Patent 2,126,615 Patented Aug. 9, 1938

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

ACCOUNTING MACHINE

Charles Campbell, London, England, assignor to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y.; a corporation of New York

Application March 10, 1936, Serial No. 68,041 In Great Britain March 26, 1935

8 Claims. (Cl. 235-61)

This invention relates to accounting machines r and more particularly to machines of the electrically controlled Hollerith type.

The principal object of the invention is to provide novel mechanism for dividing a number by twelve, in order, for example, to convert inches into feet. When any digit is divided by twelve to obtain a decimal fraction, a quotient is obtained which is either correct to a limited number of decimal places or contains a recurring digit after a limited number of decimal places. Each such quotient thus has only a limited number of different significant digits, since the figures in the recurring part of the fraction are the same digit repeated indefinitely.

The following table shows the decimal equivalents of the series of fractions ¹/₁₂ to ⁹/₁₂ :

¹/₁₂ = .083…

²/₁₂ = .166…

³/₁₂ = .25

⁴/₁₂ = .333…

⁵/₁₂ = .416…

⁶/₁₂ = .5

⁷/₁₂ = .583…

⁸/₁₂ = .666…

⁹/₁₂ = .75

It will be seen that the number of different digits in each decimal fraction does not exceed three:

A further object of the invention is to provide an accumulator capable of adding repeating or recurring decimals to obtain a correct result. For example, when adding a series of numbers such as .083…, .166…, .250, .333…, .416…, .083… on an ordinary decimal accumulator the result would be 1.331 which is not strictly correct. The answer should be 1.333…. This is obtained automatically by providing the accumulator with the lowest denominational order arranged in accordance with a nines or nonary notation, that is, an adding wheel which effects a tens carry for each nine digits entered.

The invention includes a register or accumulator which receives the number to be divided by twelve and an accumulator of which the lowest denominational order operates on the

nonary notation, that is, adds from 0 to 8 and then carries, a set of nine dividing relays, one for each digit, mechanism for placing the relays under the control of the orders of the dividend register in succession in such manner that the relay corresponding to the digit registered in each order will be rendered operative, column shift mechanism for directing the entries controlled by the relays into the appropriate denominations of the second accumulator and devices for entering the recurrent digit into all lower denominations of the accumulator.

In order to save machine time, it is preferred to provide two accumulators and two sets of relays of which one set controls entry into one accumulator while the other set controls entry into the other accumulator. One set is controlled by half the denominations, e. g. every alternate denomination of the register and the second set by the remaining denominations, the two sets being concurrently controlled by a pair of denominations so that while one set is being controlled by say, the units denomination, the other is controlled by the tens and so on. Means is provided for adding the amounts in the two accumulators together by transferring the amount in one accumulator into the other accumulator to form the final quotient.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be obvious from the following particular description of one form of mechanism embodying the invention or from an inspection of the accompanying drawings; and the invention also constitutes certain new and useful features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figs. 1a and lb taken together and placed one above the other constitute a wiring diagram of the electric circuits of the device.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of the arrangement of the accumulators and the driving mechanism therefor.

Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the arrangement of the readout mechanism of one of the accumulators.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of one of the accumulators taken through the lowest denominational order to show the readout mechanism.

Fig. 5 Is a timing diagram of certain of the electrical devices.

Fig. 6 is a detail of a relay.

The machine includes three accumulators of the well known Hollerith type which are driven in a manner similar to that shown and described in the patent to D. J. Oldenboom, No. 1,944,665. This patent shows a multiplying machine in which multiplicand and multiplier factors are derived from record cards and the product which is automatically computed is ultimately obtained in an accumulator called the LH accumulator, which subsequently controls punching mechanism to punch the product back in the record card.

In the present invention the product in the LH accumulator becomes the dividend which is to be divided by twelve and in order to simplify the disclosure, all the card feeding and multiplying mechanism of the Oldenboom patent has been omitted and it is assumed that an amount is manually set up in the LH accumulator.

Additional accumulators designated SL and SR are provided and the quotient ultimately appears in the SL accumulator. From here it may be punched back in the card in the same manner as the product is punched back in the patent but again to simplify the illustration and confine it to the specific invention it is assumed that when the dividing is completed, the machine stops so that the quotient can be copied from the Indicating wheels of the SL accumulator.

