Patent GB-344898-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to apparatus for sorting, and counting from, statisticalrecord-cards
Filed: 1929-12-13
Abstract: 344,898. Statistical apparatus. CAMPBELL, C. and BRITISH TABULATING MACHINE CO., Ltd., Victoria House, Vernon Place, Southampton Row, London. Dec. 13, 1929, No. 38305. [Class 106 (i).] Sorting cards ; counting number of cards.-Recordcard - controlled statistical apparatus comprising (1) means for sorting the cards into a plurality of cardboxes, and (2) units counters actuated from anv desired column or columns of the cards, is provided with means which, when a card-box is full, automatically causes the cards to pass to the next box in the series. (1) and (2) above are separate machines which operate jointly and are generally similar to the apparatus described in Specification 300,909, [Class 106 (i), Calculating &c.]. Sorting may proceed on one card-column, whilst the units counters are actuated from another column. When the sorting brush reaches a cardhole it energizes a magnet 29 at a differential time to lower an armature 21 and all blades 23 in front of the card in the known manner, so that the card is sorted to the correct box. As a box becomes full, its shelf 43 is lowered against spring 46 until it rocks a bell crank 48, 51 to open the normally closed contact 52 and close contacts 53. The bell cranks for all the boxes are loosely mounted on a common shaft 49 to actuate their individual contacts 52, 53. With the switch 27, Fig. 5, in the dotted position, the brush 18 controls the sorting of cards through the sorting magnet 29 as above stated (magnet 28 closes contacts 30 for a holding circuit 32), whilst the brush 18<1> coacts with the commutator 34 to energize the magnet 33 of the correct units counter. When the brush 18<1> reaches a hole a magnet 39 is also energized to remove a latch 40 and open the circuit at 36 so that a second units counter cannot be energized ; e.g. the magnet 33R for the reject box would be actuated when the brush leaves the trailing edge of the card and meets the contact roller 19. 33<1> is the magnet of a grand total counter. With switch 27 in full line position, the sorting brush 18 is eliminated and all the cards go into the reject box R until the latter is full. Thereafter the cards pass to box 12, then to box 11, &c., under control of the automatic mechanism 52, 53, 64, &c. Contacts 57a, 58a for motor 10 are closed by relays 57, 58 in a circuit 55, start key 54, 56, 57, 58. Magnet 56 closes contacts 56a in series with all the box contacts 52. Switch 60 is open for sorting in the ordinary way (brush 18) so that as soon as any box is full, its opened contacts 52 open the circuit and stop the machine. For counting only, switch 60 is closed so that not until the full-box control has passed to the the last box 9 (contacts 52a) is the machine stopped. 59 are card-lever contacts. The brush 64 rotates over the segments 9, 8, 7, &c., at the 9, 8, 7, &c., time in the card cycle ; however, the reject box contacts 53 are connected to the " 12 " segment, the " 12 " box contacts 53 are connected to the " 11 " segment and so on. Hence, when the reject box is full, its contacts 52 open and contacts 53 close to render the " 12 " segment live. Thus at the " 12 " time in the cycle, the sorting magnet 29 will be energized to pass the cards to the " 12 " box. When the " 12 " box is full its contacts 53 render the " 11 " segment live to pass cards to the " 11 " box and so on until contacts 59 open through lack of cards or the " 9 " box is full and opens contacts 52a.