 it may be short-circuited, as in Figure 3, by a conductor 52 which is electrically connected to the conductor 47, and ends in a terminal or contact 53, against which a terminal or 'contact 54 is adapted to lie, so that the two cont-acts form a circuit with the conductors 52 and 55, the latter extending from the terminals 54 to the conductor 38, short-circuiting the lamp 37. Excepting at their upper ends, which are adapted to be separated, the contact plates or terminals 53 and 54 are insulated from each other by an interposed insulating strip 50, and. also are insulated from the frame bar 48, and are secured thereto by means of a screw 51 similarly to the contact-forming plates or terminals 45 and 49. The terminal 54 is adapted to be swungout to break the short-circuit 52, 55, and therebycause the lamp 37 to be lit, to show that the register 36 is not at zero, and, for this purpose, the register 36, shown at the right in Figures 1 and 3, is provided with a bail 56, which may be identical with the bail 19, being controlled by detents 57 which are controlled by the wheels 10 of the register 36, precisely as are the detents 21 of the register 35. The connections, therefore, are such that the bail 56 is adapted to allow the terminals 53 and 54 to remain in contact when the wheels of the register 36 all show zero, as in Figure 1 at the right, but, at other times, and as shown in Figure 3 at the right, the bail holds the terminal 54 clear of the terminal 53, with the result that the short-circuit 52, 55, is broken and the lamp 37 is lighted. The mains 42 and 41 may be provided with the usual switch 58, which is adapted to extinguish all the lights 34, 31 and 37. When both of the short circuits, around the register lamps 31 and 37, are in closed condition, the desk lamp 34 will provide suflicient re-' sistance to prevent a destructive rush of current through the closed circuit thus provided. Should one of the register lamps 31 or 37 fail. the operator will be apprised of this fact through the extinguishing of the desk lamp 34. o i

In Figures 4 and 6 is shown a somewhat modified construction. In Figure 4. the current, instead of passing through the lamp 334, pames'through a resistance '59, which servesthe purpose of the lamp 34 in pro- 1 tecting the lamps 31 and 37 of Figure 4 from excessive current and may itself be a tungsten lamp. The lamps 31 and 37 of Figure 4, however, are shown in parallel. and may be operated from mains 60 and 61, across 11 which they are connected inparallel, therebeing provided for the lamp 31 a springterminal 62, which normally tends to spring clear of the terminal 63, as shown in Figures 4 and 6', and there being provided for the lamp 37 a spring-terminal 64, which normal y tends to spring clear of a fixed terminal 65. Each of the terminals 62 and 64. however, is of the form shown in Figure 6, in which the bail 19 or 56. as the case deceived by the fact that the burnt-0ut'180 lamp does not light. In each form of the invention. however, the lamp of either register is adapted to show whether its register stands at zero, and, whenever its register does not stand at zero, the digits on the wheels thereof are adequately lighted, thus being of especial utility in rapid operation of the machine, and also furnishing light to relieve the eyes of the typist at the time the eyes need to be used on the hitherto poorly-illuminated register wheels. In the Underwood standard bookkeeping machine, referred to above, and to which the present invention is shown applied, the surfaces of the register wheels are usually black with white numerals, instead of being brass with black numerals, as is the casein many types of computing machines. The white numerals of the Underwood standard bookkeeping machine are especially well adapted for use in connection with the present invention.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim:

1. In a. combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination with a casing and a register comprising dial-wheels lying close to the casing, of a lamp within said casing and lying along said wheels, :1 screen adapted to keep the direct rays of the lamp-trom striking the opening in the casing through which the wheels may be read, a device controlled by the wheels to occupy one position with the register in one predetermined relative arrangement. and another position with the register-wheels in another predetermined relative arrangement, and connections for controlling said lamp by said device.

2. In a computing machine. the combination with a casing and a register comprising dial-wheels, of a lamp forilluminating the wheels, a device controlled by the dial-wheels to occupy one position with the register in one condition, and another position with the register in another condition, and connections whereby the device controls the lamp.

3. In a computing machine. the combination with a casing and a register comprising dial-wheels, of a lamp for illuminating the wheels, and means for lighting said lamp when anyone of the wheels ismoved from its zero position.

4. In a computing machine.- the combination with a casing and a register comprising dial-wheels, of a lamp, a pair of mains carrying acurrent for said lamp. a register-lamp connected in series with the first lamp, and means for short-circuiting said register-lamp by movement of the register-wheels to zero.

5. In a computing machine, the combination with a casing and a register comprising register-lamp for each register in series with the first-named lamp, a separate connection for each register-lamp adapted to short-circuit it, and means operated. by the turning of any wheel in a register for makingthe short-circuit for that reg ster ineffective when any wheel thereof turns from zero.

7. In a computing machine, the combination with a casing and a plurality of registers comprising dial-wheels, of a registerlamp for each register, mains. for supplying current to said lamps, and a connection op erated by each register for lighting its lamp from the mains when any wheel thereof moves away from zero.

