Патент USA US2588838

March 11, 1952
c. HERZSTARK
2,588,835
INDEPENDENT ACTUATOR TENS-TRANSFER MECHANISM
Filed Oct. 27, 1949
4 Sheets-Sheet l
Fig .1
March 11, 1952
c. HERZSTARK
2,588,835
INDEPENDENT ACTUATOR TENS-TRANSFER MECHANISM
Filed Oct. 27. 1949
4 Sheets-Sheet 2
E
L
3161,) Fig.8
"J
F5999
A
.A
35
'
___18
26
as
“Q
3161')
28
[email protected]
2% Fig.“
b\
\i
MW
27m.)
March 11, 1952
C. HERZSTARK
2,588,835
INDEPENDENT ACTUATOR TENS-TRANSFER MECHANISM
Filed Oct. 27. 1949
4 Sheets-Sheet 3
H9013
March 11, 1952
c. HERZSTARK
2,588,835
INDEPENDENT ACTUATOR TENS-TRANSFER MECHANISM
Filed Oct. 27, 1949
4 Sheets—Sheet 4
E915
8/
I
.9
7w
8
.9
/4
.
/,
Evy/0W, Sf ATTOIFA/E)’
9
F’atented Mar. 11, )1952
2,588,835
UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE
2,588,835
INDEPENDENT ACTUATOR TEN S-TRAN SFER‘
MECHANISM
Curt Herzstark, Mauren, Liechtenstein, assignor
to “Contina” Buro und Rechenmaschinen
fabrik A. G., Mauren, Principality of Liechten
stein
Application October 27, 1949, Serial No. 123,850
In Austria November 3, 1948
1
3 Claims.
(Cl. 235-137)
2
The object of the present invention is a tens
vided
on
one
common
rotating
member. On this
transmission device in a pocket-size calculat
functional component, hereinafter referred to as
ing machine for all four arithmetical operations
the tens-transmission dome, and also on the
and the actuating members therefor, and it re
stepped
cylinder, the actual transmission and
fers especially to a machine with a machine body
driving
elements
are naturally of restricted di
and a central driving member (stepped cylinder)
mensions and are furthermore subjected to a
around which the transmission and counter
not inconsiderable strain during calculating op
mechanism members are arranged.
erations.
To render these transmission and
To make the manufacture of such pocket-size
driving elements as robust’ as possible, and at
calculating machines as economical and cheap 10 the same time to render the entire tens-trans
as possible, it is of paramount importance in
mission dome and the stepped cylinder easy and
view of the naturally restricted bulk of the ma
economical to manufacture, they each consist.
chine tov design the calculating mechanism on
according to the invention, of a core-piece on
the simplest possible lines and so to arrange it
which the transmission and driving elements are
that it can be ?tted into the machine without 15 mounted in the form of rings or segments of
difficulty and can be removed from same with
rings. The transmission and driving elements
equal ease. For this purpose the body of the
are manufactured of a highly; resistant mate
machine in accordance with the present inven
rial, whereas in the core-piece more importance
tion is so made and the members of the tens
is attached to lightness in weight.
transmission device are so designed that the lat 20
Fig. 1 in the drawing shows a fragment of the
ter can be inserted in the body of the machine,
machine with one digit position of the tens
from the side, without obstruction from other
transmission device in accordance with the in
parts of the calculating mechanism, the ?tting
of said device requiring practically no special
?xing means.
Furthermore, an essential member of the
tens-transmission device consists in accordance
with the invention in a ?at, angular slidebar
which, at each digit position, directly creates the
operation connection between the ten-transmis
sion ?nger and the axially slidable tens-trans‘
mission (tens-carrying) wheels, on the one hand,
and on the other hand connects the latter with
the returning device.
