US2827235A - monsma - Google Patents

Description

March 18, 1958 J. B. MONSMA 2,827,235

7 COMPUTOR FQR CALCULATING WORKING TIME Filed Dec. 20. 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 VIIIII'IIII ya I" I F ,d

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T "1! m I INVENTOR Jin 4B. iforzsma ATTORNEY March 18, 1958 J. B. MONSMA COMPUTOR FOR CALCULATING WORKING TIME 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 20, 1954 V on 2 a N w we wm on m alll m N 2 q y ow '2 mT m mw v .s M i m m we nv om in W 2 n. OM MMW Q 4 9 m I? O OMAN fin K k .w m g INVENTOR Ja/zn jififonsma:

ATTORNEY CGMPUTER FOR CALCULATING WORKING TlME John B. Monsma, Ripon, Califi, assignor to Louis Feinstein Application December 20, 1954, Serial No. 47 6,420

Claims. (Cl. 235-795) This invention relates to a computer for calculating the working time set forth on time cards and has as its primary object the provision of a device for summing up a series of working periods such as are designated on time cards usually through the medium of a time clock equipped with a card punching or printing mechanism manipulated by a worker when checking in for duty and later checking out at the end of the work period.

It has heretofore been the practice in establishments using time clocks to employ clerks to compute or sum up the hours of employment indicated on a time card by subtracting the starting time from the quitting time to deterii nited States Patent 0 mine a particular working period, repeating the operation for each successive working period and finally determining the sum of the several ascertained periods. The summing up is usually effected on a comptometer or adding machine, while the subtracting operation is usually done by mental computations.

The invention contemplates the provision of a mechanism whereby the above recited processes of subtraction and addition of the working time recorded on a time card may be eliminated and the desired result obtained by the manipulation of a few readily operable mechanical elements.

Another object is to provide a computing device embodying a pair of parallel axially aligned cylinders having graduated strips encompassing their peripheries one of which functions in measuring the duration of working periods and the other of which serves to compute the working periods and to indicate the sum of a series of such periods, and in which simple and effective means are provided for selectively rotating said cylinders collectively and to lock the computing cylinder during rotation of the other cylinder.

A further object is to provide a contrivance of the above character which is simple in construction and efficient in its operation.

With the foregoing objects in view together with such other objects and advantages as may subsequently appear, the invention resides in the parts and in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed and as illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a view of the computor as seen in front elevation with portions broken away showing a cylinder locking brake in its released position:

Fig. 2 is an end view with parts removed:

Fig. 3 is a view in horizontal section and plan taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1:

Fig. 4 is a view in section similar to Fig. 1 showing the cylinder locking brake in its applied position:

Fig. 5 is a detail in section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1:

Fig. 6 is a projected diagrammatic view of the graduated strips carried on the peripheries of the pair of cylinders as related to each other and as disposed in a starting position:

Fig. 7 is a diagram of a fragmentary portion of the and quarter hour periods.

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graduated strips as initially disposed to designate the starting time of the first working period:

Fig. 8 is a diagram similar to Fig. 7 showing the relative position of the graduations on positioning the cylinders to designate the end of the first work period and showing how the length of the work period is designated:

Fig. 9 is a diagram similar to Figs. 7-8 showing the reading of the graduations when indicating the start of a second work period: and

Fig. 10 is a similar view showing the reading of the graduations when indicating the end of the second work period and showing how the sum of the two work periods shown in Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive is developed.

Referring to the drawings more specifically A indicates a housing base section embodying a top wall a and side walls b. B designates an upper housing section embodying a cylindrical side wall a and end walls :1 which cylindrical upper section B seats on the top wall a of the lower section A in horizontal relation thereto. Extending axially of the upper section B is a revoluble shaft C which is journalled in and projects through the end walls dd and is fitted at its outer ends with hand wheels D by which it may be manually rotated. Axially mounted on the shaft C interiorly of the housing section B is a pair of cylinders E and F of which the cylinder E is fixed on the shaft C to rotate therewith, as by a pin e interconnecting the shaft C and a hub f on the cylinder E. The cylinder F is loose on the shaft C so that the shaft may rotate when the cylinder F is held stationary as will be later described. A spring pressed friction clutch G is interposed between the cylinders E and F which eiiects con tinuous interengagement between the cylinders whereby on rotation of the shaft C the cylinders E and P will normally rotate in unison. As here shown the clutch G embodies a pair of friction disks g-g' which bear respectively against the hub f on the cylinder E and hub h on the cylinder F under the urge of expansion spring i encompassing the shaft C and bearing between the disks g-g'.