Drive: The three accumulators SL, SR, and LH are coaxially arranged as shown in Fig. 2

with the usual accumulator drive shaft 56 and reset shaft 63, the former of which carries a

gear 55 driven from a vertical shaft 64 which in turn is geared to a shaft 53 which has belt and

pulley connection with a motor Z. Shaft 53 also drives any AC-DC generator 52 to supply alternating and direct current to the electric circuits of the machine. The usual Geneva reset drive is provided for the reset shaft 13. Such drive comprises a gear 51 on shaft 56 which drives gear 58 having pins 59 operating in slots 60 of the Geneva wheel which has an internal ring gear 61 meshing with a pinion on reset shaft $3. Through gearing 64, shaft 56 drives constantly running contact operating cams prefixed CC and through gearing 65 the brush 66 of an emitter EM is likewise driven to successively contact commutator segments 67.

Accumulator.-As shown in Fig. 4 the accumulator SR is controlled by adding magnets 213SH of which there is one for each denominational order. In the circuit diagram the magnets for the accumulator SL are designated 213SL and those for the accumulator SR, 213SR. When energized, magnet 213SR attracts its armature 504 and unlatches a spring lever 505 which engages a toothed clutch 506 to couple a gear 501 to constantly rotating shaft 508 which is geared to the main accumulator drive shaft 56. At the end of the adding portion of the machine cycle the levers are relatched by cam mechanism (not shown) through a slidable bar 503 so that the extent of rotation of each wheel is dependent on the time at which the corresponding magnet 213 was energized. The earlier a magnet is energized, the higher the digit added in the corresponding denomination.

The gear 507 meshes with a gear 509 which constitutes an accumulator wheel and is rotatable on a shaft 1509. A transfer cam 502 and an indicating wheel 501 are attached to this wheel and the former serves to rock a carry lever 510 when the wheel turns through zero. The lever 510 then conditions the carry mechanism for the next higher wheel for a carrying operation which is effected mechanically in a known manner.

The wheel 587 also meshes with the gear 511 which carries a pair of brushes 512. These brushes cooperate with a reading out commutator comprising a common segment 51 3 and a plurality of digital segments 514. The arrangement is such that each pair of brushes 512 turns through half a revolution for each revolution of the accumulator wheel 589 and comes to rest in position to connect the segment $17 to a segment 514 corresponding to the digit registered by the wheel 519.

In a decimal accumulator the gear ratio between each gear 517 and the associated accumulator wheel 519 is 14:10 so that the gear wheel 509 turns through one revolution while the wheel 507 is turning through 10/14 of a revolution. The clutch 516 has fourteen teeth so that it may engage in any one of fourteen positions. The gear ratio between the wheels 501 and 511 is 14:20.

For reasons that will be explained in more detail later, the accumulators SL and SR have their lowest denomination operating on the nonary notation, that is to say, each of these denominations adds from 0 to 8 and then carries. Accordingly the gear ratio between the wheels 507 and 509 in these two denominations is 14:9 and the gear ratio between the wheels 507 and 511 is 14:18. With these gear ratios a rotation of the gear 511 through 9/14 of a revolution causes the accumulator wheel 519 to turn through a complete revolution and carry one unit to the next denomination. This rotation of the wheel 507 corresponds, however, to an addition of nine units so that the accumulator wheel 509 will carry after each addition of nine units by it. In these two denominations there are only nine segments 514 corresponding to the nine registering positions of the wheels 589. as shown in Fig. 4. There are, however; ten segments 514 in the remaining denominations of the accumulators SL and SR which are normal decimal denominations.

The cycle of the accumulator is shown in Fig. 5 as extending from D to D and this cycle is divided into sixteen intervals each to the time required to add 1 unit and for the shaft 508 to turn through 1/14 of a revolution. This shaft must thus turn through 16/14 of a revolution during each cycle.

It is therefore driven by a shaft 501b (Fig. 4) which turns through one revolution during each cycle, through gearing 518a having a gear ratio of 14:16. The cam that effects the relatching of the levers 515 by the armatures 504 is carried by the shaft 518b and operates once per cycle at the point marked "0" in Fig. 5.

As is usual in Hollerith counters the shaft 1509 carrying the accumulator wheels may be turned forward to reset the accumulator wheels to zero. This shaft can be coupled to the constantly operating reset shaft 63 by engaging a reset clutch, diagrammatically shown in Fig. 2. This clutch is engaged when a reset magnet 223 is energized. There is a separate reset magnet for each accumulator. In Fig. la the reset magnets for the register LH and accumulators SR and SL are. designated 223LH, 223SR, and 223SL respectively. The reset clutch for the accumulator LH is arranged to couple a cam to the reset shaft 63 so that the cam rotates and opens a pair of contacts LH-I (Figs. lb and 2) momentarily.

