Patent GB-721828-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to record card controlled statistical machines
IPC: G06K19/04
Filed: 1951-03-22
Abstract: 721,828. Statistical apparatus. INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION. March 22, 1951 [March 31, 1950], No. 6983/51. Class 106 (1). A record card sorting machine comprises a photo-electric card scanning unit which compares each detail card with a master card bearing a complementary punching so that a matched condition results in all the holes of the master and detail cards being obscured. The cards are fed past the scanning unit in column-by-column fashion, and the scanning unit comprises a plurality of photo-cells, each one being adapted to detect a matching condition of four adjoining columns. Electronic circuits are associated with each photo-cell, and the electronic circuits may be interconnected to obtain various combinations of matching requirements. Relays are associated with the electronic circuits in order to control operation of the card sorting deflectors. The cards which form the subject - matter of Specification 721,869, are divided into three decks designated U, I and L. The twelve index positions Y, X, 012 &c. are distributed between the decks with the U deck including the Y and X positions, the intermediate deck I including the 0-4 positions and the lower deck L including the 5-9 positions. Data are recorded in the card columns by means of a code in which combinations of five holes are distributed among the twelve positions. The 792 possible five hole combinations are sub-divided into index, major and minor series which are broadly distinguishable in that the index series contains no perforations in deck U, the major series contains a perforation in either the X or Y position in deck U and the minor series has perforations in both the X and Y positions of deck U. An example of the index series representing lower case letters is shown in Fig. 19. Fig. 32 shows a detail card punched with data in accordance with the code described, and Fig. 33 shows a master card punched in complementary form with the same data so that when superimposed a blackout would occur in the scanning of the columns shown. The first or right-hand field is perforated to search for the value 00 43 20 97. An alternative tabular coding arrangement is also described in which a single position may represent data according to a table, for example as shown in Fig. 15, in which case the card is punched in all positions, except the position representing the required data as shown in Fig. 16, with a distinguishing pattern in the U deck. In the special case the columns of the table proper operate on the principle that light impinging on a photo-cell indicates a matching condition while the index column, and the column following the last column of the table operate on the principle that a matching condition exists only when the photo-cell is blacked out. Card-feeding mechanism.-Cards are fed from a magazine M, Fig. 2, with the 9 hole leading and have their direction changed by a reciprocating finger 31, Fig. 14, so that the cards are transferred from rollers 17, 17a to rollers 47, 48. The cards are then fed in column-by-column fashion by the rollers 47, 48, into the cardscanning unit 182, Fig. 12. In this unit light from a source 21 is directed by a mirror 90 and lenses 83, 84, on to a reflecting surface 181 and thence through a perforated plate 183 and a transparent plate 184 to twelve individual spherical lens blocks A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, J, K, L, M. Light then passes in twelve separate beams through a second transparent plate 185 to the associated photo-cells PCA, PCB, PCC, PCD, PCE, PCF, PCG, PCH, PCJ, PCK, PCL and PCM. The master card having locating slots 192, 193 as shown in Fig. 33 is placed immediately above the perforated plate 183, and the detail cards are passed through the aperture immediately below the perforated plate over the transparent block 184. The lens block M spans columns 17-20 of the master card, Fig. 33, the lens K'spans columns 25-28 and so on, each lens spanning four adjacent columns, and focusing its light on to its associated photo-cell in a compartment below. Card-sorting mechanism.-After leaving the scanning unit cards are deposited in one of the pockets A, B or C, according to the state of the pocket selecting magnets BPM and CPM, Figs. 9, 9A. If neither magnet is energized, cards travel over the deflector members 95, 96, their ends being accommodated in a recess in the card guide plate, and enter pocket A. If the magnet BPM is energized the deflector 95 is lifted and the card is deflected into pocket B. If both magnets BPM and CPM are energized the card will pass under the deflector 96 now also raised and enter the pocket C. Each pocket is provided with automatic stacking means in known manner. Electronic circuits.