Patent GB-675183-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to record card sensing apparatus
Filed: 1948-08-11
Abstract: 675,183. Statistical apparatus. BRITISH TABULATING MACHINE CO., Ltd. Aug. 11, 1948 [Aug. 14, 1947], No. 21220/48. Class 106 (i). In an apparatus for sensing a record card in which a datum is represented by one or more holes in index positions in a card column, the holes are sensed by a row of spring-pressed pins, one for each index position, which are moved against the card so that, where there is a hole in the related position, the pin passes through the card into an operative position, and a contact member is passed successively over the heads of the pins and moves to cause electric contacts to close whenever it passes over a pin in the operative position. In the apparatus described, the contact member is a pivoted spring-pressed lever 400, Figs. 6 and 6a, which engages a contact strip 407 whenever the part 402 is over a depressed pin corresponding to a card hole. Two card-sensing stations are provided, each comprising a complete set of pins for the card, Fig. 1, which is fed from a magazine M successively through the stations to a stacker comprising a drum SD. The stacker frame, and a frame 395, Fig. 2, carrying the sensing pins and associated mechanism, together with the magazine frame 55, are hinged to the fixed frame 27 carrying the main driving mechanism, to facilitate access to the card-feeding mechanism. The card sensing in the second station may be used to control an accumulator &c. and successive cards are sensed simultaneously in the two stations to compare their " group numbers," by an electrical control circuit described below. Operating mechanism. The main shaft 112, Fig. 3, and a secondary shaft 117, continuously driven through gearing 110, 111, correspond to the two sensing stations and each comprise two cam-carrying drums such as 140 which are engaged with the shaft by one - revolution magnet - operated clutches. One clutch, FG or RG, is for movement of the card stop or gate, and the other, FP or RP, for the movement of the sensing pins against the card. The rear gate clutch drum 125 is geared to the stacker drum SD so that this drum is rotated whenever a card is fed from the second sensing station. When the clutch magnet, such as FG, Fig. 6b, is energized, it attracts an armature 358, thus allowing limited clockwise movement of a spring-urged lever 361 pivoted on a shaft 353 so that its hook 362 is disengaged from a spring-urged pawl 363 pivoted to the clutch drum, such as 140. The pawl then engages the single-toothed disc 368 secured to the shaft 112, thus connecting the drum to the shaft. As the drum rotates, a cam 377 rocks an arm 375 thus pulling by a spring 379 an arm 373 having a portion 374 overlying the lever 361 which is thus returned to engage the pawl 363 and stop the drum after a single revolution. The armature 358 is positively restored by a bell-crank 385 operated by lever 361. Various contact-operating cams are driven either continuously (cam 118) or through one of the clutches (cams PC). Each of these cams (544, Fig. 6b) is adjustably mounted on its shaft and adjustably carries a secondary cam 545. A rise on cam 544 engages a plunger 550 to close the contacts 548 which are then held by a latch 553 engaging a shoulder on the plunger until a point on cam 545 engages a projection 555 to raise the latch. Record card. The card is as described in Specification 21219/48 (open to inspection under Sect. 91) and comprises three sections or decks A, B, C, Fig. 1, each comprising sixty columns of seven index positions and each column representing a digit, letter or other character by holes, as shown. Card feed. The cards 3 are fed successively from the bottom of the magazine M, Fig. 6a, whose frame 55 is secured between the pivoted plates 39 of the sensing frame 395, by picker knives 245 (only one shown) secured to slides 243 which are reciprocated by gear sectors 265 fixed to a shaft 266 connected by linkwork to a lever 273, Fig. 6b, which is rocked by cams 142, 143 on the clutch drum 140. Each card passes between an adjustable plate 56 and a roller 279, and positively-driven feed-rollers 174, 176 to the first sensing station U where it is stopped by a gate 310 with its holes registering with perforations in a supporting plate 315. The card is then engaged between lower driven rollers such as 191 and upper idler rollers which are angularly set to direct one edge of the card against an aligning side rail. The gate 310 and a gate 311, Fig. 6, for the second similar sensing station L, are each supported for approximately vertical movement by a linkwork including arms 331 pivoted on a fixed bolt 330 and arms 337, spring- urged upwards, secured to a shaft 338. The shafts 338 also carry arms 342 which are rocked by clutch-driven cams 141, 141<SP>1</SP>, Fig. 3, for the front and rear gate respectively. When the gate 310 is lowered, the card is passed to the sensing station L and, when it is released