Furthermore said angular slidebars are, ac
cording to the invention, loosely placed in guide
vention, in enlarged vertical section;
Fig. 2 shows a section along the line II-II in
Fig. 1, the section through the upper slidebar
being laid along the line III-III of Fig. 3;
Fig. 3 a. partial front elevation to Fig. 1;
Fig. 4 the tens-transmission dome with a. por
tion of the stepped cylinder, in elevation;
Fig. 5 a section through the tens-transmission
dome with the toothed parts of the stepped
cylinder cooperating with the product counter
mechanism and with the tens-transmission and
ratchet wheels of two digits;
>
Fig. 6 a ‘further embodiment of ‘the ten-trans
mission dome and stepped cylinder in vertical
rails of channel-shaped section and inserted
section;
with these latter into lateral recesses in the body
Fig. 7 a section along‘ the line VII—-—VII in
of the machine, the slidebars being precisely
Fig. 6;
guided in their sliding movement by the guide 40 Figs. 8-11 functional elements of the tens
rails and one wall of the recesses. at two end
positions relatively distant from each other, said
guided, sliding motion ensuring faultless func
transmission dome;
Figs. 12-14 show a second embodiment of these
?gures;
tioning of the tens-transmission device. Fur
12 is a section similar to that shown in
thermore, these components of the tens-‘trans 45 FlFig.
lg- 1:
mission device are merely inserted the one within
the other, so that with the exception of a single
?xing screw for the guide rail, no further ad
gig. 13 is a partial front elevation to Fig. 12
an
Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic view of the slidebar;
Fig. 15 is a side elevation view of a complete
sential feature of the invention is that the tens 60 calculating
machine of the invention with a
transmission teeth, and also the return-motion
portion of the exterior casing shown broken
members for the tens-transmission members,
away to disclose the interior parts.
and the locking members of the product counter
The essential component of the tens-trnasmis
and the revolution counter acting on the ratchet
sion
mechanism for the product counter mech
wheels of the tens-transmission wheels, are pro
anism and the revolution counter mechanism is‘,
ditional ?xing means are used.
A further es
2,588,838
4
the stepped cylinder I‘! are of special design eri
for each digit-position, a ?at. angular slidebar
l, l' and la respectively (Figs. 1 and 6) which
directly establishes an operative connection be
tween the tens-transmission ?ngers 3 arranged
abling these components to be manufactured un
der conditions of extreme economy.
As shown in Figure 6 the tens-transmission
on the numeral wheel 2 and the tens-transmis- '
on the centrally-arranged driving shaft 18. The
drum I6 is so mounted as to be freely rotatable
sion (tens-carrying) wheels 5 and 5' respectively,
of the next higher digit position and axially
drum I6 is secured against axial displacement by
a central bush-shaped extension ill’ of the ma
chine body ill on the one side and by spring ring
slidably mounted on the shaft 4 and 4' respec
tively, said wheels 5 and 5' furthermore being
connected with the return-motion device 6 and .
6' (3| and 3|’) respectively. To connect the
angular slidebar I (la) to the tens-transmission
(tens-carrying) wheel 5 (5') of the next higher
digit-position, said slidebar engages with its bent,
drum l6 and it rests partly against the machine
body. The drum is is coupled for rotation, by
means ofan entraining pin IT’, with the stepped
cylinder I'I rigidly mounted on the shaft l8 by
a pin H’. The pin l8’ enters a semi-circular
groove 32' and a slot 32” (Fig. 7) of the drum IS.
The transmission and counter mechanism mem
lower arm I’ (Fig. 2) edgewise and from the side
the neck formed between the tens-transmission
wheel 5 (5’) and the ratchet wheel ‘I (1') in
tegrally formed with said tens-transmission
wheel.
