Patent GB-444072-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to machines for verifying perforated records
IPC: G06K5/00
Filed: 1934-09-12
Abstract: 444,072. Verifying perforated records. BRITISH TABULATING MACHINE CO., Ltd., Victoria House, Vernon Place, Southampton Row, London. Sept. 12, 1934, No. 26224. Convention date, Sept. 13, 1933. [Class 106 (i)] A verifying-machine includes light sensitive means (cell 13), a lamp 14 transmitting light through record holes on to the light sensitive means, key-operated means (shutters 40) for cutting off light through holes in selected positions and indicating means controlled by the light sensitive means to indicate that the intensity of light on the latter means has been reduced or is a minimum. A perforated card is verified column by column. When a shutter key 46 is depressed, a lamp 62 is lit. If the hole is correctly positioned, lamp 62 goes out and a magnet 32 is energized to allow the card carriage to escape one column. This escape means and/or the lamp constitute the indicating means above. Card 10 is carried by carriage 15 between pusher 11 and forward guide 12. The carriage tends to move to the left, Fig. 1, under the action of a spring barrel 19 but this is prevented by pawl escapement mechanism coacting with teeth 22 on the carriage. The card is positioned with its first column of hole positions in line with lamp 14 and cell 13. The lamp filament and the cell are long enough to act in common for all the hole positions of the column and the arrangement shown is adapted for verifying not more than one hole in a column. When one of twelve keys 46 is depressed to close contacts 47, the energized magnet 33 lowers the armature lever 35, Fig. 1, about its pivot 36, and depresses a plunger 37 : the latter closes contacts 37a and rocks bell-crank 38 which, through pin-and-slot connection 39, moves the corresponding shutter 40 to the left so that its forward end blocks the light from lamp 14 at the corresponding card-hole position. To hold the shutter to the left a latch 41 on it snaps on to an arm on the shaft 23 of the escapement pawl mechanism. If the verification is correct, magnet 32 is energized as described below, and through linkage 31, 30, 29, 28 rocks the shaft 23 counterclockwise ; the latter thereby (1) actuates the escapement to allow the card-carriage to escape one card column and (2) releases latch 41 so that spring 43 returns the shutter 40 to the right. Circuit diagram. A thermionic valve 51 is directly coupled to cell 13 and adjusted to energize a magnet 53 in its plate circuit when light from extraneous sources only, e.g. through the machine casing, falls on cell 13. A thermionic valve 52 is coupled to cell 13 through condenser 81 and, independently of the total amount of light falling on cell 13, energizes a magnet 54 momentarily only when the amount of light on the cell is reduced. When the verification is correct-e.g. if light passes through a card hole on to the cell and the corresponding key 46 and shutter 40 are actuated to reduce the light on cell 13 to a minimum-magnets 53 and 54 are both energized and close their contacts 53<a>, 54<a> to energize a coil 55. The latter closes contacts 66<a> to hold itself energized and closes contacts 55b to energize the escape magnet 32. The latter releases the card carriage, and the latched shutter and, by opening contacts 45, Figs. 1 and 5, de-energizes the coil 55. When a key 46 is depressed and closes contacts 47, a coil 57 is energized over a circuit 48, 33, 47, 46, 59, 60, 56b, 57, 49 and closes contacts 57<b> to light the lamp 62. If the verification be correct, magnets 53, 54 close contacts 53b, 54b to energize a coil 56 which opens its contacts 56b. This de-energizes the relay 57 which opens contacts 57b to extinguish the lamp 62. If a card column be correctly blank, the light on cell 13 is a minimum and relay 53 is energized. No shutter is moved since no key 46 is depressed and so the light falling on the cell is not reduced and relay 54 remains deenergized. For blank columns the operator presses key 73 and relay 55 is energized over a circuit 49, 53<a>, 74, 55, 45, 48. To skip a number of successive blank columns, switch 75 may be closed. If the verification discloses an error in the card, key 70 is depressed to open the circuit of relay 57 and extinguish lamp 62 and key 71 is depressed to energize the escape magnet 32 which unlocks any latched shutters. Keys 46 are arranged for remote control, and are in a separate keyboard connected to the verifying machine only by wires. The keys 46, contacts 47, and magnets 33 may, however, be omitted and buttons may be provided on the tops of plungers 37.