8. In a computing machine, the combination with a casing and a register comprising dial-wheels, of a detent for each wheel, a bail universal to said detents, a spring normally tending to move said bail, the connections being such that any wheel notstanding at zero moves its detent to move the bail against its spring, and a register-lamp controlled by said bail.

9. In a computing machine, the combination with a casing and a register comprising dial-wheels, of a detent for each wheel, a bail universal to said detents, a spring normally tending to move said hail, the connections being such that any wheel not standing at zero moves its detent to hold the bail against its spring, a register-lamp, a circuit for said register-lamp comprising terminals adjacent said bail and controlled thereby, and a spring holding one of the terminals against the hail, the connections being such that the bail is held against its spring by any wheel not standing at zero.

10. In a computing machine, the combination with a caslng and a plurality of registers comprising dial-wheels, of a lamp for each register, mains carrying a current for said lamps, a separate bail for each register adapted to occupy one position when all its wheels stand at'zero and to occupy another position when any wheel stands away from zero, and a terminal for each lamp controlled by the bail of its register.

11. In a computing machine, the combination with a casing and a plurality of registers comprising dial-wheels, of a lamp for each register, mains carrying'a current for said lamps, a separate bail for each register adapted to occupy one position when all its wheels stand at zero and to occupy another position when any wheel stands away from zero, a terminal for each lamp controlled by the bail of its register, a general illuminating amp in series with said register-lamps, and short-circuits for the register-lamps through which the terminals are effective.

12. In a computing machine, the combination with a casing and a plurality of registers comprising dial-wheels, of a lamp for each register for illuminating its wheels and lying within the casing, a terminal for each lamp adjacent its register to enable the register to control the lamp circuit, and a device universal to the wheels of each register adapted to control the terminal for that register, to cause its lamp to be lighted whenever any one of its register-wheels moves away from zero.

13. In a computing machine, the combination with a casing and a plurality of registers comprising dial-wheels, ofamain lamp, a register lamp for each register, mains for carrying a current for said main lamp, said register-lamps in series with the main lamp, short circuits for the register-lamps, and circuit-controlling devices operated by each register to control. the short circuit of its lamp.

14. In a computing machine, the combination with a key for printing a clearance sign, of a register. a bail for said register controlling said key to render it operable only when the register is clear, a lamp for said register to indicate the condition of said key as to operability, and a circuit for said lamp controlled by said bail to enable the lamp to indicate when said key may be operated.

15. In a computing machine, the combination with a key for printing a clearance sign, of a register. means controlled by said register for controlling said key to render it operable only when the register is clear, a lamp for said register to indicate the condition of said key as to operahility, and a circuit for said lamp controlled by said means to enable the lamp to indicate when said key may be operated.

16. In a computing machine, the combination with a plurality of registers, of a key for each register for printing a clearance sign, a separate hail for each register for controlling the key thereof to render it operable only when the register is clear, and a separate lamp for each register automatically controlled by its bail to'enable the lamp to indicate when said key may be operated.

17. In a computing machine, the combination with a plurality of registers, of a key for each register for printing a clearance sign, a separate set of detents for each register for controlling its key to render it operable only when the register is clear, and a separate lamp for each register automatically controlled by its detents to enable the lanilp to indicate when said key may be operate 18. In a computing machine, the combination with a plurality of registers, of a key for each register for printing a clearance sign, a separate bail for each register for controlling the key thereof to render it operable only when the register is clear, a separate lamp for each register automatically controlled by its bail to enable the lamp to indicate when said key may be operated, and a telltale lamp for the computing machine adapted to be extinguished whenever a register lamp which should be lit is extinguished.

19. In a computing machine, the combination with a register comprising numberwheels, of a key for printing a clearance sign, key-controlling means operated by the register for controlling said key to render it operable only when the register is clear, and indicating means automatically controlled by said key-controlling means for indicating when said key may be operated to enable the printing of the clearance sign.

20. In a computing machine, the combination with a register comprising numeralbearing elements for indicating the results of computing operations, of a key for printing a clearance sign, means controlled by the register for controlling said key to render it operable only when the register is clear, and means other than said numeral-bearing elements automatically controlled by the register for indicating whether said key may be operated to enable the printing of the clearance sign.

21. In a computing machine, the combination with a register comprising numberwheels, of a lamp for the register, a key for printing a clearance sign when the numberwheels stand at zero, and means controlled by the register for concomitantly locking said key'and lighting the lamp to indicate that said key is locked when any numberwheel moves away from its zero positionand for concomitantly releasing said key an extinguishing the lamp to indicate that said key may be operated for printing the clearance sign when the number-wheels are returned to the zero position.

22. In a computing machine, the combination with a register comprising numberwheels for indicating the results of computing operations, an electric lamp for illuminating the numeral-bearing faces of the number-wheels, an electric circuit in which the lamp may be included to light the lamp, :1 key for printing a clearance sign, means including a circuit controller in control of the electric circuit, and a memberuniversal to and operable by the number-wheels for concomitantly locking said key and operatreturned to the zero position.

ing the circuit controller to light the lamp to indicate that said key is locked when any one of the number-wheels is moved away from its zero position, and for concomitantly unlocking said key and extinguishing the lamp to indicate that said key may be operated when all of the number-wheels are 23. In a computing machine, the combination with a register comprising numberwheels for indicating the results of computing operations, of automatically-operated illuminating means to indicate that a number has been run up on the number-wheels.