The angular slidebar I
(la) is ex
pediently manufactured of light-gauge sheet
steel, rectangular in cross-section and loosely
placed in a guide-rail 8 (Fig. 2) . To reduce sur
31 on the other side. The ring 31 is arranged in
an annular groove 38 of the long hub 25 of the
bers are mounted in a circle round the stepped
20
cylinder. The numerals I9 and I9’ respectively
designate the setting wheels, which are so
mounted on the shafts 4 and 4' respectively as to
be axially slidable and are manually set in the
usual manner by means of setting handles 40
face ‘friction to a minimum it is guided only at
the two’ ends 8' of the guide-rail 8, which latter
(Fig. 15). All the setting wheels [9, l9’ transmit
exhibits a channel-shaped cross-section at these 26 via crown wheels 2| to the transfer wheels 20 the
points and is ?tted as a snug ?t into two lateral
movement imparted to them by the stepped cylin
recesses 9, placed one above the other, in the
der H. The tens-transmission drum I6 accord
rigid machine body Ill. The walls 9’ of the re
ing to Fig. 4 consists of a hollow cylindrical body
cesses 9 in the machine body constitute‘ the
the external face of which carries a tens-carry
fourth limit of the channel-shaped cross-section
ing tooth 22 for the product counter and another
of'the guide-rail. In these short guide-channels,
one for the revolution counter, and also the look
placed relatively widely apart, the angular slide
ing discs 23 and 23' respectively for the ratchet
bar I is accurately guided. The angular slide
or look wheels ‘I and ‘I’ respectively, which latter
bar I is retained in the normal and the trans
are of Maltese-cross shape, and for the return~
mitting position by a thin‘ wire spring ll bent 35 motion
devices 6 and 6’ respectively, consisting
into the shape of a letter U. The spring H is
of
oblique
surfaces, for the tens-transmission
inserted with its bridge-member II’ in a trans
slidebars I (la) and the tens-transmission wheels
verse groove l2 of the guide-rail 8 so as to con
5, 5’ coupled to the latter. If the tens-transmis
stitute a snug ?t, and is furthermore retained
sion drum I6 is manufactured as a diecasting,_the
by the contiguous limiting wall 9" of the recess 49 tens-transmission teeth 22, 22' and the oblique
9. (Figs. 2 and 3). The wire spring ll engages
return-motion surfaces 6, 6’ are expediently cast
with its bent ends in recesses [3 of the angular
in as independent components. The locking disc
slidebar l.
23’ for the ratchet wheels ‘I’ and the tens-trans
. The guide-rail 8 inserted in the recesses 9 is
mission tooth 22' and the return-motion surface
pressed, by the head of a bolt I4 screwed into , 6’ for the revolution counter are arranged on
the body of the machine, against the body II] of
the drum 16 above the corresponding. com
the machine, bearing atthe same time with a
ponents for the product counter. The joint ar
lateral projection 8" against the wall of the ma
rangement on the tens-transmission drum 16 of
chine body In. The tens-carrying ?nger 3 of the
the transmission, locking and return-motion
numeral wheel 2 acts on that end of the angular
members
appurtenant to the tens-transmission
slidebar l which projects slightly from the upper
members of both counters simpli?es the calcu
end of the guide-rail. The fact that guidance
lating mechanism. The construction of the ele
is provided to within close proximity, of the end
ment 15 as a drum is furthermore space-saving,
of the angular slidebar effectively prevents the
since a relatively long spring retaining the
angular slidebar l fromv being elastically de
stepped cylinder I‘! in the position for addition
?ectedsideways by the lateral pressure exerted
and subtraction can be accommodated in the
upon part of it by the impact of the tens-trans
cavity of the tens-transmissionv drum.
mission ?nger 3. The walls of the recesses 9
Fig. 5 shows the position of the ratchet wheels
are arranged, as Fig. 2 shows, parallel to the
7 relatively to the locking disc 23 and of the
60
axle j2'rooordinated to them of the numeral wheel
teeth of the stepped cylinder for the product
2, so that the tens-transmission ?nger _3 is
counterrelatively
to the setting wheels 19 and the
aligned parallel to the lengthwise edge of the
tens-transmission wheels 5, which latter cover the
upper end face of the angular slidebar-l and
wheels I9, in the normal position of the calculat
therefore, impacts said angular slidebar with; its
ing machine. The position of the return-motion
entire surface.
surface 6 for the slidebar I, the tens-transmis
" ‘The?tens-transmission device can be mounted
sion
wheels 5 and the ratchet wheels ‘I is also
with the utmost facility, as the main components
apparentv from Figure 5.