The commutators 512 and 514 form a reading out mechanism. The reading out mechanism of the accumulators LH and SR are shown diagrammatically in Figs. lb and la respectively and designated LHRO and SRRO respectively. The reading out mechanism for the accumulator SL is not shown in the circuit diagram, but may be employed for controlling the subsequent operations to be performed on the quotient when obtained.

It should be mentioned at this point that the circuits to Fig. la are supplied with AC current over a line 203 from the AC portion of generator 52. the return circuit being through ground, while the circuits shown in Fig. lb are supplied with direct current from lines 201 and 202 by the DC portion of the generator. The circuits shown is Fig. 1a may however be supplied with direct current if preferred.

The mechanism includes an impulse emitter EM (Fig. la) in the form of a rotating commutator. The emitter EM serves to connect a series of nine digit lines 230 in circuit in succession at times corresponding to the various digits 1 to 9. If one of these lines is connected to an accumulator magnet 213, the magnet will be energized at the time appropriate to causing its denomination to add the digit associated with the line.

Two sets of dividing relays DL-1 to DL-9 and DR-1 to DR-9 are provided. The cells of the relays DR-1 to DR-9 (Fig. 1b) are connected to the units, hundreds and ten-thousands denominations of the reading out mechanism LHRO. The coils of the other set of relays DL-1 to DL-1 are connected to the tens, thousands and hundred-thousands denominations of the mechanism LHRO. Each coil corresponds to a digit as is indicated by the suffix to its designation; and is connected to the segment 514 corresponding to that digit. Thus with the units brush 512 in the position shown in Fig. 1b, a circuit can be completed through the units segment 513, brush 512 and segment 514 and a line 527 to the coil DR-3 to show of the division of the units digit 3 by 12.

The relays DR-1 to DR-9 and DL-1 to DL-9 are provided with pairs of contacts arranged systematically to connect the lines 331 (Fig. 1a) to lines 522L sad 533R. Each or lines 1131 corresponds to a different digit. Each of the lines 522L or 522R corresponds to a separate denomination of the quotient of a digit by 12. As may be own from the table given previously only the three highest digits in a decimal fraction can be different digits. All lower digits being the digit in the third decimal place, repeated.

The lines 522L, 522R provide three separate paths for the three highest digits of the quotient,

The relay DL-1 corresponds to 1/12 or .083…. It therefore makes no connection to the highest (left hand) line 522L connects, by its contacts "b" the intermediate line 522L to the "8" line 230 and connects, by its contacts "c" the lowest (right hand) line 522L to the "3" line 230. Thus with the contacts b and c of the relay DL-1 closed, impulses will flow over the line 522L at times representative of the quotient .083…. The remaining relays DL-2 to DL-9 are arranged to make similar connections so that the impulses transmitted, when a particular relay is energised, correspond to the decimal fractions given in the table above. The relays DR-1 to DR-9 are duplicates of the relays DL-1 to DL-9 and are provided, to allow of the two product digits being divided at the same time.

The sequence of operations in dividing a product by 12 will now be explained to more detail with particular reference to the following example which shows the manner in which the quotient is built up in the accumulators SL, SR:

As mentioned previously the accumulators SL, SR each has a nonary lowest denominational order which adds from 0 to 8 and then returns to 0 and carries. Consequently although the lowest denomination of the accumulator SL adds 6, 3, 6, 6 a total of 21, it will carry twice and display 3 instead of carrying twice and displaying 1.

This denomination in fact adds in units each of which is 1/9 of the unit of the neat higher denomination which is 1/100. Thus the lowest denomination adds in units of 1/900 or .001.... Thus in cycle 1 the lowest accumulator wheel of the SL accumulator will turn through six steps but will cause the accumulator to add .006. Thus the actual amount added by the accumulator in cycle 1 would be 4.166... which is 1/12 of 50 and 1s absolutely correct. Similar observations apply to the accumulator SR. The quotient of 68971.083 obtained is thus absolutely correct. If, however, the lowest denominations had been decimal, an incorrect quotient of 68971.081 would have been obtained.