Time designating graduations j and k are formed on the peripheries of the cylinders E and P which graduations completely surround the cylinders with major equispaced graduations being numerically indicated by numbers 1 to 12 representing the hour periods of a clock, while minor equi-spaced graduations arranged between the hour numbered graduations are provided to indicate half The cylinder F is marked at the numbered 12 graduation to indicate a zero or starting position as by encircling the number 12 with a contrastingly colored circular diagram as indicated at l.

The cylindrical Wall 0 is formed with a pair of aligned sight openings in and n through which a portion of the graduations on the cylinders E and F are exposed to view.

Mounted in the base section A is a rock shaft 11 which is formed with an arm 12 on the outer end of which is carried a brake H adapted to be disposed in and out of frictional engagement with the periphery of the cylinder F by actuation of the rock shaft 11. A coiled expansion spring 14 is arranged with one end thereof connected to the outer end of the. arm 12 and has its other end connected to and bearing against the wall b; the spring 14 being tensioned to exert an end thrust on the arm 12 and being disposed with its outer end abutting the wall b on a plane with the rock shaft 11 so that when the arm 12 is inclined upwardly from a horizontal plane extending through the rock shaft, the spring 14 will exert an upward thrust on the arm 12 to urge the brake H tightly against the cylinder F and when the arm 12 is inclined downwardly from such plane, the spring 14 will exert a downward thrust on the arm such as to hold the brake H in a retracted position but of engagement with the cylinder F.

The spring 14 is of a tension greater than that of the 3 spring 1' so as to overpower the latter and thereby neutralize the clutch G when the brake H is engaged with the cylinder F and whereby the cylinder F will then be held stationary relative to the shaft C irrespective of the clutch G.

Formed on the rock shaft 11 is a pair of oppositely extending arms and 16 leading diagonally upward relative to each other from the opposite sides of the rock shaft. The outer ends of the arms 1516 abut the lower ends of push buttons JK extending upwardly through and guided in the top wall a of the base A. These push buttons serve as a selective means for effecting manual operation of the rock shaft 11 in opposite directions. The arms 15-16 are arranged so that when the brake carrying arm 12 is in its upwardly inclined brake applying position, the arm 15 will be lowered as shown in Fig. 4 to dispose the push button I in its depressed or lowered position, while the arm 16 will be elevated to dispose the push button K in an elevated position. When the push buttons are thus disposed depressing the push button K will depress the arm and turn the rockshaft ill to elevate the arm 15 and push button I and the brake carrying arm 12 will be lowered to its downwardly extending releasing position to free the brake H from cylinder F as shown in Fig. l.

The words Out and In are imprinted on the wall a contiguous the push buttons J and K respectively to facilitate their proper selective manipulation when operating the device.

In the operation of the invention to determine the sum or total of the various working periods designated on a time card, the operator first depresses the In push button K to disengage the brake H from the cylinder F and thereupon rotates the shaft C through a hand wheel D to rotate the cylinders E-F to a position wherein the zero indicated graduation l on the cylinder F is exposed in the sight opening a as shown in Fig. 1. A marker L is provided on the housing section B between the sight openings in and n relative to which the graduation l is aligned. The operator then presses the Out push button I to depress the arm 15 and thereby turn the rock shaft 11 to elevate the arm 12 and brake H to dispose the latter in looking engagement with the cylinder F and at the same time restore the push button K to its elevated cylinder locking position as shown in Fig. 2. At this point the graduations on the cylinder E exposed through the sight opening m will be whatever circumstance may chance, which for the moment is unimportant. To carry on the operator turns the shaft C and cylinder E in either direction as occasion may require, to align with the marker L a graduation corresponding to the time indicated on the time card as being the time the worker came on duty to start a work period. The selected graduation, designating starting time, will then be exposed through the sight opening m in alignment with the then exposed zero graduation l on the cylinder F.