_
can be inserted from the side. This applies also
Of‘ particular advantage, especially in regard
to the numeral wheels 2, which are slipped from
to simplicity in manufacture, is the modification
the side, together with the transfer wheels 20
of
the tens-transmission drum l6 and of the
integral withsame, on to the freely projecting
stepped cylinder l1 illustrated in Figs. 6 to 11.
radial axles 2’ of the body l5 of the counter
In this embodiment the tens-transmission drum
mechanism- In addition. the transmission and
and the stepped cylinder each consist of a core
driving members for the tens-carrying arrange
ment,‘_.i. e. the tens-transmission drum l6 and 75. piece l6’ and Ill) respectively. The cylindrical
2,638,835
core l6’ of the tens-transmission drum carries
at its top a ?ange 24 which is integral with a long
hub 25. Six rings are stacked against the lower
portion of the core l6’. Of these rings, the
rings 26, 26' are provided with the tens-trans
mission tooth ‘2'!, 21’, and oblique return-motion
surfaces 3|, 3|’ for the tens-transmission slidebar
I, la of the product counter and revolution
counter. The ring 28 and the flange 24 of the
ment is transmitted to the numeral wheel 2 of
the next higher digit-position, this wheel 2 being
thereby turned forward by one ?gure. Immedi
ately upon this transmission the corresponding
wheel 5 is locked because the locking component
23 of the tens-transmission drum l6 engages,
owing to its greater radius, the ratchet wheel ‘I.
At the commencement of a further rotation of
the stepped cylinder, the tens-transmission
core-piece l6 are formed into the known types
wheels
5 which are in the transmission position
of looking or arresting components (Fig. 10) for
are, before the stepped cylinder I‘! can act upon
the Maltese-cross wheels 7, ‘l’, which are con
the setting wheels l9, returned to the normal
nected to the tens-transmission wheels 5, 5'
position by the oblique surfaces 6 and 3| respec
(Figs. 1, 6). The rings 29 serve as spacer rings.
tively, which act on the angular slidebars.
To eliminate the possibility of the functional 15
The same action occurs when a tens-trans—
rings 26, 26’ and 28 rotating on the drum l6 they
mission
is taking place in the revolution counter.
are each provided with an inward projection 30
The tens- transmission assemblies of the revolu
each ?tting snugly in a slot 32 of the drum IS.
tion counter are arranged at a diiferent height
The return-motion surfaces 3|, 3|’ of the tens
from
the tens-transmission assemblies of the
transmission rings 26, 26' consist of a ridge 20
product counter (see Fig. 6) to ensure that the
formed by upward bending to which ridge the
two tens-transmission devices can operate inde
tens-transmission slidebars I, la reach with their
pendently
of each other. The tens-transmission
extension I", la" (Figs. 1, 2, 6), said slidebars
device can of course also be used in connection
being moved back in an upward direction from
with straight-line construction, but in this case
their operating position to their normal position
one stepped cylinder is necessary for each digit.
when the tens-transmission has been effected.
In the tens-transmission device to Fig. 1 the
The stepped cylinder is designed similarly as
stroke of the angular slidebar l is essentially
the tens-transmission drum. The core piece l'lb
limited by the action of the spring ll. As, how
consists of a disc shaped part ending at its lower
ever, the springs II, in spite of having the same
end in a hub provided with two ring segments of
shape and thickness, are, for known reasons, not
which the upper one is shorter in axial direction
always alike in their action, it may happen that
than the lower one. The toothed segments 33
among
the several slidebars l, small differences
(Fig. 6) of the product counter are pushed on
in the strokes occur which differences may
the longer ring segment 35 whereas the three
detract from the absolute reliability in operation
toothed segments 33', 33" for the revolution
of the tens-transmission device. In order to
counter are arranged on the upper segment 35’.
achieve a reliably accurate stroke of the angular
The toothed segments 33" are provided with one
slidebars l without complicating the calculating
tooth only and they count the number of revolu
machine by additional components, the embodi
tions whereas the segment 33' having nine teeth
ment modi?cation of the tens-transmission de
is acting in the subtractive sense when the ma
vice illustrated in Figs. 12 to 14 may be employed.
chine has been set for subtraction.
