,. 

REF ID:A67829 

Patented Jan. 23, 1934 1,944,692 

UNITED ST A TES PATENT OFFICE 

1,944,891 

PERFORATED CARD SORTING MACBINB 

Adelbert c. Maw. Jamaica Estates, Lons Isla.1Ul, 

N. Y., usignor, by mmme llllBlpunent.s, to lntematlcmal Bmdne• Maclllnes Corporation, 

New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York 

Application .Jana81T 8, 1918. Serial No. H4,791 

5 Claims. (Cl. 109-110) 

This invention relates to perforated-card sortmg machines and more particularly to a sorting 

machine for sorting cards on wluch data are contained 1n the form of combinations of holes 

1 In a copending application of E. A. :Ford, 

Serial No. 748,347 for SOrting machines, :filed 

November 7, 1924, there IS disclosed a machine 

adapted to sort record cards wherein one perforation in a columtt is provided to represent a 10 digit, the position of the hole determtn1ng its 

value In such a aystem ten positions are neces- sary 1n order to represent the ten d1g1ts. In the 

present sYstem I employ but four positions to a column to represent; the ten digits, using one or 16 a combination of two perforations to represent 

the several digits. Additional characters or information may be represented by emplOJ'ing combinations of holes in which three holes are used. 

According to the aforesaid application, the cards 

so are fed one at a time under a sensing brush whlch 

ls set to cooperate with a. partlcular column on the card As each index point on a card passes 

under the sensing brush, the leadmg edge of 

the card passes under a corresponding guide 

25 chute If a particular index point in the column 

has been perforated, when such point passes 

under the sensing brush the brush reaches 

through the hole and contacts with an electric 

plate or roll beneath the card, thus closing a ao circuit through an electromagnet and tills in turn 

releases the guide blades or chute blades. Those 

of the blades under whlch the card has already 

passed will be held in upper ooS!tion by the card 

while those under which the card has not ;vet 

35 passed will drop The card as it continues to 

travel wm then pass between the last of the 

raised blades and the first of the lowered blades 

and w1ll be conducted between these guide blades 

into a particular sorting pocket The pocket into 

40 which the card is depOSlted corresponds with the 

index point position in the column, whlch ls 

perforated. 

In the present invention I have disclosed a 

machine having S'Uide or chute blades simllar to 

45 those d1sclosed in the Ford application While 

the :Ford machine uses one sensing brush I may 

employ either one, two or four such brushes. 

Where four brushes are employed the cards are 

fed in the usual manner and when the four index 

50 positions register with the four brushes simultaneously current ls momentarily mpplied to the 

brushes or their corresPODdinS' contact strips. U 

any of the brushes are then in register with perforations they wm close circuits through the 

DA perforations and energize correspondlDg electromagnet.a. There are four such magnets each of 

which controls the closing of a set of electr1c 

contacts. After the contacts have been closed in 

accordance with the perforations in the column on a card, an analyzing device proceeds to anaJJze 80 

the condition of the several contacts SJDChronously with the continued feeding of the card. 

When the analyzing device senses a closed circuit through one or a combination of several of 

the sets of contacts, a sorting electromagnet ls 811 

energized a.nd this releases the chute blades permitting those under which the moving card has 

not ;vet passed to drop while those under which 

the card has already moved are held Up b:v the 

card The card then continues between the chute TO 

blades and fs deposited ID a pock.et corresponding 

to the value represented by the perforation or combination of perforations in the column which 

has been sensed. 

Where two analyzing brushes are employed, 'II 

current fs supplied to the brushes a.t about the 

time the first and second index point pOS1t1ons 

reach the :first and second of the analyzing 

brushes respectively. U either of the brushes 

then registers with a perforation, a circwt will 80 

be closed through a corresponding electromagnet 

controlling the closing of the electric contacts as 

before. The circuit through the brushes is then 

opened and just before the third and fourth index 

point positions register with the :first and second 11 

brushes respectively, current 1s again supplied 

to the brushes a.nd 1f either of the brushes then 

registers with a perforation in the card. a clrcult 

is closed through the perforation energizing a 

corresponding one of a second set of two mair- io 

nets again controlling the closing of a set of contacts The circuit ts again interrupted through 

the brushes and as the card continues to feed and 

to pass into the entering ends of the chute blades, 

the analyzing dev:lce proceeds to anal1Z8 the con- DIS 

dition of the contacts s:vnchronously with the 

movement of the card as before. 

