Patented Oct. 10, 1950 |
2,525,352 |
UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE
2,525,352
CALCULATING MACHINE
Curt Herzstark, Mauren, Liechtenstein
Application January 9, 1948, Serial No. 1,456
In Austria March 7, 1946
Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946
Patent expires March 7, 1966
5 Claims. (Cl. 235-73)
The invention relates to a miniature calculating machine for all
four types of calculations,
such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and
division, in which the figure drums and the associated transmission members
of the result
counting mechanism and of the revolution counting mechanism are arranged in a
circle around
a common driving member (for example an
echelon drum).
It is an object of the invention to house the
members of the result- and revolution counting
mechanisms in the machine space available in the
miniature size (pocket size) of the present circular
calculating machine in a manner to obtain
completely separate figure patterns
for both
counting mechanisms with the use of structural
components as simple as possible which are moreover space saving and
permit an easy assembling of the calculating mechanism gears arranged
on them.
In order to attain these objects, the figure
drums and associated counting mechanism members
of the result counting mechanism and of the
revolution counting mechanism are arranged, according to the invention,
on the same circle,
which should be as small as structurally possible,
in two groups entirely separated from one another
by an angular interval, and moreover
offset in angular pitch, so that the two counting
mechanisms yield figure patterns separated from
one another, and the members of each counting
mechanism group bridge the transmission members of the other group
without engaging them as
soon as they get into the zone of non-pertinent
transmission members when performing a decade
transfer of the total counting mechanism.
In the accompanying drawings a form of embodiment of the
calculating machine according
to the invention is shown on an enlarged scale
by way of example, the figures showing only those
components which are required for the understanding of the invention.
Fig. 1 shows a vertical section
through a miniature size calculating machine, part of which only
is represented, with the counting mechanisms engaged, whereas
Fig. 2 shows the same with the counting
mechanisms disengaged.
Figs. 3 and 4
show diagrammatic plan views
of the result- and revolution counting mechanisms in their normal position,
and in a position moved out of the normal position by several
decades, respectively.
Fig. 5 shows a still more
enlarged vertical section through the counting mechanism of a somewhat
modified embodiment.
Fig. 6 shows the body of a
counting mechanism
according to Fig. 5 in plan view, and
Fig. 7 is a part view of the
counting mechanism as seen from outside.
Figs. 8,
9, 10
and 11 diagrammatically represent
some details of the minimum size calculating machine,
relevant to the invention.
On a vertical shaft 2 journalled in the machine body
1 a driving element is arranged which
consists of an echelon drum W having two groups
of teeth Z1, Z2 on its circumference,
off-set 180o
with respect to one another (Fig. 11), of
which the group Z1 acts on the transmission members
3 of the result counting mechanism R, and the
group Z2 on the transmission members 4 of the
revolution counting mechanism U. Both counting mechanisms R and U are
equipped with an
ordinary number of places and a through-going
decade transfer.
The revolution counting mechanism U as shown
in Figs. 3
and 4, is arranged in the body 5 of the
counting mechanism on the sector left free by the
result counting mechanism R and on the same
circle as the latter, The body 5 of the counting
mechanism rests with a bush 5' on a central
sleeve shaped projection 6 of the machine body
1 so as to be capable both of being rotated and
being shifted axially. It can be lifted against
the bias of the compression spring 7 so far that
the transmission pinions 8 for the figure drums
9 of the result counting mechanism and the transmission pinions 8'
for the figure drums 9' of the the
revolution counting mechanism move out of engagement with the transmission
pinions 10, 11
of the adjustment members 3, 4. As will be seen
from Figs. 1
and 2, the spring 7 bears with its
one end against a flange 5'' of the bush 5', and
with its other end against a ring 27 held on the
sleeve 6 by a circular spring 26.
