Patent GB-586596-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to record card controlled accounting machines
IPC: B41L45/00
Filed: 1943-11-25
Abstract: 586,596. Statistical - machines; transfer mechanism; zeroizing mechanism. BRITISH TABULATING MACHINE CO., Ltd. Nov. 25, 1943, No. 19692. Convention date, Nov. 28, 1942. [Class 106 (i)] [Also in Group XXXVII] Various operations to be performed on data entered into a record-card controlled machine are controlled by a control device (called a " programme device ") which is automatically moved in successive cycles of the machine into a succession of different positions in each of which it causes one or more of the said oporations to bo carried out. The operations concerned include total and subtotal taking and transmitting amounts from one totalizer to another. In the form described, the programme device comprises a drum to which is attached a programme sheet perforated in accordance with the sequence of operations to be performed. Each ordinary record card has perforations representing a "group number," the programme device being automatically brought into operation and the card feed suspended when this number changes. The programme device then moves through a number of steps at each of which it controls the machine to perform one or more of the said operations. At the end of the sequence of operations, the programme device returns to its initial position and normal card feeding and entering operations are resumed. Record cards. Two types, item cards and two so-called " heading cards " are provided in each group of cards relating to each account or class of related items. The heading cards are fed through the machine at the beginning of each group and _control letter printing, each card field being divided into two halves. There are four sensing stations and one line of printing is derived from one half of a heading card at the second station and another line from the other half at the fourth station. Each card (item or heading) has 80 columns each containing ten digit positions and two (11 and 12) positions for so-called " zone control " and " X control " perforations respectively. Each heading card is identified as such by the presence of a perforation at the " 6 " position in the first column. Card feed. A pinion 115, Fig. 9, on the main shaft 100 drives a gear train 170, 171, 174, 175 mounted in a cradle 173 free on the shaft, the last gear 175 driving a clutch disc 179, Fig. 7, clutched to a pinion 181 when a magnet CFC is energized to release clutch dogs 183 pivoted to the pinion 181. The cradle 173 is periodically rocked by a -cam (not shown in Fig. 9) so that the pinion 181, driving the card feed devices, is accelerated by the planetary action of the gears on the cradle and is later retarded to slow down the card feed during the sensing operation. Card-sensing devices. The four sets of brushes for the four sensing stations A, B, C, D, Figs. 5 and 49c, are connected through a switch bar 341, reciprocated by a cam 339 to close contacts 348-349, 348-351 or contacts 348-350, 348-352, whereby either the brushes at A and C or those at B and D are put in circuit. Brushes at A and C sense the zone control and heading-card identifying perforations only ; those at B and D sense the digit perforations. Card-controlled impulses from A and B are transmitted to a plug .socket 1207 and those from C and D to a plug socket 1216, 1211 which may be plugged to printing magnets. In order that one line of printing may be derived from columns 2-40 of a card at station B and the next line from columns 41-80 of the same card later at station D, brushes 2-40 of station B are also connected to holes 2/41 ... 40/80 of the plug socket 1216 when brush-switch contacts 362 are closed. When these contacts are opened, brushes 41-80 of station D are connected to the same holes 2/41 ... 40/80 of the plug socket 1216. The contacts 362 are operated as described below when a heading card is passing through the machine. Control by heading cards. Sorting heading cards. A heading card is detected by the passage of the identifying perforation therein beneath the first column brush at station A. The resulting impulse energizes picker clutch magnet H, Fig. 7, to release a latch 241 into the path of clutch dogs 233, 234 whereby the card picker shaft 229 is declutched from its driving gear 228 and picking of cards from the hopper is suspended. The latch 241 also causes the energization of a magnet BSW, Fig. 37, controlling the brush switch contacts 362 so that these are closed to put printing under control of brushes 2-10 at station B. Magnet BSW unlatches a switching slide 374 which moves down under the control of a cam 363 to close the contacts 362 and open contacts 361, the slide being later restored by the cam 363 (see Group XXXVII). Contacts 1151, Fig. 49c, are opened to disconnect brushes 2-40 of station D. After printing at station B, the heading card passes to C where the identifying perforation causes energization of a relay R4, Fig: 49b, to energize a plug socket 1231 plugged to plug sockets 1232 or 1233 to energize magnets HZ or LZ controlling universal zero printing or zero printing to the left respectively. At. station D the heading card identifying perforation causes the energization of a magnet 0, Fig. 5, which projects a deflector 325 into the path of the card being carried by a stacker drum S and causes this (heading) card to be deposited in a receiver 322. Item cards are carried by the stacker drum to a receiver 332, since the magnet O is not energized during the passage of such cards. Controlling machine functions.