Referring to the drawings: 

Fig. 1 shows a front elevation of a sorting machine; 100 

Pig. 2 fs a sectional detaU. of the card feeding 

and analyzing end of the machine; 

Pig. 3 ls a sectional detail of the sensfng 

brushes and the receiving ends of the guide or 

chute blades; lOI 

Fig. 4 Is a development of a rotating commutator adapted to analyze the condition of sorting 

contacts; 

Pig. 5 ls a wiring diaaram. illustrating the operation of the ma.chtne: 110 

lA\pproved for Release by NSA on 09-05-2013 pursuant to E. 0. 1352§ 
REF ID:A67829 ~ 

2 1,944,891 

FJg 8 mo.a the arrangement of perforations 

In any column to represent the various numerical values, 

FJg '1 illustrates a form of the invention in 

1 which two perforation sensing brushes ID&l' be 

used, 

FJg 8 illustrates &n arrangement using one brush; 

Pig 9 shows the use of one brush with a com- 11 mut&tor arrangement for br1ng1ng the several 

magnets into successive control of the brush 

In Pig l the machine ls shown as comprlslng a supporting base 1 and a IJ].urallty of receiving 

pockets 2 A supply or magazine pocket ls shown 

11 at 3 An electric motor 4 ls connected by a belt 

5 to a pulley 8 fixed on the ma!n operating shaft 

'1 of the machine This shaft runs the full length 

Of the machine and drives all of the feed rollers 

8 as well as the shaft 9 for controll1Dg the card 

10 picker The details of the driving connections are not shown here as they form no part of the 

present invention and ID&l' be readily obtained 

by reference to the &foresald aplJ].lcation, if desired, although it is obvious that one skfiled In 

u the art ma.y readily supply such connections. In 

Pig 2 the cards 10 are shown as stacked in the 

supply magazine, the card picker 11 is mounted on a frame 12 having a pin and slot connection 

at 13 with an arm 14 pivoted at 15 and connected 

80 by a link 18 to an eccentric point 1 '1 on a. disk 

18 carried by the shaft 9 The picker 11 will 

thus be caused to move tows.rd the left and then 

back toward the right to normal position once each cycle of operation of the machine Each 

time the picker moves to the left it will C&lTJ' 31 with it the lowermost card Of the stack of cards 

10 ca.using such card to be fed through a. micrometer throat 19 The card is then gripped 

by the feed rollers 8 and ls carried by the suc- cessive sets of rollers the full length of the ma- "° chlne toward the left or until it ls guided by the 

chute blades Into one of the intermediate receiving pockets 2 Before reaching the chute blades 

20 the card passes under the several sensin8' 

brushes 21 Csee also Pig 3) The several brush.es 61 21 a.re mounted in a common carrier 22 which is 

adjustable along a shaft 23 to cooperate with &DJ' 

Of the several columns on a. card Corresponding with each brush is a contact strip 24, the 

80 strips being adapted tocooperatewith the brushes 

in &DJ' of their several positions with respect to 

the columns on the ca.rd. The ends 20' Of the 

chute blades n.ormaJbr rest on the upper surface 

of a supporting plate 25 which ls normally held 

In its upper position by a. latching member 28 11 cooperating with a projection 2'1 on the IJ].ate, the 

latch being held in latchlng Position by a. spring 

28 The latch 28 Dl&J' be pivoted at 29, the lower 

end thereof constituting the armature of an electromagnet 30 When magnet 30 is energized, 

80 rocJdng the armature or latch 26, the plate 26 

will be released and the downward pressure of the 

blades 20 will depress the plate 25 As shown 

in Pig 3 the card 10 has passed under the ends 

Of several Of the chute blades before the plate 26 81 was released thus upon the releasing of the plate 

these blades are held in their upper position by 

the card while those of the blades which have 

not yet been reached by the card have moved 

downward.Jy As the card continues to move it 7

.0 will then pass under the last of the raised blades 

and over the first of the depressed blades and 

will be carried to the corresponding pocket. 