by the gate 311, it is guided by a curved plate 559 to the stacker drum SD. Card-stacking mechanism. The stacker drum SD, Figs. 3 and 6, is rotated on shaft 63 through 180 degrees for each revolution of the rear gate clutch drum 125, and carries longitudinallymovable rods 563 on which clip-carrying arms 570 are fixed, and urged towards card-supporting pads 568. The clips are rocked away from the pads for entry and release of the card by fixed cams (not shown) which rock follower arms fixed to rods 563. The bottom plate 73 of a stacking frame projects into the path of the card to disengage it from the drum, the cards being stacked in the frame until a hook on the weight 71 engages a tooth on a lever 606, Fig. 2, when a switch 87 is operated to stop the apparatus. After the cards are removed, the lever is rocked to release the weight by a key 603. The frame is pivoted on the shaft 63 and comprises a depressed key-releasable latch 78 engaging a shoulder on the magazine frame 55 and associated with a switch which prevents operations if the stacking frame is swung out of the normal position. The stacking frame cannot be returned to normal without the sensing frame due to wings 100 which are engaged by levers 92 as described below. Special cards may be off-set in the stacking frame by energization of a magnet OS as the result of sensing a special perforation. The magnet attracts an armature to release the arm 585 of a lever 586 to lower a cam 590 into the path of a roller on the current operative rod-563, thus moving it transversely relative to the stacking frame together with the clip-carrying arms 570 and the card. The cam 590 and rod 563 are subsequently restored by a plate on the shaft 63 and a stationary cam respectively. Sensing mechanism. The sensing pins 398, Figs. 6 and 6a, levers 400 and contactstrips 407 are carried in a frame 395 secured to plates 50, Fig. 2, secured by electrically - insulated rivets to plates 39 pivotally mounted on pins 40. Before this frame can be swung upwards with the assistance of springs 43 to obtain access to the card-feeding mechanism, levers 92 must be rocked, thus rotating and withdrawing bolts which normally engage electrically-insulated bushings (not shown) in the frame 395, and have helical slots engaged by fixed pins. The levers then lie in the path of the wings 100 on the stacking frame to prevent its return movement. At each sensing station, Figs. 6 and 6a, there are three groups of pins 398 corresponding to the index positions in the three decks of the card, Fig. 1, and, corresponding to deck B, there is an extra row of seven pins, co-operating with an extra lever 400 and contact-strip 407, for detecting presence of a card. The pins at each station are carried by a frame 431 or 451 secured to rods 429 or 453 guided in sleeves 428 or 454 fixed to frame 395, and spring-pressed against rollers on arms 446 or 461 secured to a shaft (not shown) or a sleeve 456, rocked by a cam 154 or 157 respectively, Fig. 3, on the drum of clutch FP or RP (see second line of Fig. 18). The levers 400, of which there is one line for every group of pins plus an extra line at station L (for the purpose described below under " Entry into the accumulator "), are mounted in a common frame which is reciprocated horizontally with a non-uniform motion (see third and fourth lines, Fig. 18) across the heads of the pins. The levers ride on plates such as 418 between the sets of pins. Each line of levers is pivoted and guided in slots in a comb 467 secured at its ends to L-bars of the common frame. These L-bars carry rollers (not shown), guided by rails on the frame 395, and U-shaped members 489, Fig. 2, which are engaged by rollers on arms 497 secured to a shaft 457 which is rocked by main shaft cams 162, 163, Fig. 3, through an adjustable operating lever (not shown). An additional bolt-and-slot adjustment is provided between the cams 162, 163 and the gear 111. The contact strips 407, one line for every group of pins, are carried by insulation sheets 409 mounted in comb bars such as 530, Fig. 6a, secured to the frame 395, and have staggered terminal prongs 408. Accumulator. This comprises clutch mechanism as described in Specification 636,967 for connecting each numeral wheel 724, Fig. 16, to the continuously-rotating shaft 713 geared to the card feed rollers. The clutch is engaged by energizing a magnet AM to rotate a lever 721, and is disengaged either by a magnet SM or by a pin 751, 752 or 753 on the driving gear 714 returning the lever 721 to the normal position shown. A cam on the wheel 724 causes a carry contact blade 739 to engage contacts 740 and 741 in the 0 and 9 positions respectively. The entry of items is described below. Operation. An operating circuit is described and shown comprising cam-operated contacts and relays controlled by the switches which indicate that the stacker and sensing frames are in proper position and that the stacker frame is not full of cards. Other control switches are associated with a feeler (not