It will be assumed that the dividend, 827853, to be divided has been entered into the accumulator LH by manually rotating the index wheels LH thereof. The dividing operation is initiated by the closure of contacts 613 (Fig. la) in any suitable manner as by a key. A circuit is then completed through these contacts, cam contacts CC-8, upper relay contacts IDY-2, and relay coil IDS-T. This coil (see also Fig. 6), when energized, unlatches a contact operating member so that the latter permits contacts IDS-I-II to shift. Towards the end of the neat cycle, cam contacts CC-10 (lower left Fig. 1b) close and complete a circuit through the now closed contacts IDS-4, a relay coil 523 and a coil IDS-L of the relay IDS (see Fig. 6). The relay coil 523 closes its contacts 523a. The relay coil IDS-L relatches the contact operating member so that the contacts IDS-I-II are restored to their normal condition: The coil 623 serves to maintain the coil IDS-L energized after the contacts IDS-4 have reopened and thus ensures that the relay will properly be restored to normal.

The contacts CC-10 only close for a sufficient time to ensure the relay IDS will be restored to normal. It will thus be seen that the contacts of the relay IDS are shifted for one cycle. The contacts IDS-1 (Fig. 1b) are shifted and the contacts IDS-3 are closed. Thus, on the closure of cam contacts CC-12, a circuit is completed from the line 201 to the contacts CC-12, upper contacts IDS-1, the units common segment 513 and brush 512, the "3" segment 514, the, line 527 and the relay DR-3. A branch circuit also extends through the contacts IDS-3 the tens segment 513 and brush 512, the "5" segment 511, a line 521 and the relay coil DL-5. The contacts of the relays DR-3 and DL-5 (Fig. la) are thus closed. The contacts IDS-5-8 and IDS-9-I I are also closed.

As the emitter EM operates, a circuit is completed at the "2" time of the cycle through one of the lines 230, the pair of contacts "a" of the relay DR-4, the highest line 5228, the left hand pair of contacts of the group IDS-9-11 and the third lowest accumulator magnet 213SR of the accumulator SR so that the third lowest denomination of this accumulator adds 2. At the "5" time of the cycle, a circuit is completed through the pair of contacts "b" of the relay DR-4, the intermediate line 5228 and the second lowest accumulator magnet 213SR. Thus 250 is entered into the accumulator SR.

In the same cycle a circuit is completed at the "4" time through the contacts "a" of the relay DL-5, the highest line 522L, the left hand pair of contacts IDS-5 and the fourth lowest accumulator magnet 213SL.

A second circuit is completed at the "I" time through the contacts "b" of the relay DL-5 the intermediate line 522L and the third lowest accumulator magnet 213SL. A third circuit is completed at the "6" time through the contacts "c" of the relay DL-5 and the lowest line 522L and then in parallel through the two right hand pairs of contacts IDS-7 and 1 and the two lowest-- accumulator magnets 213SL.

This circuit takes care of the repeating digit 6 and is branched by the relay IDS so that 6 Is entered into the two lower, denominations. The actual entry made is thus 4.166 although the relay DL-5 has only three pairs of contacts for selecting three impulses to represent 416.

After these entries have been completed, cam contacts CC-II (Fig. 1b) close and complete a circuit through the contacts IDS-2 closed by the relay IDS and a column skip relay IDY. This relay closes its contacts IDY-1 to hold itself energized through contacts LH-1. The relay IDY also shifts its contacts IDY-2 (Fig. la) and closes its contacts IDY---3 so that on the closure of cam contacts CC-9 a circuit is completed through the contacts IDY--3, lower contacts IDY-2, upper contacts 2DY-2 and relay coil 2DS-T. The contacts CC-1 and IDY-1 are provided because the contacts 503 open and remain open after initiating division so that an alternative circuit must be provided.

The coil 2DS-T causes its contacts 2DS-1-15 to shift and remain shifted until relatching coils 2DS-L are energized on the closure of the cam contacts CC-11 during the following cycle. A relay 524 ,ensures, as before, that the relays 2DS will be properly restored to normal. The relay 2DS shifts its contacts 2DS-I and closes its contacts 2DS-3.