The operator then depresses the In push button K to release the brake H from the cylinder F to free the latter, whereupon the shaft C is rotated to thereby collectively rotate the cylinders E--F in unison; the assembly being rotated until a graduation on the cylinder E is aligned in the sight opening in which corresponds with the quitting time of the first working period indicated on the time card.

The operator then again depresses the Out push button I to lock the computing cylinder F against rotation and again sets the cylinder E to indicate through the sight opening m the starting time of the next working period, whereupon the In button F is again depressed to release the cylinder E after which the shaft C is rotated to turn the cylinders E-F collectively until a graduation indicating the termination of the succeeding working period, is exposed through the sight opening m. The Out push button I is then depressed to lock the computing cylinder F. On referring to the aligned graduation on the cylinder F exposed through the sight opening 12, the sum of the previous working periods will be determined.

Manifestly by repeated operations as above described a number of working periods may be computed on the cylinder F. In event the sum of such periods should exceed the number of graduations on the cylinder P so that more than a single revolution of the cylinder should be required to compute a period in excess of twelve hours the operator would be required to multiply the number of revolutions by 12 and add to the result the indicated time period following the zero graduation l.

A specific example of operation of the device as illustrated in Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive is as follows: Assume that an employee goes to work at 7 oclock. After setting the cylinder F to the zero graduation as before described, the Out push button I is depressed to lock cylinder F whereupon cylinder E is rotated to expose and align graduation 7 as shown in Fig. 7. The in button is then depressed to release cylinder F for engagement and rotation with cylinder E which is then turned to designate the employees quitting time, say 10:45 The reading on the cylinder P will then be 3.45 as shown in Fig. 8, which is the time interval between 7 oclock and 10:45, thus determining the hours worked during this first period. The Out push button I is then depressed to lock cylinder F and cylinder E is then turned to designate the time when the worker returns, say at 2:39 oclock, as shown in Fig. 9, whereupon the In push button K is depressed and the cylinders E--F collectively turned to indicate the employees quitting time, say at 6 oclock as shown in Fig. 10. The reading on the cylinder F will then be 7:15 constituting the sum of the two work periods of 3:45 and 3:30. Further work periods may be added in like fashion.

After completion of the computation as above described the push button K may be depressed to release the cylinder F whereupon the latter is restored to its Zero designating position and then i e-engaged by the brake H by depression of the push button I. The device is then conditioned for another operation. 7

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction set forth,-and the invention embraces such changes, modifications and equivalents of the parts and their formation and arrangement as come within the purview of the appended claims.

1 claim:

l. In a device for computing working hours indicated on time cards, a manually operable rotary shaft, a cylinder fixed on said shaft, a corresponding cylinder loose on said shaft, a friction clutch continually interengaging said cylinders whereby rotation of said shaft will normally effect unitary rotation of said cylinders, a brake engageable with said loose cylinder to hold it against rotation in opposition to said clutch, and manually operable means for actuating said brake to dispose it either in or out of engagement with said loose cylinder; said cylinders having correspondingly designated time indicating graduations on the peripheries thereof.

2. In a device for computing working hours indicated on time cards, a pair of axially aligned cylinders having corresponding time designating graduations on their peripheries, manually operable means for positively rotating one of said cylinders, a friction clutch continuously interconnecting said cylinders, a brake engageable with the other of said cylinders for holding it against rotation irrespective of said clutch, and manually operable means for actuating said brake in and out of its cylinder engaging position. i

3. in a device for computing working hours indicated on time cards, a pair of axially aligned cylinders having corresponding time designating graduations on their peripheries, manually operable means for positively rotating one of said cylinders, a spring pressed friction clutch continuously interconnecting said cylinders, a spring pressed brake moveable in and out of engagement with the other of said cylinders, said brake when in its cylinder engaging position overpowering said clutch to hold the engaged cylinder stationary relative to the manually rota ted cylinder.

