[Sidenote: _The mass of recorder inventions patented_]
Since the general installation of the recording-adder by the banks,
the minds of “get-rich-quick” inventors have been turned toward this
type of machine. The result has been that a vast number of patents
on such machines were issued, a large proportion of which represent
worthless and impossible mechanism purported by their inventors to
contain improvements on the Art. Some of these patents on alleged
improvements describe and purport to contain features, that, if really
made operative in an operative machine, would be useful to the public.
But as inventions, they merely illustrate the conceptions of a new
and useful feature that can never be of use to anyone until put into
concrete operative form.
To describe these features would be useless, as they have not advanced
the Art; they merely act to retard its advancement through the patent
rights that are granted on the hatched-up inoperative devices or
mechanism purported to hold such features.
[Sidenote: _But few of the recorder patents of value_]
Of the vast number of patents issued, but few of the machines
represented therein have ever reached the market, and of these
machines, except those previously mentioned, there is little that
may be said respecting new elementary features that may be called an
advancement of the Art. It is to be expected, of course, that the
manufacturer of such machines will not hold the same opinion as the
writer on this subject. But the fact that the generic principles of
recording the items and totals were worked out before they even thought
of constructing such a machine leaves little chance for anything
but specific features of construction for them to make that may be
considered new.
[Sidenote: _Reserve invention as good insurance_]
Another feature to be considered in this line is that while these new
manufacturers were working out the “kinks” or fine adjustments, which
can only be determined after a considerable number of machines have
been put into service, the older manufacturers were working or had
worked out and held in reserve new improvements that were not obvious
to those new at the game.
It is quite common for manufacturers to have a reserved stock of
improved features to draw from. In fact, such a stock is sometimes
the best insurance they have against being run out of business by a
competitor who places a machine on the market to undersell them. Of
course, all manufacturers believe they purvey the best and advise the
public relative to this point in their advertisements.
[Sidenote: _Erroneous advertising_]
One manufacturer of a recording-adder, a much later invention than
either the Felt or Burroughs recorder, circulated some advertising
pamphlets once which contained a statement that their machine was the
first visible recorder. A reproduction of this pamphlet is shown on the
opposite page. The reader will at once recognize the error in such a
statement, as the first Felt recorder was a visible printer.
The statement seems extremely peculiar after paying tribute to Felt
as the pioneer in the Art of adding machines. One would suppose that
having knowledge enough of the Art to offer such tribute would have
left them better advised on the subject of visible recording.
[Illustration: Two Pages from Booklet Issued by Wales Adding Machine
Co.]
[Sidenote: _Error key_]
The first of the later improvements in the key-set crank-operated
recorder were made by Burroughs and consisted of the features which
formed a part of Burroughs patent No. 504,963 of 1893. One of these
features consisted of means provided in the shape of a special key
that when depressed would clear the key-setting, thus allowing of an
erroneous key-setting to be corrected by clearing and resetting the
correct item.
[Sidenote: _Sub-total_]
Another feature was provision for printing a total at any time without
clearing the machine, thus allowing printing of what may be called a
sub-total, while the grand total is carried on to be printed later.
[Sidenote: _Repeat key_]
The third feature consisted of means for repeated addition and
recording of the same item. The means provided consisted of a key,
which, if depressed after setting an item on the keys, would prevent
the keys from being cleared; thus by repeated operation of the
hand-crank the item set up would be printed and added repeatedly.
[Sidenote: _Locked keyboard_]
The next feature was one of construction, as it was designed to
overcome the possibility of the setting of two keys in the same order,
by locking all the other keys in that order. The invention was shown
applied to the Burroughs machine, but was applied for by Wm. H. Pike
Jr., and was issued January 13, 1898.
[Sidenote: _Quick paper return_]
In 1900 Felt perfected a quick paper return for his wide paper-carriage
and applied for a patent, which was issued March 11, 1902, the number
of which is 694,955. The feature was, that by operating a lever, it
served to return the paper after recording a column of items and
automatically shifted the carriage ready for the recording of another
column of items, thus facilitating speedy operation.
[Sidenote: _Paper stop_]
In March, 1902, a patent was allowed Felt on means to lock the
mechanism in a recorder when the paper was about to run out of the
rolls; a feature which, in tabulating, served as a check against the
paper running out of the rolls and prevented further operation until
the paper was shifted to commence a new column of items, thus insuring
the printing of each record on the paper which formerly depended upon
the vigilance of the operator.