24. In a computing machine, the combination with a register comprising numberwheels for indicating the results of computing. operations, of a lamp for theregister, and means controlled by the register for lighting the lamp when any number-wheel moves away from its zero position.

. spondin 25. In a computing machine, the combination with a register comprising numberwheels for indicating the results of computing operations, of a lamp for illuminating the numeral-bearing faces of the numberwheels, and means controlled by the register for lighting the lamp when any numberwheel moves away from its zero position.

26. In a computing machine, the combination with a plurality of registers, each including number-wheels, of an electric register-lamp for each register, and means controlled by each register for establishing a lighting circuit through its lamp when any number-wheel of the register moves away from zero.

27. In a computing machine, the combination with a plurality of registers, each including number-wheels, of an electric register-lamp for each register, a universal member for each register operable by the number-wheels" to occupy one position when all the number-wheels stand at zero, and to occupy another position when any numberwheel stands away from zero, and means operable by each universal member for establishinga lighting circuit through the correregisterrlamp when any numberwheel 0 the register moves away from zero.

28. In a computing machine, the combination with a plurality of registers, each including number-wheels, of an electric register-lamp for each register for illuminating the numeral-bearing faces of its number-wheels, a lamp circuit for each register- .lamp, means including a circuit-controller for each register in control of its lamp circuit, and a member universal to and operable by the number-wheels of each register for operating the circuit controller for that register to cause its lamp to be lighted whenever any one of its number-wheels moves away from zero.

29. In a computing machine, the combination with a plurality of registers, each including number-wheels, of an electric register-lamp for each register, a lighting circuit in which the register lamps may be included in series, and means including a circuit-corrtroller for each register operated by the turning of any number-wheel of a register away from zero for including the registerlamp of that register in the lighting circuit to light the. lamp.

30. In acomputing machine, the combination with a plurality of registers, each including number-wheels, of an electric register-lamp for each register, a lighting circuit in which the register-lamps may be included in series, a normally closed short circuit for each register-lamp, and means operated by the turning of any number-wheel in a register away from zero for opening the short circuit of the register-lamp for that register to light the register-lamp.

31. In a computing machine, the combination with a plurality of registers. each including number-wheels, of an electric register-lamp for each register, a main electric lamp, a lighting circuit including the main lamp and in which the register-lamps may be included in series, and means including a circuit-controller for each register operated by the number-wheels for including the register-lamp for that register in the lighting circuit to light the register-lamp when any number-wheel of a register is turned away from zero.

32. In a computing machine, the combination with a plurality of registers including number-wheels, of a main resistance, an electric register-lamp for each register, a lighting circuit including the main resistance and in which the register-lamps may 105 be included in series, a normally closed short circuit for each register-lamp, and-means operated by the number-wheels for opening the short circuit to light the registerlamp when any number-wheel of a register 11 is turned away from zero. i

33. In a computing machine, the combination with a plurality of registers, each including number-wheels, of a main electric lamp, an electric register-lamp for each 115 register for illuminating the numeral-bearing faces of the number-wheels thereof, a lighting circuit including the main lamp and in which the register-lamps may be included in series, and a member universal to 120 and operable by the number-wheels of each register for including the register-lamp for that register in series in the lighting circuit with the main lamp to light the registerlamp when any number-wheel of a register 125 is turned away from zero.

34. In a computing machine, the combination with a plurality of registers, each in cluding number-wheels, of a main resistance, an electric register-lamp for each 130 register for illuminating the numeral-bearing faces of the number-wheels, a lighting circuit including the main resistance and in which the register-lamps may be included in series, a normally closed short circuit for each register-lamp, a circuit-controller in control of each short circuit, and a member universal to and operable by the numberwheels of each register for operating the circuit-controller to open the short circuit 1 to light the register-lamp whenever any one of the number-wheels is moved away from zero. I

35. In a computing machine, the combination with a lurality of registers, each including num r-wheels, of a detent for each number-wheel, a member universal to the detents for each register to be operated thereby, a spring normally tending to move the universal member into operative rela universal member to light the register-lamp whenever a number-Wheel is moved away from zero.

36; In a computing machine, the combination with a plurality of registers, each including number-wheels, of a detent for each number-wheel, a member universal to the detents for each register to be operated thereby, a spring normally tending to move the universal member into operative relation withthe detents, each number-Wheel being adapted when moved away from zero to move its detent and thereby to move and hold the universal member against the ten sion of its spring, a main resistance, an electric register-lamp for each register connected in serieswith each other and with the main resistance, a normall closed short circuit connected in multiple with each register-lamp, and a circuit-controller in control of each short circuit and operable by the universal member to open the short circuit whenever a number-wheel moves away from zero.

FRANK W. BLAKE. Witnesses:

EDITH B. LIBBEY, CATHERINE A. NEWELL.

Images