The angular siidebars 4| of both counter mech
The segments of the stepped cylinder are pro
anisms are widened in their middle section so
vided with hook-like projections 34 (Fig. 7) and
as to provide shoulders lb at top and bottom.
are secured by means of the latter on the ring
segments 35 and 35’ respectively of the core 45 Furthermore, the ends 8’, of U-shaped cross
section, of the guide-rails 8 in which the angular
piece IT’. The rings and segments are prevented
slide-bars 4| are guided are lengthened so that
from falling oil by flanging the lower edge 36 0f
the opposing inner end surfaces 81) project in—
the cores l6’, l'lb or "by some other method and
wards a little from the recesses 9 in the machine
in the upward direction by the ?ange 24 or the
body l0. In the normal position of the tens
disc-shaped part of the stepped cylinder.
50 transmission device the lower shoulder lb is
A substantial reduction in the weight of the
located at a distance from the end surface 81)
calculating machine is achieved by producing the
of
the guide-rail t exactly corresponding to the
core of the tens-transmission drum and of the
operating stroke of the angular slidebar. When
stepped cylinder, as well as the spacer rings, of
a material of low speci?c weight, while the func 55 a tens-carrying operation is performed the angu
lar slidebar moves until the surface lb strikes
tional rings are made of steel to ensure that their
the surface 8b. The stroke of the angular slide
teeth are as resistant as possible and of long life.
bar is precisely determined by these stroke
The manner of operation of the tens-trans
limiting surfaces lb and 8b. When the angular
mission device is that usual in known calculating
machines. If, before the tens-transmission takes 60 slidebar is returned by the return-motion sur
faces 6 of the tens-transmission dome IS, the
place, the tens-transmission ?nger 3 of the ap
travel of said slidebar is limited by the top
purtenant numeral wheel ‘2 comes within the
stroke-limiting surfaces lb and 8b. The pur
range of the angular slidebar l coordinated with
pose
of the springs l l in this last described modi
it, said slidebar l is brought, with the tens-trans
is to retain the angular slidebars in the
mission wheel 5, into the operative range of the 65 ?cation
two normal positions.
tens-transmission tooth ‘22. The ratchet wheel
I claim:
‘I is thereby displaced into the plane of the ex
1. In a pocket-size calculating machine, a
tension 23b of the recess 23a of the locking ring
machine body, a central driving member rotat
23. This extension is above the tens-transmis
sion tooth 22 (Fig. 4) with the result, that the 70 ably mounted in said ‘body and having ?xedly
attached thereto a stepped cylinder, a plurality
ratchet wheel 1 is still free when the tooth en
of counter mechanism and transmission mem
ters into action. At the end of the rotation of
the stepped cylinder the tens-transmission tooth‘
moves the tens-transmission wheel by one tooth
and via the counter members 2|, 20 this move
bers arranged in a circle around the axis of
rotation of said driving members, said counter
mechanisms including each a numeral wheel
75 rotatable about an axis arranged radially with
2,688,835
respect to the axis of said driving member, each
numeral wheel being provided with a tens-trans
mission ?nger, a tens-transmission member hav
ing the form of a ?at angular slidebar for each
numeral wheel, a guide bar for each angular
slidebar ?xedly secured in an axial groove in the
outer mantle surface of said body for slidably
supporting said angular slidebar in a direction
parallel to the axis of rotation of said driving
member, said axial grooves being open toward the 10
circumference of said body to permit radial
insertion and removal of said guide bar and its
respective slidebar into said body, said angular
bers arranged in a circle around the axis of
rotation of said driving member, said counter
mechanisms including in each digit position a
numeral wheel rotatable about an axis arranged
radially with respect to the axis of said driving
member, each numeral wheel being provided with
a tens-transmission ?nger, a tens-transmission
member having the form of a ?at angular slide
bar for each numeral wheel, a guide bar for each
angular slidebar ?xedly secured in an axial
groove in the outer mantle surface of said body
for slidably supporting said angular slidebar in
a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of
said driving member, said axial grooves being
leg which is positioned parallel to the axis of 15 open toward the circumference of said body to
permit radial insertion and removal of said guide
rotation of said driving member, by the tens
bar and its respective slidebar into said body, said
transmission ?nger on the respective numeral
angular slidebar being actuated, on the free end
wheel to rotate the numeral wheel of the next
of its leg which is positioned parallel to the axis
higher digit position a distance of one number.