-Each compartment with its photo-cell is provided with a circuit arrangement as shown in Fig. 36e. The operation of each compartment is similar, and will be described with reference to compartment A. The normally conducting photo-cell PCA provides sufficient positive voltage at its cathode to overcome the negative bias voltage applied to the grid of T1, thus causing T1 to be conducting. When a matching condition occurs and the photo-cell is blacked out the current through the photo-cell ceases and the negative bias operates on the control grid of T1 rendering the tube non-conducting. The anode of T1 is coupled to the control grid of T2 through the parallel arrangement of resistor R22 and capacitor C1 and the consequent rise in voltage of the anode of T1 when it becomes non-conducting increases the bias to T2 overcoming the standing negative bias and causing T2 to conduct. With T2 in conducting condition the anode potential thereof decreases and because of the coupling to T3 grid renders T3 non-conducting. With T3 in non-conducting condition, the anode potential thereof increases which drives the control grid of the gas-filled tube T4 above the firing point, Figs. 36c and 36e. Since the gasfilled tube T5 is in a conducting state, the potential of the screen grid of T4 is also above the firing potential such that when the camcontrolled contacts CR6 close at 0- machine time applying a positive potential to the anode of T4, T4 is rendered conductive. At 210 machine time contacts CR7 close, causing the transfer relay TR to be energized, closing the contacts TR1. This results in a circuit being completed from the anode of T4 contacts TR1, signal relay SRA, resistor R36, to line 200, whereby SRA relay is energized and contacts SRA1 are closed. This results in a holding circuit for the signal relay SRA when contacts CR8 close. With the closing of contacts SRA1 the anode of T4 is returned to ground and is then restored to non-conductive state for the next card cycle. Pocket selecting circuit.-If it is desired that the matched card be deposited in B card pocket then, when the contacts CR4 close at 10 machine time. Fig. 36b, a circuit may be traced from the line 200, line 211 contacts SRA2 now closed due to the relay SRA being energized switch S2 in the position shown, resistor R12 to the normally biased control grid of the gas tube V4. The control grid of V4 is coupled to a negative bias of - 30 volts through the resistor R13 while the screen grid of V4 is coupled to the cathode which is connected to line 201 through the now closed contacts CCR4, thereby maintaining the tube V4 in normally non-conducting condition. When the circuit is compiled to the control grid of the tube V4 from the line 200 through the contacts SRA2 the standing negative bias is overcome and with the contacts CR5 closing at 0 machine time to tube V4 is made conducting, energizing the B pocket magnet BPM which is in the anode circuit of tube V4. The energization of the magnet BPM attracts the shoot blade 95 and causes the matched card to be deposited in the B card pocket. If it is desired that the matched card be deposited in the C card pocket the switch S2 is moved to the C position, whereby gas tubes V5 and V6 are substituted for V4. The operation of this circuit is similar to that of V4 described above, except that when the two tubes V5, V6 fire, both magnets BPM and CPM are energized being in the anode circuits of V6 and V5 respectively and the card is then deflected under both card deflectors 95, 96, into the C card pocket as described above. Operation.-In addition to the single case of a single blackout in any one compartment described above, several modified circuit arrangements are possible by interconnecting the electronic circuits associated with each photo-cell compartment. Thus, by interconnecting compartments B and C by the jumper shown connecting H9 to H17 tubes T6 and T11 are placed in parallel so that the tube T7 is not rendered conducting by cutting of the light to either photo-cell PCB or PCC since one or the other remains conducting and overcomes the negative bias of either T11 or T6. When, however, both photo-cells are blacked out simultaneously the tubes T6, T11 are both rendered non-conducting together, tube T7 becomes conducting, the gas tube T9, Fig. 36c is fired, and the card sorting magnets are actuated as before. A further modification enables a search to be made for a blackout in compartment D at the same time as no blackout occurs in compartment E. This is set up by plugging as shown, including the jumper connection between H22 and H28. The effect of this is to place the screen grid of T17, normally negatively biased under the control of T22 so that when the light source is cut off from photo-cell PCD and not from photo-cell PCE the tube T16 will be made non-conducting while the tube T21 will be made conducting, the plate potential of T16 increases and T17 will be made conducting because the tube T21 is in non-conducting state and consequently tube T22 is retained in non-conducting state, with the result that a positive potential is applied to the screen grid of T17. T18 is then rendered non-conducting and the sequence of events follows as before with the