.After the card has passed beynnd the ends·of 

74 all Of the blades, the plate 25 ID&l' be raised to 

normal position ready for the next cJ'C1e of operation of the machine The restoring mechamsm ls shown as comprising & lever 31 pivotally 

mounted at 32 and connected at 33 to the plate 

26 A cam 34 carried by shaft 35 which may be 80 

connected for operation to the main dnve sh&ft 

'I is adapted to engage the lower end of lever 31 

to rock the latter counterclockwlSe, restoring th~ 

plate 25 After the cam 34 has engaged and ac- tuated lever 31 but before releasing the same, a 88 

second cam 36 ls adapted to engage an arm 37 

to positively restore the latch member 26 to latching position The arm 37 is pivotally mounted 

at 38" and ls positioned at its lower end between 

:Oanges 39 on & sprmg-pressed member 40 having 90 

at one end a :flange 41 cooperating with the lower end of the latch or armature 28 to actuate the 

latter NorrnaJJ;v the spring 28 will serve to move the latch to latching position The connection 

thro118'h lever 3'1 to the drivmg shaft of the ma- 98 

chine 1& merely a precaution to insure positive 

restoration of the latch 

An analyzlng commutator 42 CPl8' 1> may be 

carried by a shaft 43 which ID&l' also be dnven by 

the drive shaft '1 Referrlll8' to the wiring dla- 100 

gram in Pig 6, restoring cams 44 may also be 

mounted on the shaft 43 or otherwise mounted 

for operation in SJ"D.chronism. with the rotation 

of the commutator drum 42 Several sets of electnc contacts a, b, o and d are normally held in 103 

open position by latches 45 which constitute the 

armatures of electromagnets 46, 4'1, 48 and 49 

Springs 50 serve to maintain the armatures 46 

in cooperation with the contacts to hold them 

in open position after the restoring cams 44 have 110 

actuated them to such position Each of the magnets 48, 47, 48 and 49 is connected to a corre- spondmg one of the contact strips 24 In Fl8' 6 

the opera.ting motor 4 is shown diagrammaticaUy 

and may be started by depression of the start 111 

key 61 This in turn energizes the holding magnets 62 and 53 As the cards commence to feed 

they will actuate the card lever 54 closing con- tacts 55 &fter which the starting key 61 may be 

released Current will then flow from the left 120 

side of the line 66 thro118'h contacts 55, contacts 

52' now closed, magnet 52 and magnet 63, to the 

right side of the line 57 CUrrent will also pass 

from the left side of the line thro118'h motor 4, 

contacts 58 now closed to the right side of the 126 

line Should cards cease to feed, card lever 54 

will return to normal position permittmg the 

opening of contacts 55 thUS" breaking the circuit 

thro118'h ma.gnet 53 permitting contacts 58 to open 

thus causln8' stoppage of motor 4 to stop the op- :;JO 

eration of the machine 

Presuming the ma.chine to be in operation and 

cards to be feeding one at a time under the several brushes 21, Just before the first index point 

position on the card reaches the brush 21a the lJli 

counterclockwise rotation of the commutator 42 

will cause a contact segment 59 to cooperate with 

a brush 60 The segment 69 is integral with the 

commutator ring 61 which Is in constant coop- 140 eration with a brush 62 Thus as the four index 

point pomtions on the card pass under the four 

readmg or sensing brushes, current ls in effect 

supplied to the brushes Should there be a perforation in &DJ' of the index point positions, a 140 circuit will thus be closed from the left side of 

the line 68 thro118'h wire 63, brush 62, commutator ring 81, segment 59, brush 80, wire 84, the 

corresRondlnl' one of magnets_46, 4'1, 48 and 49, 

contact strip 24, brush 21 and back to the. right 100 

.. 
.. 