2. In a pocket-size calculating machine, a 20 of rotation of said driving member, by the tens
transmission ?nger on the respective numeral
machine body, a central driving member rotat
wheel to rotate the numeral wheel of the next
ably mounted in said body and having ?xedly
higher digit position a distance of one number,
attached thereto a stepped cylinder, a plurality of
the other leg of said slidebar extending toward
counter mechanism and transmission members
the center of said body, and a return motion
slidebar being actuated, on the free end of its
arranged in a circle around the axis of rotation 25
member for said slidebar mounted on said body
of said driving members, said counter mecha
and adapted to actuate the inner end of said
nisms including each a numeral wheel rotatable
last-mentioned other leg of said slidebar, a
about an axis arranged radially with respect to
rotatable adjustment shaft for each counter
the axis of said driving member, each numeral
mechanism arranged parallel to the axis of
30
wheel being provided with a tens-transmission
rotation of said driving member and operatively
?nger, a tens-transmission member having the
coupled with one of its ends with the number
form of a ?at angular slidebar for each numeral
wheel of its respective countermechanism, a
Wheel, a guide bar for each angular slidebar
small
tens-transmission wheel axially slidably
?xedly secured in an axial groove in the outer
mounted on said adjustment shaft and coupled
mantle surface of said body for slidably support
with said last-named leg of the angular slidebar
ing said angular slidebar in a direction parallel
to bring said small tens-transmission wheel in
to the axis of rotation of said driving member,
operative connection with a numeral body which
said axial grooves being open toward the circum
is rotatably coupled with said stepped cylinder.
_ ference of said body to permit radial insertion
and removal of said guide bar and its respective
CURT HERZSTARK.
slidebar into said body, said angular slidebar
being actuated, on the free end of its leg which is
REFERENCES CITED
positioned parallel to the axis of rotation of said
The
following
references are of record in the .
driving member, by the tens-transmission ?nger
on the respective numeral wheel to rotate the 45 ?le of this patent:
numeral wheel of the next higher digit position
UNITED STATES PATENTS
a distance of one number, the other leg of said
slidebar extending toward the center of said
body, and a return motion member for said slide
bar mounted on said body and adapted to actuate
the inner end of said last-mentioned other leg of
said slidebar.
3. In a pocket-size calculating machine, a
machine body, a central driving member rotat
ably mounted in said body and having ?xedly
attached thereto a stepped cylinder, a plurality
of counter mechanism and transmission mem
Number
703,785
773,158
832,666
972,360
_
Name
Date
Hamann _________ __ July 1,
Pfa? _____________ __ Oct. 25,
Hamann __________ __ Oct. 9,
Graber __________ __ Oct. 11,
1902
1904
1906
1910
FOREIGN PATENTS
Number
478,595
569,761
Country
Date
Germany _________ __ July 4, 1929
Germany _________ __ Feb. 8, 1933