On the shaft 2 there is moreover the operating
crank 29 secured for rotation by a pin 28. By
turning said crank, the shaft 2 and the echelon
drum W connected therewith for rotation are set
in rotary motion. In the elevated position of
the body 5 of the counting mechanism as shown
in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the total counting
mechanism can undergo a decade transfer. The
arresting of the body 5 of the counting mechanism after each decade
transfer is effected for
example by a pin 12 inserted into the machine
body 1 and engaging a recess 13 of a ratchet ring
30 attached to the body 5 of the counting mechanism
(Figs. 1, 2
and 10). The ratchet ring 30
has recesses 13 which serve for the housing of
the axles 14 of the figure drums 9, 9', and of the
transmission pinions 8, 8' of the result counting
mechanism and of the revolution counting mechanism, respectively, and still
leave a space free
sufficient for the pin 12 to be capable to engage
the recess for the purpose of arresting the body
5 of the counting mechanism. The radially projecting axles 14 may be
screwed to the ratchet
ring 30 by means of screws 31, as shown in
Figs. 1
and 2, or alternatively cast into the
body of the
counting mechanism when the latter is made by injection moulding
(Fig. 5).
The figure drums 9, 9' and the transmission
pinions 8, 8' integral with them are pushed over the axles
14 from outside, and are loosely rotatable on them.
The body 5 of the counting mechanism shows,
in the embodiment according to Figs. 5,
6, a
flange 15 projecting from the centre portion which flange terminates in an
edge 16 directed
upwards at a right angle. In the flange 15 there is provided a hole 17
over each axle 14 designed
for housing a ball 18. The ball 18 is pressed into
the interstices between the teeth of the transmission pinions 8,
8' respectively, under the action of leaf springs 19. Thereby the
figure drums 9, 9' are always retained in a correct position
when at rest. For the sake of simplicity, the springs 19 are combined into
a spring spider punched out in one piece. The body 5 of the
counting mechanism is covered by a cup shaped ring 20 made for example of
sheet metal which is provided with display openings 21 for the figure drums
9, 9'. The display openings 21 are open towards the middle of the
machine, and are covered in this region by the effacer 22 (not to be
described in detail). The cover ring 20 is equipped at its upturned edge
with an external thread and with recesses 23. With these recesses
23 the cover ring 20 embraces the free ends of the axles 14, and
with the bases of these recesses 23 it rests on the ends of these axles.
The cover ring is screwed into a sleeve 24 having an
internal thread 25 which sleeve serves as a grip for lifting the counting
mechanism out of engagement when performing a decade transfer. When screwing
the cover ring 20 and the sleeve 24 together, the former is centered by
the recesses 23 according to the position of the axles 14 so
that the axles 14 of the figure drums and
the centre lines of the display openings 21 are in accurate juxtaposition.
Moreover, the cover ring 20 and the axles 14 form together a
mutually stiffened structure when tightening the sleeve 24. A further
advantage of this device can be seen therein that, after unscrewing the
components 20, 24, the figure drums 9, 9' with
the transmission pinions 8, 8' can be easily removed sideways
from the machine, and can be as easily refitted into the latter.
Because of the relatively very small diameter of the machine,
very small intervals only remain between the result counting mechanism
and the revolution counting mechanism, and moreover the angular distances
between the members of the counting mechanisms have to be dimensioned very
small. The transmission pinions 8 of the result counting mechanism R
and the pinions 8' of the revolution counting mechanism U are
arranged with their axes of rotation in the same plane which is positioned
at right angles to the axis of rotation of the driving element.
In similar manner the gears 10 which in the operation of the calculating
machine are adapted to engage the pinions of the result counting mechanism
and the gears 11 which are adapted to engage the pinions 8'
of the revolution counting mechanism are arranged in a plane which is
positioned at right angles to the axis of rotation of said driving member.