• 

• 

REF ID:A67829 

side of the llne 57 As the commutator 42 continues to rotate the circuit wm be broken between 

segment 59 and brush 60 before the brush 21 

rides out of the perforation in the card Thus 

5 the breaking of the circuit will not take place at 

the perforation readmg brushes A perforation 

through one or more of the posit.Ions on the card 

thus causes enerpation of one or more of tbe 

magnets 48-49 This m turn will attract the 

10 corresponding one or ones of armature latches 45 

releasing one or more of the contact.a tJ-d permitting the latter to close As the card 10 now 

continues to be fed through the machine and 

the drum 42 continues to rotate, the card will 

15 pass above the plate 25 and beneath the ends 20' 

of the chute blades 20 as shown in F1g 3 Before 

the card has passed under the first of the chute 

blades the first row of segment.a 65 will cooperate 

with the several analyzing brushes 66 <see also 

20 Fig 4> The first of these rows of segment.a in 

the present instance Is adapted to represent the 

value 12 Tlns value as shown 1n Pig 6 Is represented by three perforations m the second, third 

and fourth positions countmg down This com2& bmation of perforations wm have caused closure 

of the contacts a, b and c Thus when the several brushes 66 cooperate with the segments 65 

the CU"cuit will be closed from the left side of the 

line through wire 63, brush 62, to commutator 

30 ring 61 then through the connection 67 to the 

first one of the segments 65 then to the corresponding brush 66 through wire 68 to the contacts 

a back through wire 68' through the next brush 

66 to the next segment 65 through connection 69 

35 to the next segment 65 then through the next set 

of brushe, and contacts b back to segments 65 

and contacts c and from the last of the segments 

65 to the commutator ring 70 through brush 71, 

wire 72, contacts 73 normally closed, magnet 30 

4c and back to the right side of the line The energization of magnet 30 then actuates the latch 

26 releasing the plate 25 and permitting the chute 

blades to press the plate 25 downwardly so that as 

the card continues to be fed It will pass above 

<!3 the depressed chute blades and be guided mto 

the 12 pocket If perforations representing the 

value 12 do not exist in the column on the card 

being analyzed, then as the first row of segment.a 

65 passes under the brushes 66 no circuit will be 

j"- closed through the magnet 30 and the card will 

contmue to feed passing under the end of the first 

chute blade The second row of segment.a 65 will 

then pass under the analyzing brushes 60 and if 

a combination of perforations iepresentlng the 

jf' value 11 or :x has caused the closure of the corresponding contact.a tJ-d a circuit wm be closed 

at this tJme through the magnet 30 to control 

the dropping of the chute blades Slmllar]y as 

the leading edge of the card passes under the 

11.' successive ends 20' of the chute blades a row of 

contacts will pass into cooperation with the analyzer brushes 66 unt.tl a cll'Cuit ls found through 

the contacts tJ-d at which time the magnet 30 

will be energized to control the disposition of the 

35 card which has Just been sensed In the mustration In Fig 3 a condition is represented where- m a card having a perforation In the last of the 

four positions is being fed A hole in this position according to ll'Jg 6 represent.a the numeral 6 

"O Thus, when the four positions are under the 

sensing brushes the contact.a cl are closed Then 

as the card proceeds to feed, after it has entered 

beneath the end of the fifth chute blade, the row 

of segments 65 representing the numeral 6 coapir5 erate with the brushes 66 and a c1rcuit Is cl0&ed 

a 

through magnet 30 Latch 26 then releases plate 

25 and all the blades not supported by the card 

are permitted to drop as shown so that the card 

will pass into the 11 6" path and will be gwded into 

the 116" packet When the magnet 30 18 ener- 81' 

gized and the plate 25 drops, the latter Is adapted 

to cause opening of contact.a 73 so that thereafter 

during the continued rotation of commutator 42 

for the remainder of the cycle of operation no 

further clos1ng of circuits will take ple.ce through 85 

the contacts tJ-d and magnet 30 While this 

opening of the circuit is not essential to the successful operation of the machine, it serves to prevent unnecessary making and breaking of Cll'-

cuit.s through the commutator and brushes and 00 

thus prolongs the life of the elements After the 

commutator has rotated so that the last of the 

rows of segment.a 65 has passed under the brushes 

66 and the card has passed beyond the ends of 

the chute blades, the restoring cams 34, 36 may Dr 

be actuated to restore the ends of the chute 

blades 20 to their normal positions Also the 

cams 44 wm open any of the contact.a a-cl that 

may have been closed and the armature latches 

45 wm latch such contacts m open position 100 

In Fig 7 I have shown how the invention may 

be carried out with the use of two card sensing 

brushes 21' In this inst.a.nee only two contact 

strips 24' are employed One of the strips 24' is 

connected to two of the magnet.s 46' and 48' while 105 

the other strip is connected to the other two magnets 47' and 49' The Dlagnets 48' and 49' are 

