In panels 1 and 2 there are 60 registers by which unchanging numbers like 1, or 3.14159265···, or 7.65 may be put into the machine. These are called the constant registers. Each constant register consists of 24 dial switches and contains 23 digits and a sign, 0 if positive and 9 if negative. Whenever the mathematician says a certain constant is needed for a problem, the operator of the machine walks over to these panels, and, while the machine is turned off, sets the dial switches for the number, one by one, by hand. If we need 40 constants of 10 digits each for a problem, then the operator sets 400 dial switches by hand and makes certain that the remaining 14 switches in each of the 40 constant registers used are either at 0 or 9, depending on the sign of the number. Only then can he return to start the machine.
Fig. 9. Value tape code.
The third means by which numerical information can be put into the machine is the value tape feeds, in panels 12, 13, and 14. Here the machine can consult tables of numbers. The numbers are punched on paper tape 24 holes wide, made of punch-card stock. Tapes for the value tape feeds may be prepared by hand or by the machine itself using punch cards or machine calculation. The tapes use equally spaced arguments ([see Supplement 2]). The tape punch changes the decimal digits in its keyboard into the following punching code ([see Fig. 9]):
| 0 | 0000 | 5 | 1100 | |
| 1 | 1000 | 6 | 1010 | |
| 2 | 0010 | 7 | 1001 | |
| 3 | 0010 | 8 | 0110 | |
| 4 | 0001 | 9 | 0101 |
Here the 1 denotes a punched hole and 0 no punched hole, and the 4 columns from left to right of the code correspond to 4 rows of the paper tape from bottom to top. To make sure the value tape is correct, the machine itself can read the value tape and check it mathematically or compare it with punch-card values.
HOW INFORMATION COMES
OUT OF THE MACHINE
Information comes out of the machine in any one of three ways: (1) by punching on IBM cards with a regular IBM card punch that is built into the machine (panel 17), (2) by typing on paper sheets with electric typewriters (panels 16 and 17), and (3) by punching paper tape 24 holes wide of the same kind as is fed into the machine.
Usually, one of the electric typewriters is used to print a result for a visual check and to print it before the machine makes a specified check of the value. Then, about 10 seconds later, after the result has been checked as specified in the machine, the checked result is printed by the second typewriter. In the second typewriter, a special one-use carbon ribbon of paper is used to produce copy for publication by a photographic process.
The card punch writes a number more rapidly than an electric typewriter. This extra speed is sometimes very useful. However, the punch’s chief purpose is to record intermediate results on punch cards. Then, if there is a machine failure, and if the problem has been well organized, the problem may be run over from these intermediate results, instead of requiring a return to the original starting information. The tape punch used for preparing tape by hand can also be operated by cable from the machine.