Owing to this construction and arrangement of the transmission pinions and
the associated gears it is possible to make the entire height of the total
counting mechanism very low which is
of advantage and reduces the size of the calculating
machine to the desired miniature size. Upon a
decade transfer it is necessary to shift the entire counting mechanism
around the axis of rotation of the driving member and in order to
accomplish this the sleeve 24 which is attached to the
circumference of the rotatable body 5 which carries the members of the
two counting mechanisms is axially moved against the action of
the spring 7 so as to lift the pinions 8 and 8' out
of engagement with their associated gears 10 and
11 respectively, and when this has been done the
sleeve 24 and therewith the entire counting
mechanism is rotated. The Figs. 3
and 8 illustrate the counting mechanism
and their initial
or normal position in which all of the pinions 8
mesh with all of their associated gears 10 while
on the other hand, all of the pinions 8' are in
mesh with their associated gears 11. When now,
as just mentioned previously the counting mechanism is rotatably shifted
some of the pinions 8
move into the range of the gears 11 and some
of the pinions 8' move into the range of the
gears 10. In order to prevent that any one of
the pinions 8 engage any one of the gears 11 and
in order to prevent also an engagement of any
one of the pinions 8' with the non-associated
gears 10 the present invention provides that the two counting
mechanism
R and U are separated
from each other a larger angular distance as is provided between two
adjacent figure drums 9'
or between two adjacent figure drums 9. The angular distance between
the figure drums of
each of the two mentioned counting mechanism
is the same and in the Fig. 3
this distance has
been designated with t. Preferably the angular distance between
the two counting mechanism
R and U is now made 1 1/2 of the angular distance
between two adjacent figure drums in each group
of said counting mechanism. Since now the
angular distance between two adjacent figure
drums in each group has been designated with t
then it follows that the angular distance between the figure drum 9
at the end of the group
of the result counting mechanism R and the figure drum 9'
of the next following revolution
counting mechanism U is equal to 1.5t. The
same angular distance is also provided between
the other two ends of the counting mechanism
R and U. These two larger angular distances
which are equal to 1.5t separate clearly the two
groups of the gears 10 and 11 of which the gears
10 belong to the result counting mechanism while
the other gears 11 belong to the revolution counting
mechanism. Owing to this angular displacement of the two counting mechanism
R and U
and owing to the similar arrangement of the two
groups of gears 10 and 11 the result is obtained
that during the annular shifting of the counting
mechanism the pinions 8 of the result counting
mechanism R will be positioned between two
gears 11 of the revolution counting mechanism.
Correspondingly, some of the pinions 8' of the
revolution counting mechanism U will be positioned between two gears
10 of the result counting mechanism R. These intermediately positioned
pinions 8 and 8' will, therefore, remain out
of engagement with the gears 11 and 10 respectively as is clearly
illustrated in the Figs. 4
and 9.
What I claim as my invention and desire to
secure by Letters Patent, is:
1. In a calculating machine, a machine body
having a driving element mounted therein for
rotation about a central axis, a plurality of
parallel transmission shafts mounted in a circle
about said driving element and rotatably
supported in said body to extend parallel to the axis
of rotation of said driving element, gears
mounted at one end of said transmission shafts,
and all arranged in a single plane at right angles to
said central axis, said transmission shafts being
arranged in two separate groups and along
the same circular line, the angular distances between the parallel
shafts in each group being uniform and the angular distances between the
end shaft of one group and the next adjacent end shaft of the other
group being one and a half times the angular distance between the shafts in
each group, one of said groups forming the transmission shafts of
a revolution counting mechanism and the other group forming the
transmission shafts for a result counting mechanism, a rotatable body
mounted for rotation and axial displacement on said driving element,
said rotatable body having fixedly attached thereto a plurality of
radially extending axles equal in number to the total number of said
transmission shafts and spaced angularly from each other the
same angular distances said transmission shafts
are spaced from each other so that in one initial
position of said radial axles they are arranged in juxtaposition with the
ends of said transmission
shafts having said gears thereon, all of said
radial axles being arranged in a single plane at
right angles to said central axis, one group of said radial axles
having rotatably mounted thereon integrally formed figure drums and
pinions which constitute said previously mentioned revolution
counting mechanism, and another group of said radial axles having
rotatably mounted thereon integrally formed figure drums and pinions
which constitute said previously mentioned result counting mechanism, spring
means for normally urging said rotatable and slidable body in an axial
direction in which said pinions engage respective gears on said transmission
shafts when said separate groups of shafts and radial axles are in
juxtaposition, and manually operable means for axially displacing said
rotatable body with the counting mechanisms thereon in a direction in
which said pinions disengage said
gears and for rotating said rotatable body to
perform a decade transfer, whereby upon release
of said manually operable means said rotatable body is shifted by said
spring means in the opposite direction and any pinions of the revolution
and result counting mechanisms which have been moved angularly into the region
occupied by the other group of gears, to wit into the region of the gears
belonging to the result and revolution counting mechanisms respectively, will
be positioned so as to remain out of engagement
with said gears.