in tum connected through contact.a 75, 76 to the 

left side of the hne Cams 77, 78 may be mounted on the commutator shaft 43 or otherwise con- 11"' 

nected to operate m synchronism therewith 

The cams are so timed that when the first two 

index point positions on the card are about to 

register with the two brushes or ID other words 

after the first po&tion has passed the right hand 11i; 

brush 21' as viewed in Fig 7, the mrcuit will be 

closed through contacts 75, 76 and is broken before the brushes ride out of the perforations m the card Thus cam 78 gradually closes contacts 

75 while cam 77 holds contacts 76 open Then 120 

Just before the first position on the card reaches 

the left hand brush 21 ', cam 77 releases contact 

76 permitting the latter to close Now if a perforation appears in either of the two positions 

passing under the card, a circuit wlll be closed 125 

from the left side of the line 56' through contacts 

76, contacts 75, through one or both of magnet.s 

48' and 49', through the corresponding one or 

both of contact strips 24', through one or both 

of the brushes 21' back to the other side of the tall' 

line 67' The magnet.a 48' and 49' will. serve to 

control contact.a a, bas in Fig 5 Before the indez point positions pass out of register with the 

sensing brushes 21', cam 78 will release the contacts 75 permitting them to break quickly As IU 

the card continues to feed and the third position 

on the card passes under the right hand brush 

21' but before it reaches the left hand brush, a 

cam 77' also driven in synchronism. with the 

drum 42, releases contacts 76' permitting them l.Q' 

to close so that when the third and fourth positions on the card register with the brushes 21, 

current may pass from the left side of the line 

through contacts 76', 75' through either or both 

of magnets 46', 47', strips 24', brushes 21' and 1~ 

back to the right side of the line Before the 

brushes ride out of the perforations, the cam 78' 

permits contacts 75' to open qwckly breaking the 

circuit through the brushes Contacts r: and d. 

of Pig 6 will then be controlled according to the .i,lt. 
REF ID:A67829 e 

condition of the tlurd and fourth positions on the card Now as the card continues to be fed 

through the machine and passes under the ends 

20' of the blades 20, the commutator 42 will be 

5 rotating m sYnchromsm therewith to control the 

dropping of the chute blades as previously described, to control the dJspomtion of the card 

The invention may also be carried out with the 

use of but one card reading bn.tSh 21" as shown 

10 in Fig 8 In this instance, the four magnets 46, 

47, 48 and 49 are all connected to the one contact 

strip 24' and are separately connected to groups 

of make and break contacts 46a, 47a, 48a and 49tJ 

siDlllar to the make and break contacts 76, 76 

15 and 75', 76' of Fig 7 With tills arrangement 

closure is effected through contacts 46a when the 

first position on the card is passing under the 

brush 21" so that if a perforation appears in 

this position, magnet 49 will be energized Simi2c1 larly closure will be effected through contacts 47a 

when the second p0&1tion on the card is passing 

under the brush 21" to energize magnet 48, lf a perforation appears in this POSltion The same is true in connection with contacts 48a and 49a 

211 for energizing magnets 47 and 46, if perforations 

appear in the third and fourth pomtions As 

shown in Fig 9, instead of using the sets of con- tacts 46a-49a for operatively connecting the 

magnets successively with the left side of the ::o line, I may employ segment contacts 59tJ, 59b, 

