The fact that Barbour, Baldwin, Pottin, Ludlum and Burroughs attempted
to produce a recording-adding machine shows that as far back as 1872,
and at periods down to 1888, there was at least in the minds of these
men a conception of the usefulness of such a machine, and the fact that
there were five with the same thought is fairly good evidence of the
need for a machine of this class.
[Sidenote: _Burroughs a bank clerk_]
In some of the human-interest articles issued through the advertising
department of the Burroughs Adding Machine Co. it is stated that
Wm. Seward Burroughs was a bank clerk prior to his efforts at
adding machine construction. It is conceivable, therefore, that his
first efforts at adding machine invention should be directed toward the
production of a machine that would be of service in the bank for the
bringing together of the loose items of account that are to be found in
the form of checks, drafts, and the like, by printing a record of the
items and their totals during the process of adding them together.
[Sidenote: _Felt interested in recorder Art_]
It is not surprising, therefore, that a manufacturer of a successful
calculating machine should, through his contact with the trade, come
to the conclusion that there was use for a machine of this class
in the banks. As proof of this, we find that an application for a
recording-adding machine patent was filed January 19, 1888, by D. E.
Felt, which was allowed and issued June 11, 1889.
[Illustration]
[Illustration: From Drawings of Felt Patent No. 405,024]
[Sidenote: _Felt’s first recording machine_]
Some of the drawings of this patent will be found reproduced on the
opposite page, from which the reader will note that Felt combined his
scheme for recording with the mechanism of the machine he was then
manufacturing and selling under the trade name of “Comptometer.”
In this patent is shown the first application of the type sector
combined with the individual type impression for printing the figures
of the items as they were added, thus giving equal impression, whether
there were one or a dozen figures in the item or total to be printed.
While the average mechanical engineer would not at a glance recognize
any great advantage in placing the type figures directly on the sector
instead of using the type-wheel and segment gear to drive it, as shown
in two of the previously described patents, there is plenty of evidence
of its advantage in the fact that all the later successful inventors
have followed the Felt scheme. It provided more simple construction for
the narrow space these parts must occupy for practical linear spacing.
[Sidenote: _Fell recording mechanism combined with his calculating
machine_]
As the adding mechanism of this machine corresponds to that of the Felt
patent 371,496, previously described in the preceding chapter, it is
not necessary to duplicate the description here. Suffice it to say,
that by the depression of a key in any order, the value of that key is
added to the numeral wheel of that order, and if the figure added is
great enough when added to that previously registered on the wheel, a
ten will be transferred to the higher wheel by a carrying mechanism
specially provided to allow the said higher wheel being in turn
operated by an ordinal series of keys, thus providing the means whereby
a series of denominational orders of key-driven adding mechanism may be
interoperative.
[Sidenote: _Description of Felt’s first recorder_]
In Fig. 2 of the drawings is shown the result of striking the (8) key,
which may be considered illustrative of such action in any order,
whether units, tens, hundreds, thousands, etc.
The depression of the (8) key is shown to have carried the lever D down
eight of its nine additive points of movement, causing the plunger 15,
bearing against its upper edge, to drop with it under the action of the
plunger spring 17.
To the upper end of this plunger, is pivotally attached an arm of
the type sector U, which is in turn pivoted to the rod y, and by
the lowering of the plunger 15, is rocked on its pivot, raising the
type-head until the number (8) type is presented opposite the printing
bar or platen T, which is hung on the pivot arms T¹, so that it may be
swung forward and backward.
An ink-ribbon w, and its shifting mechanism is provided, as shown in
Fig. 1; the paper v, is supplied in ribbon form from a roll and passes
between the ink-ribbon and the platen T.
Normally, the platen, the paper and the ink-ribbon are in a retracted
position, allowing space for the type sector to raise and lower freely.
But, as shown in Fig. 2, a type impression is taking place through the
escapement of the cam wheel R¹ which is located back of the platen,
and which, as shown, has forced the cam lever 1 forward, pressing the
spring p, against the platen T, thus forcing the paper and ribbon
forward against the type, and printing the figure 8.
After the cam-tooth passes, the platen, paper, ink-ribbon and spring
return to normal, allowing the type sector freedom to drop when the key
is released.
The cam wheel R is propelled by a spring S (Fig. 1), wound by the
hand-knob S³, and is released for action through the escapement of the
pallet wheel R attached to the cam wheel R and the pallet c.
The pallet c is tripped each time a key is depressed and is shown in
the tripped position operated by the link P and the plural-armed lever
O, N, which through its manifold arms N, may receive action through
pins a, of any of the rock bars L, as they are depressed by the keys.
The cycle of action described takes place with every key depressed,
except that the movement of the type sector varies according to the key
depressed.
[Sidenote: _First individualized type impression combined with printing
sector_]
As the printing in this Felt invention was by individualized type
impression, legibility of recording as well as accurate addition was
obtained. Although this patent shows that Felt had produced such an
operative combination, there are two features in this patent which
would prevent its becoming a marketable machine.
One of these features was that of having to wind the motor spring that
furnished power for the type impression. The other feature was that
there was no provision for printing the ciphers. Although the ciphers
were always omitted from the keyboard of non-recording adders, as they
could perform no function in addition or other forms of calculation,
they could not without inconvenience, be eliminated from items in
recording.