[Sidenote: _Cross tabulating_]
The next feature in the recording machine Art which shows a new
operative feature, that may be considered an improvement, is
cross tabulating. It consisted of means for horizontal tabulating or
recording across a sheet of paper as well as in vertical columns. While
this feature was for special use, it served to broaden the usefulness
of the recorder in bringing together classified balances by dates with
cross-added totals, and many other similar uses. This feature was the
invention of D. E. Felt, who applied for a patent April 29, 1901, which
was issued October 21, 1902; the patent number is 711,407.
[Sidenote: _Item stop_]
Another special feature serving to broaden the usefulness of the
recording-adder was invented by Felt, and may be found in patent No.
780,272, applied for March 30, 1901, and issued January 17, 1905. This
feature was a device which controlled the printing of a predetermined
number of items which could be set by the operator, and which, when the
predetermined number had been printed, would lock the mechanism against
further action until the paper was shifted to print a new column.
[Sidenote: _Motor drive_]
Prior to May 9, 1901, there is no record of any recording-adder having
been operated by electric motor drive. But on that date Frank C. Rinche
applied for a patent showing such a combination with the recorder,
which became commercially known as the Universal Accountant. The
patent, No. 726,803, was issued April 28, 1903, and is the first of a
series issued to Rinche on various combinations of mechanical driving
connections.
[Sidenote: _Distinguishing marks for clear, totals and sub-totals_]
A feature common to recording of added columns of numerical items is
the distinguishing characters for clear, sub-totals and totals by the
use of letters, stars and other marks. The first patent on anything
of this nature that has come into general use was applied for June 9,
1903, by A. Macauley, and was issued June 12, 1906. This patent is No.
823,474, and shown connected with the Burroughs recorder to register
with a star when the first item is printed if the machine is clear and
when a total is printing. Provision was also made for printing an S
when a sub-total was printed.
[Sidenote: _Adding cut-out_]
The use of recording-adders is often applied when it is desired to
record dates along with tabulating added columns of recorded items.
Of course there is no use of adding the dates together, and again
if they were allowed to be added to the totals an erroneous total
of the columns added may result under certain conditions. Means for
automatically cutting out additions at certain positions of the paper
carriage in cross-line tabulating was devised by H. C. Peters, and a
patent showing such combination operative on the Burroughs recorder was
applied for by him May 12, 1904. The patent, No. 1,028,133, was issued
June 4, 1912.
[Sidenote: _Self-correcting keyboard_]
With the introduction of the key-set crank-operated feature on the Felt
Comptometer, the key action, like in the Burroughs recorder, became a
feature to be considered; but unlike the organism of the Burroughs,
the Felt construction allowed of the use of a self-correcting keyboard
without the possibility of error occurring from its use. This feature
is shown in a patent issued to Felt & Wetmore applied for December
27, 1904, and issued May 14, 1907. The patent number is 853,543,
and provides a means of correcting errors made in setting the keys
by merely depressing the proper key or keys, which will release any
previously set in the respective orders.
[Sidenote: _Split keyboard_]
In some classes of recording it is desirable to print more than one
column of items without shifting the paper carriage laterally. A means
providing for such an emergency is shown in patent No. 825,205, issued
to C. W. Gooch July 3, 1906. The patent was applied for December 2,
1905, and shows a means applicable to any order that may intercept the
printing of the ciphers in that order, and thereby the ciphers in all
other orders to the right from any key depression to the left of such
order. This made what has been generally known as the split keyboard,
but differs from that now in general use in that it was set to certain
orders and not selective at the will of the operator.
[Sidenote: _Dual action keyboard_]
With the coming of the motor-operated recording-adders, the extra time
allowed the operator, through being relieved of having to work the
crank back and forth, left a lapse of time until the motor finished
its cranking of the machine. In other words, there could be no gain in
the speed of operation because it took as much time for the motor to
operate the machine as it did by human power. In a patent granted to
McFarland, No. 895,664, applied for October 19, 1905, is shown a means
for utilizing the lapse of time which the operator was formerly obliged
to lose while waiting for the motor to finish its operation of cranking
the machine. It is shown in combination with the keyboard of the Pike
recorder and consists of a change that allows the keys for the next
item to be set while the motor is cranking the machine to print and add
the item previously set, thus utilizing the time formerly lost.