2. In a calculating machine as claimed in
claim 1, in which said rotatable body is provided
with recesses, the said axles being housed with
their inner ends in said recesses, and clutch
means on said stationary body adapted to engage
the recesses of said rotatable body in the engaged position of the same
and to clear said recesses in the extended, disengaged position thereof.
3. In a calculating machine as claimed in
claim 1, in which said rotatable body is provided with recesses,
the said axles being housed with their inner ends in said recesses, and
clutch means on said stationary body adapted to engage the recesses of
said rotatable body in the engaged position of the same and to clear said
recesses in the extended, disengaged position thereof, said body being
also provided with a series of holes, one above each said axles, and a ball
housed in each of said holes of said rotatable body, spring means adapted
to bias the said balls through the said holes into engagement with the pinions
associated with said figure drums so as to serve as the detents thereof
in their rest positions.
4. In a calculating machine as claimed in
claim 3 a spring spider arranged concentrically
with the said perforated counting mechanism body, the arms of the said
spider forming spring means adapted to bias the said balls into their
associated perforations.
5. In a calculating machine as claimed in
claim 1 a flanged cover ring recessed at its cylindrical
flange portion and adapted to engage the free ends of the said radial axles
with the said recesses, display openings in the flat portion of said cover
ring adapted to display the instantaneously significant figures of the said
figure drums, an external screw thread on the cylindrical flange portion of
said cover ring, and an internally threaded sleeve adapted to serve as
a grip for the relative axial and angular operation of the said counting
mechanism body and
stationary member, and to clamp the free ends
of the said radial axles against the bottom of the
recesses on the said cover ring when screwed on the said cover ring, the
said sleeve and cover ring
being adapted to clear, when unscrewed,
the said figure drums and associated pinions
and to allow their radial dismantling from, and radial fitting to,
the said axles.
CURT HERZSTARK.
REFERENCES CITED
The following references are of record in the file of this
patent:
| UNITED STATES PATENTS |
|
| Number | | Name |
| Date |
| 703,785 | Hamann (1) | July 1, 1902 |
 832,666 | Hamann (2) | Oct. 9, 1906 |
| 972,360 | Graber | Oct. 11, 1910 |
| 1,520,438 | Pothig | Dec. 23, 1924 |
|
| FOREIGN PATENTS |
| Number | | Country |
| Date |
| 210,661 | Germany | June 7, 1909 |
Figures 1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8,
9,
10,
11,
all.
Notes:
- Unlike Hamann(2)'s machine. However, this separation
eliminates the possibility of an infinite number of digits in the quotient
(See A. Galle, "Mathematische Instrumente", Leipzig: Teubner, 1912,
p.34)
(back).
- This CURTA Patent was HTML'ized by
Andries de Man from a microfilm copy.
- See also US Patents 2,533,372;
2,544,426;
2,566,835;
and German Patents 747073 and 747074.
- For more information, see Rick Furr's CURTA Calculator page.
Andries de Man 6/15/1997