4. In a device for computing working hours indicated on time cards, a pair of axially aligned cylinders having corresponding time designating graduations on their peripheries, manually operable means for positively rotating one of said cylinders, a spring pressed friction clutch continuously interconnecting said cylinders, means for holding said other cylinder stationary in opposition to said clutch, and manually operable means for actuating said last named means in and out of its cylinder holding position.

5. In a device for computing Working hours indicated on time cards, a pair of axially aligned cylinders having corresponding time designating graduations on their peripheries, manually operable means for positively rotating one of said cylinders, a spring pressed friction clutch continuously interconnecting said cylinders, a rock shaft, a brake carried on said rock shaft moveable in and out of engagement with said other cylinder, spring means for holding said brake either in or out of its cylinder engaging position, said spring means being powered to negative said clutch when holding said brake in its cylinder engaging position, and means for manually operating said rock shaft to actuate said brake.

6. In a device for computing working hours indicated on time cards, a pair of axially aligned cylin'ders having corresponding time designating graduations on their peripheries, manually operable means for positively rotating one of said cylinders, a spring pressed friction clutch continuously interconnecting said cylinders, a rock shaft, a brake carried on said rock shaft moveable in and out of engagement with said other cylinder, spring means for holding said brake either in or out of its cylinder engaging position, said spring means being powered to negative said clutch when holding said brake in its cylinder engaging position, and selective means for manually turning said rock shaft in either direction to effect application or release of said brake.

7. The structure called for in claim 6 in which said selective means comprises a pair of push buttons and oppositely extending arms on said rock shaft engaged by said push buttons.

8. In a device for computing working hours indicated on time cards, a pair of axially aligned cylinders having corresponding time designating graduations on their peripheries, manually operable means for positively rotating one of said cylinders, a spring pressed friction clutch continuously interconnecting said cylinders, a rock shaft, an arm on said rock shaft, a brake carried on said arm arranged to move into or out of engagement with said other cylinder on turning said rock shaft, a pair of oppositely extending arms on said rock shaft, a pair of push buttons en gaged with said arms, and spring means ada ted to hold said brake in or out of engagement with said cylinder, and coincidently yieldably hold said rock shaft against turning with one of said push buttons and the arm engaged thereby in an elevated position; said push button engaged arms being arranged so that when one of said arms is in an elevated position the other arm will be disposed in a depressed position.

9. In a device for computing working hours indicated on time cards, a pair of axially aligned cylinders having corresponding time designating graduations on their peripheries, manually operable means for positively rotating one of said cylinders, a spring pressed friction clutch continuously interconnecting said cylinders, a rock shaft, an arm on said rock shaft, a brake carried on said arm arranged to move into or out of engagement with said other cylinders on turning said rock shaft, a pair of oppositely extending arms on said rock shaft, a pair of push buttons engaged with said arms, and a coiled push spring exerting an end thrust on said brake carrying arm arranged to exert a thrust on said arm in one direction when inclined to one side of a central plane and to exert a thrust on said arm in the opposite direction when inclined to the other side of the central plane.

10. In a device for computing working hours indicated on time cards, a pair of axially aligned cylinders one of which constitutes a computing cylinder, a manually turnable shaft on which one of said cylinders is fixed and on which the computing cylinders is free, a friction clutch continuously interconnecting said cylinders, corresponding time indicating numbered graduations extending around the peripheries of said cylinders, a housing encompassing said cylinders having sight openings exposing said graduations, a releasable brake engageable with the computing cylinder to hold it stationary in opposition to said clutch while the other cylinder is being rotated from a work commencement graduation, and selective means for actuating said brake to either its cylinder holding or release position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,347,014 Corliss July 20, 1920 1,409,583 Robinson Mar. 14, 1922 1,459,279 Butcher June 19, 1923 2,285,774 Hornet June 9, 1942 2,289,257 Fiala July 7, 1942

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