Circuits are then completed through the cam contacts CC-12, the normally closed contacts IDS--I, the normally open contacts 2DS---I, the hundreds common segment 513, brush 512 and segment 514, a line 529 and the coil DR-4 and also in parallel through the contacts 2DS--3, the thousands common segment brush and digital segment, a line 530 and the relay coil DL-7. Thus the contacts of the relays DR-6 and DL-7 (Fig. la) will be closed together with the contacts 2DS-6-10 and 2DS-II-15. These latter two sets of contacts connect the lines 522L and 5228 to the magnets 2138L and 213 SR respectively two denominations higher than in the first cycle, and also connect the lower magnets 213SL and 21368 in parallel to the lowest lines 522L and 5228 ,respectively. Circuits are then completed through the emitter EM to enter 1/12 of 7,000, i.e. 583.333 and 1/12 of 600, i.e. 50.000 Into the accumulators SL and SR respectively. It will be observed that the impulse representing 3 which passes through the contact "c" of the relay DL-7 and the lowest line 522L is entered into the four lowest denominations of the accumulator 213SL This entry is taken care of by the contacts 1-15 of the relay 2DS. After these entries have been made, the contacts CC-II (Fig. 1b) again close and complete a circuit through the contacts 2138-3 and a relay coil 2DY. This coil closes its contacts 2DY-1 to maintain itself energized through the contacts LH-I and also shifts its contacts 2DY-2 (Fig. la). Then when the contacts CC-9 (Fig. la) close, a circuit is completed through the contacts IDY-3, lower IDY-2, lower 2DY-2, upper 3DY-2 and relay coil 3D3-T.

The contacts 3DS-1-19 are then shifted and remain shifted until relatching coils 3DS,-L (Mg. lb) are energized in the manner explained before; a relay $25 ensures that the contacts are properly restored. The contacts 3138--5---12 and 3DS-13-19 connect the lines 522L and 1228 to the two highest accumulator magnets 213SL and 213SR respectively and also connect the lowest lines 522L and 5228 to the lower accumulator magnets. The contacts 3DS-1 and 3DS-4 (Fig. lb) close to complete circuits to the ten-thousands and hundred-thousands denominations of the reading out mechanism LHRO so that the relays DR-2 and DG-4 are energized. The entries shown for cycle "3" in the above example are then made.

At this time the accumulators SL and SR contain the two partial quotients (67254.166 and 1716.916) and the next operation is to add these quotients together by transferring the quotient fn the accumulator SR Into the accumulator SL as shown in the above example under cycle 4. This is effected by energizing a relay 2CR--T which closes its contacts 2CR-5-12 (Fig. la) so as to connect the reading out mechanism to the accumulator magnets 213SL. The emitter EM then transmits impulses through the mechanism SRRO to the magnets 2138L-at times representing the digits of the partial quotient in the accumulator SR.

The relay 2CR-T is energized in the following manner. When the contacts CC-I I (Ing. 1b) close in the third dividing cycle, they energize a relay 3DY through contacts 3DS-2. This relay holds itself energized .through its holding contacts 3DY-1, and also shifts its contacts 3DY-! (Fig. la).

The closure of the contacts 'CC-! will now complete a circuit through the contacts IDY--3, I DY-2, 2DY-2 and 3DY-2 to the coil 2CR-T. This Coil shifts its contacts 2CR-1-12 which remain shifted until the relatching coil 2CR-L (Fig. 1b) is energized in the same manner as the coil IDS-L.' Thus the two partial quotients are added together in the accumulator SL in the following cycle.

The relay 2CR-T also closes its contacts 2CR-3 ,(Fig. la) and, on the closure of contacts CC-2, the reset magnet 223LH is energized and the dividend register LH is reset. During the resetting of the register LH, the contacts LH-1 open to deenergize the coils IDY, 2DY and 3DY.

At this point the quotient will appear in accumulator SL and the partial quotient in Accumulator SR. No further operation can take place and the operator may copy off the result, after which depression of reset key 610 (Fig. la) will permit contacts CC-13 to complete circuits to magnets 223SR and 223SL which trip their respective reset clutches. The machine will thus be cleared preparatory to setting up a new dividend on the wheels of the LH accumulator.

Provision is made for omitting the third dividing cycle should the dividend be less than 10,000. For this purpose the mechanism LHRO is provided with additional brushes 612a (lower left Fig. 1b) for the ten-thousands and hundred-thousands denominations. These brushes cooperate with common segments 6I is and a single digital segment 514a in the zero position.

During the first dividing cycle contacts IDS-12 are closed and a circuit is completed, on the closure of the cam contacts CC--11, through the contacts IDS-It, the hundred-thousands segment 513a and brush 612a, the zero segment 614a, the ten-thousands brush 512a and common segment 613a and the relay coil 3DY. This coil is thus energized and its contacts 3DY-2 are shifted during the first dividing cycle. Thus when the contacts 2DY-2 are shifted late !n the second dividing cycle and the contacts CC-8 close, a circuit is completed to energize the coil 2CR-T instead of to the coils 3DS-T. Thus the transfer of the quotient in the accumulator SR to the accumulator SL will occur one cycle earlier and the third dividing cycle will be omitted.