59c, 59d in connection with the drum 42 of Fig 5 

These segments perform the same function for 

the magnets separately as is performed by the 

segment 59 in Fig 5 for all of the magnets mmul-

'lr> taneously In other words, in Pig 9, when the 

first pomtion on the card is passing under the 

brush, the commutator brush 60tJ will be pasmng over segment 59a thus closing a circuit from the 

left mde of the line through brush 62, ring 61, 

•C segment 59a brush 60tJ, maimet 46, contact strip 

244, card reading brush 21' iwd back to the right 

side of the line When the second position is passing under the card the clrcuit will be from the left 

mde of the line through brush 62, ring fll, brush ::.• &Ob, magnet 47, contact 24", brush 21" and back 

to the other side of the line, etc 

I claim 

1 In a perforated record sorting machine, means for feeding recordn having a plurality of 

lj{ perforation positions m a column, a pair of electric circuit contacts representing ea.ch contact 

position in a column, means for simultaneously 

sensing a plurality of such posit10ns on a record 

while the record is in motion and adapted to cause 

65 

60 

OS 

'10 

'lli 

.closure of one or more of sa.td pairs of contacts, a retatable drum and a pair of brushes representing each of sa.td first named pairs of contacts and 

adapted to cooperate therewith to control the disposition of the card 80 

2 In a perforated record controlled sorting ma- chine, means for feeding records haVl!lR' a plurality of perforation positions, means for a.na.bzing said positions for perforations while the 

record is in motion, a pair of electric circuit con- 85 

tacts for each position being sensed, a commu- tator drum having combinations of interconnected segments and means cooperating with said 

contacts aad said drum for controll1ng the distribution of the record 90 

3 In a perforated card controlled sorting ma- chine, means for feeding cards, means for sens- ing perforations in a card being fed, electric con- tacts controlled by said sensing means, commu- tator brushes connected to said contacts, a com- 95 

mutator having variously mterconnected segments for cooperatmg with said brushes, means for operating said commutator synchronously 

with said feeding means and card distributing means controlled through said drum and con- 100 

tacts for controll1ng the disp0&1tion of the cards 

4 In a sorting machine provided with sorting 

stations, the combmation with means for con- currently analyzmg the combinational designations of cards and directly setting up devices fn 1Ji 

accordance with such designations, of a plurality of superimposed sorting blades for sorting 

cards to the sorting stations, a timer for reading 

out said devices ana operated in synchronous 

relationship with the feeding of the card as said n • 

card cooperates with the progressive lengths of " 

the card receiving ends of the blades, and means operated by the timer and acting m conJunctton with the card to select a passage between adjacent blades tlo 

5 In a card sorting machine, a set of card distributing devices comprising a plurality of superimposed sorting blades, analyzing devices for 

concurrently reading combinational designations 

of a moving card, electrical contacts directly set UOunder control of the analyzing devices, means for 

read.mg out said contacts as said card cooperates 

with the progressive lengths of the blades of the 

card dlBtributing devices, and means operated by 

the reading means and acting in conjunction with -.&ll 

the card to select a passage between adjacent 

blades 

ADELBERT C MADY 

l3c 

140 

180 

I 

t 

-j 

I 

\. 

1 

' .. 

• ' 
Jan. 23, 1934. 

' 

REF ID:A67829 

A C.MABY 

PBRPORATED CARD SORTING MACHIHB 

Filed Jan. 6, 1928 

oe 

-~-- - -

1,944,692 

5 SheetS-Sheet 1 

.. 
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REF ID:A67829 ~ 

Jan. 23, 1934. A C MABY 1,944,692 

PBRFORATED CARD SORTING MACHINE 

Filed Jan. 6, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 

0 0 0 

0 0 0 

0 0 

0 0 

0 0 

0 

0 0 

0 0 

0 

0 0 

0 

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--- - - - - - - - ----------------
Jan. 23, 1934. 

REF ID:A67829 

AC MABY 

PBRPORATBD CARD SORTING MACHINE 

Filed Jan 6, 1928 

1,944,692 

5 Sheets-Sheet 3 

0 

000----1 

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Jan. 23, 1934. 

72. 

5G 

REF ID:A67829 ~ 

A.C MABY 

rBRPORATBD CARD SORTING llACHINB 

Filed Jan 6, 1928 

68 1 68 

68' 66 

.55 

54 

1,944,692 

5 Sheets-Sheet 4 

10 

57 
Jan. 23, 1934. 

561 

71-

REF ID:A67829 

AC MABY 

PBBPORATBD CABD SORTING llACBINB 

Filed Jan. 6, 1928 

1,944,692 

15 Sbeeta-Sheet 8 

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