[Sidenote: _Non-add signal_]
In adding and recording columns of figures, it quite often happens that
it is desirable to print a number without adding it into the total,
which may be accomplished in general by depressing the non-add key or
knob, or what may be supplied for that purpose. These numbers, however,
were not provided with any means by which they could be distinguished
from those added into the total until Jesse G. Vincent conceived
the idea of printing a distinguishing mark beside them to designate
that they were mere numbers not added to the total. The means for
accomplishing this feature is shown in patent No. 1,043,883, applied
for September 24, 1906, and issued November 12, 1912.
[Sidenote: _Selective split keyboard_]
A new improvement in the split keyboard formerly devised by C. W. Gooch
is shown in a patent issued to Wetmore & Niemann applied to the Felt
“Comptograph.” This improvement consists of a selective device for
splitting the keyboard into four different combinations selective to
any combination. The patent was applied for April 24, 1907, and issued
February 2, 1915; the number is 1,127,332.
[Sidenote: _Selective printing cut-out_]
In some classes of recording it is desirable at times to cut out the
printing of some of the orders and in others the whole of the printing
mechanism. Mr. Fred A. Niemann patented a means for such a contingency.
The patent was applied for April 24, 1907, but was not issued until
March 9, 1920. The feature was shown applied to the Felt Comptograph
for tabulating or printing vertically a series of added and footed
columns of figures.
[Sidenote: _Grand totalizer_]
It is sometimes desirable to print the sum of all the totals of the
footed columns or what may be called a grand total. William E. Swalm,
in patent No. 885,202, applied for October 24, 1907, and issued April
21, 1908, shows how this feature may be accomplished on the Burroughs
recorder. It consisted of an extra series of accumulator wheels
that could be meshed with the regular accumulator wheels, and thus
receive actuation resulting in accumulation, the same as the regular
wheels. When, however, the regular wheels are zeroized in printing the
individual totals, the extra accumulator wheels are left out of mesh.
Thus the grand totals are accumulated. The printing of the grand total
is accomplished by the meshing of the grand total wheels with the
regular and the usual operation of taking a regular total. The regular
wheels, however, must be cleared first.
[Sidenote: _Alternate cross printing_]
The shuttle carriage, a means devised to print two columns of figures
by printing a number in one column and a sum in the other by alternate
action, was the conception of Clyde E. Gardner, and is shown applied to
the carriage of the Pike recorder in patent No. 1,052,811 of February
11, 1913. The patent was applied for September 24, 1908, and consists
of means for automatically shifting the carriage back and forth.
[Sidenote: _Determinate item signal_]
Another means than that invented by Felt to signal the operator when a
predetermined number of items have been recorded, consists of a bell,
which rings to notify the operator to that effect. This signal was
the invention of J. G. Vincent, and is shown in patent No. 968,005 of
August 23, 1910, and was applied for December 3, 1909, as an attachment
to the carriage of the Burroughs machine.
[Sidenote: _Subtraction by reverse action_]
Although subtraction has always been accomplished on this type of
machine as a means of correcting an error, it was always accomplished
on the Burroughs recorder by the use of what is generally known as
the complimental method, which, without special provision, is rather
objectionable. On the 22d of April, 1910, Wm. E. Swalm applied for a
patent which was issued June 4, which shows means connected with the
Burroughs machine that allowed subtraction to be made by the direct
method by setting the keys the same as for addition. The patent number
is 1,028,149.
[Sidenote: _Selective split for keyboard_]
A further improvement on the split keyboard feature is shown in a
patent issued to Fred A. Niemann in which is shown an individually
selective cipher cut-out that splits the keyboard into any combination
at the will of the operator. The said patent is No. 1,309,692,
applied for October 7, 1912, and issued July 15, 1919, and shows the
improvement in combination with the Felt “Comptograph.”
[Sidenote: _Rapid paper insert and ejector_]
In some classes of listing or tabulating it is an advantage to enter
the paper and eject it with a rapidity that will facilitate the
handling of a large number of sheets, such for instance as the usual
bank statements. In patent No. 1,208,375 F. C. Rinche shows how he
accomplished this feature on the Burroughs recorder. The patent was
applied for July 21, 1913, and issued December 12, 1916.
Of the named improvements, of course, all are designed to fit the
requirements of the machines they are shown as a part of in the
drawings of the patent. They are also claimed as adaptable to other
machines of the type, but some are so specific to the machine they
form an improvement on that they are not adaptable to other makes.
Again some give results on the machine they form a part of that was
accomplished in a different way in another make.
Most of the improvements named, however, are of such a nature that the
broad feature disclosed is adaptable to all makes if mechanism should
be specially designed to suit such machines that will function to give
the result.
[Illustration]