- Control impulses originated by cam-operated contacts CF10, Fig. 49d, are fed to a function-control plug socket 1267 and thence by plug wires to various plug sockets connected to control circuits. Control by " X hole " perforation. Various functions of the machine (e.g., adding, subtracting, listing) can be controlled by the presence of an " X " hole in the " 12 " position in certain columns. When such a hole is sensed at station A, an impulse is sent to plug socket 1207 and thence via a plug wire to a socket 1253, Fig. 49a, and through contacts 1136 closed by a cam while the " 1 " and " 12 " card positions are being sensed, to a pick-up magnet XIP the contacts XIPb of which are in the circuit of a relay XIH. Function-controlling impulses normally pass from a plug socket 1260 to a plug socket 1262. Operation of the relay XIH switches these impulses to a plug socket- 1261 plugged to different controls from those connected to the socket 1262, the machine functions thus being varied. Control by digit perforation. Machine functions can also be controlled by the presence of a perforation representing a chosen digit in a predetermined column. The corresponding socket 1207 is plugged to a plug socket 1264, Fig. 49a, connected to a commutator 1125 plugged, at the chosen digit position (e.g. " 4 ") to a plug socket 1265 in circuit with the pick-up magnet XIP. This is thus operated to change the control circuits as described above. Arranging for control to be exercised over a plurality of circuits. Four " selector magnets " SEMI ... SEM4, Fig, 49b, are provided. These are energized either by the programme device described below or by control impulses controlled by " X " holes or by digit holes, as described above. For the latter purpose, a wire is plugged from a plug socket 1262 to a plug socket 1266. Each of ten plug sockets 1273 is normally connected to one of ten plug sockets 1272. The operation of selector magnet SEMI changes these connections to plug sockets 1271 to switch over impulses received at plug sockets 1273 from paths connected to plug sockets 1272 to paths connected to plug sockets 1271. Each selector magnet controls a group of ten plug sockets 1271, 1272, 1273. Control by change in card group number. Each card has perforations representing a group number. These are sensed at station B to convey impulses to plug sockets 1207 plugged to plug sockets in the circuits of magnets GC, each actuating a lever 960, Fig. 35, to move a cam 966 thereon into the path of pins 953 slidable in a rotary disc 947 whereupon the next following pin is moved to protruding position. As the disc rotates, the protruded pin closes contacts GCb and, one cycle later, GCc. If the group number has not been changed on the next card, a second pin will have been protruded at the same point in the second cycle and will close contacts GCb at the same time as the first pin closes contacts GCc. If, however, the group number changes, the second pin will be protruded at a different point and contacts GCb, GCc will not be closed simultaneously. A circuit will then be established from a line 1278, Fig. 49b, to a socket 1280. The socket 1280 may be plugged to " major," " intermediate " or " minor " control magnets MA, INT, MI which put into operation the programme device described below. This device then takes control for a number of cycles and causes the machine to perform total and subtotal taking and various other operations. Control by programme device. This device comprises a sheet PG, Fig. 49b, perforated in accordance with the kind of control required and placed on a drum 998 to co-operate with programme brushes 1017. The brushes are carried in a holder 1020, Fig. 28, pivoted about the drum axis 997 to move into any one of five positions. The drum is then moved step-bystep through nine or fewer steps to complete in turn a corresponding number of groups of control circuits. The differential positioning of the programme brushes 1017 is effected by the major, intermediate and minor control magnets MA, INT, MI, energized as described above (if the plug board is so set up) when a change in card-group number occurs. The said brushes are also positioned by " progressive total " and " final total " keys in the circuits of corresponding control magents PROG and FI, Fig. 49b. Each control magnet protrudes a corresponding stop 25a, ... 29a, Fig. 28, into the path of stops 1025 ... 1029 on the brush holder 1020. The magnets also clo