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied 'to a single modification, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in. the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the Intention therefore to be limited only: as Indicated by the scope of .the following claims.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In a machine of the class described, a denominational order accumulator wheel positionable to represent a digit, a readout device including a plurality of digit representing contact segments and a brush positionable by said wheel to engage the segment corresponding to the digit set on the wheel, a plurality of relays, one for each segment, a set of contacts for each relay; an accumulator, entering means therefor, an emitter arranged to emit a series of impulses to control said entering means, there being one impulse for each digit, each of said sets of contacts being arranged to connect said emitter to said entering beans in accordance with the decimal equivalent of one twelfth of the value of the corresponding digit and a circuit connection completed through, said positionable brush for energizing the relay corresponding to the digit represented on the wheel whereby the related set of contacts will connect the emitter in accordance with said decimal value.

2. In a machine of the class described, a plurality of denominational order, accumulator wheels positionable to represent a number, a readout device including a plurality of digit representing contact segments and a brush for each wheel, each brush being positionable by its wheel to engage a segment corresponding to the digit set on the related wheel, a plurality of pairs of relays, one pair for each group of like valued segments, means controlled by the segments and brushes for completing circuits through the relays relating to the digits in the corresponding wheels, accumulating mechanism, an emitter for emitting a series of differentially timed impulses to control the operation of said accumulating mechanism, a plurality of sets of contacts, one set for each of said pair of relays and each set being arranged and constructed to respond to control of its related relays to connect the accumulating mechanism to said emitter for control by the impulses corresponding to the decimal equivalent of the related digit divided by twelve and column shift means for selecting the orders of the accumulating mechanism to be controlled and directing the entries therein.

3. The invention set forth in claim S in which means is provided for causing any repeating digit resulting from the dividing operation to be entered in more than one order of the accumulating mechanism.

4. In a machine of the class described, a denominational order entry receiving device settable to represent a number, a readout device for each order, a pair of accumulators, dividing mechanism related to the units and alternate higher orders, dividing mechanism related to the tens and alternate higher orders, means controlled by said readout devices for causing said dividing mechanisms to concurrently divide the digits of adjacent pairs of orders by twelve, in succession, means controlled by said dividing mechanisms and including column shift devices for entering the sub-quotients obtained into said accumulators, with the sub-quotients of the units and alternate higher digits in one accumulator and the sub-quotients of the tens and alternate higher digits in the other accumulator, and means for transferring the sum of the sub-quotients in one accumulator to the other to obtain the Heal quotient.

5. In a machine of the class described, an accumulator for adding repeating decimals Including a plurality of adding wheels operable in accordance with a tens notation and a wheel positioned in the lowest denominational order operable in accordance with a nonary notation, entering means therefor, means for controlling said entering means to enter one, two or three-position decimal amounts in a plurality of denominational positions of the accumulator, and means effective when a three-position decimal amount is entered for causing the lowest order digit of said amount to be concurrently entered into each lower order wheel of the accumulator.

6. In a mechanism of the class described, an entry receiving device having a plurality of digit receiving orders, each settable in accordance with a digit, an accumulator in which the lowest order is operable in accordance with a nonary notation, a readout device for each order of said entry receiving device, a set of nine dividing devices, one for each digit, each of which devices is arranged to control the entry into said accumulator of its related digit divided by twelve, means for placing said dividing devices under control ,of the readout devices of each of a plurality of denominational orders of the entry receiving device in turn whereby the dividing device corresponding to the digit registered will be operated, column shift mans for directing the entry controlled by the operative dividing device into certain denominational orders of the accumulator and means for entering the repeating digit into all lower denominational orders of the accumulator.

7. The invention set forth in claim 6 in which two accumulators and two sets of dividing devices are provided with means for controlling one accumulator in accordance with half the digits and the other accumulator in accordance pith the other half of the digits whereby the quotients of two digits divided by twelve are obtained concurrently and means for transferring the result in one accumulator to the other to obtain the final quotient.

8. In a machine of the class described, an entry receiving device settable in accordance with a multi-denominational dividend, a pair of accumulators, dividing mechanism for separately dividing a pair of digits of said dividend by twelve and entering the sub-quotients separately into said accumulators including denominational allocating means, means for causing said dividing mechanism to divide further pairs of digits of the divided number in succession and enter the subquotients in the accumulators, means for terminating the operation of said dividing mechanism after all pairs of digits have been divided, and means for transferring the sum of the sub-quotients in one accumulator to the other to obtain the final quotient.

CHARLES CAMPBELL