Patent GB-1291769-A (GB)
Title: Recording machine
IPC: G06K1/20
Filed: 1970-07-13
Abstract: 1291769 Recording and verifying machines INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORP 13 July 1970 [29 July 1969] 33855/70 Heading G4M Characters entered serially from an input device, e.g. a keyboard, are stored and are read from the store to a recording device such as a punch or printer to simultaneously record a character in one location of each of a number of tiers, the locations occupying a common aligned column. The characters may be punched three at a time in aligned columns of a 96- column card having 3 tiers of 32 columns each, or they may be printed in three rows along the top of the card. Memory, Fig. 13c.-A delay line 366, lead 498, shift register 368 (A register) and leads 502, 512 form a recirculating loop for 96 column locations. Each column location in the memory is divided into seven 8-bit character positions, Fig. 4, a data character being stored in one or more of positions KBD (keyboard), PU (punch) and PR (print), while positions P1-P4 are used for programme and other control purposes. Initially a KBD flag is written in position P3-D of each column location via lead 522 and OR gate 514 under control of a master clock. In operation, flag bits and characters can be erased by disabling gate 504, and a character can be duplicated in the adjacent following character position by disabling gate 490 and enabling gate 500 which recirculates the contents of the A register 368. Keyboard entry.-A six-bit, parallel character is fed to an entry register and a search for the KBD flat in column 1 of the memory is initiated. Stage B of the A registers 368 is examined at bit 4 time so that the KBD flag can be identified several bits in advance of the KBD position being wholly located in the A register and logic circuits can be set up to gate the contents of the entry register serially by bit over line 518 and gate 514 as the corresponding bit positions of KBD pass from the A register to the delay line 366. During this operation the column 1 KBD flag is erased at gate 504. Entry of a second character from the keyboard initiates a similar sequence of events with respect to column 2 which is now the first location in a memory cycle to have a KBD flag. Similarly the remaining characters are entered until the column 96 location has been filled. For each character entry a column indicator is advanced by one. With the memory filled, KBD flags are rewritten at position P3-D for each location, and during the same memory cycle that this is taking place, punch flags are written in each column location at P2-D. Punch operation.-The KBD characters are duplicated in the adjacent PU positions as described above and a card is fed from an input stack to be registerd in the punch station against a stop. A seareh for punch flags is started at column 1, and when found, the flag is erased, the column 1 PU character is loaded in parallel from the A register to stages 1-6 of a punch register, and the punch flag search is interrupted until column 32-PR time. The punch flag search is resumed in column 33 and the PU character for that column is loaded in stages 7-12 of the punch register. The punch flag search is again interrupted until column 64-PR time, and the column 65 PU character is loaded into stages 13-18 of the punch register. The contents of the punch register are gated out to operate the punch magnets at the appropriate time in a punch cycle so that the aligned columns 1, 33 and 65 are punched. After advancement of the card by one column by means of first incrementer rolls, a new puch flag search is performed and the PU characters for columns 2, 34 and 66 are loaded in the punch register, the operation being repeated for successive groups of three columns until columns 32, 64 and 96 have been punched. Print operation is generally similar to the punch operation. During a memory cycle, print flags are inserted at P2-C of each column, and subsequently the PU characters are duplicated in the PR positions. Characters for 3 aligned columns are read out as in the punch operation, but using the print flags to identify them, and loaded into an 18-stage print register. The printer has 3 rotating type wheels respective print hammers for which are actuated when the contents of the corresponding section of the print register agree with the contents of a counter which is advanced in synchronism with the typewheels. The card is advanced one column after each group of 3 characters is printed on it. Verify operation.-When a read key is pressed a punched card is fed from the input hopper and is registerd in the punch station. The first increment rolls then advance the card to the read station, each step being counted by a tranport counter. Read flags are then written at P1-C in each column. A subsequent search for read flags, starting at column 1 causes a read serializer to transfer the outputs of the first 6 photodetectors serially into the delay line memory at the PU position of column 1, and subsequently in the same memory cycle the second and third groups of photodetector outputs are transferred to the PU positions of columns 33 and 65. The card is thereafter advanced in steps with data from the 3 aligned columns in each case being transferred to memory until the entire card has been read. The transport counter stops the second increment roll drive when the card has reached a notching station. Using the same source document as was used when the card was punched, a character for column 1 is now entered on the keyboard and is compared with the recycling contents of the A register, the comparator output being gated so.that it is only effective when the column 1 PU character is completely located in the A register. If the characters are different, an error lamp is lit and the keyboard is locked. Second and third keying attempts may be made after manually releasing the keyboard, and if the comparator still indicates disagreement an error flag is written at P3-C in the memory. When the complete record has been keyed a search is made for error flags, and if none are found, a notch is made in the trailing edge of the card to indicate that it has been verified, and the card is advanced to an output stacker.