Patent GB-771668-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus and method for automatic selection of one from a number of similar records
IPC: G07C9/00
Filed: 1955-12-02
Abstract: 771,668. Statistical apparatus. STANDARD TELEPHONES & CABLES, Ltd. Dec. 2, 1955 [Dec. 8, 1954], No. 34569/55. Class 106 (1). Apparatus for selecting automatically a particular record from a multiplicity of similar records under the control of a controlling member bearing coded indicia comprises a film on which the records are recorded in numerical order each having a coded representation of the number, a projector for the film for sequentially projecting the records on a screen, first sensing means for reading the coded indicia on the controlling member and a first registering means for registering this indicia, second sensing means for scanning the coded number on the film, second registering means registering this coded number, means for comparing the coded indicia in the first registering means with the coded number in the second registering means and means for stopping the film projector when correspondence exists between them. The apparatus as described is for use in verifying the signatures on bank cheques. The cheques are enclosed in transparent jackets 1, Fig. 5, each of which carries a magnetizable strip 2 bearing the number of the account on which the cheque is drawn. Specimen signature cards, Fig. 2, are provided with an area upon which the account number is represented by perforations or blacked-out spots. These cards are photographed in numerical order on a film and the code area is sensed photo-electrically. The cards are projected in turn on a viewing screen 7 as the film is run through the projector. The number recorded on the code strip on the cheque jacket is read by magnetic reading heads as the jacket is moved from the stack position (Fig. 5) into viewing position under the screen 7. The film is driven until the frame having this number is shown on the screen and is then stopped. The signatures are then visually compared by the operator and the jacketed cheque ejected. The process is repeated until the signatures of all cheques are verified. The magnetic strip 2 has two tracks, a code track A with the account number recorded in binary code followed by a stop signal and a counter track B from which is derived a series of impulses for timing the operation of the circuits. The account number may have four digits and is represented on the code track by four groups of four binary signals. The groups represent thousands, hundreds, tens and units and the binary values of the digits in each denomination are recorded sequentially. Thus with a fifth group (the stop signal) each code track carries a string of 20 bits. The counter track carries a string of 20 bits alternating plus and minus to provide 20 timing pulses. As shown in Fig. 1 the code track is read by a magnetic head RH1 and the signal is fed through circuits to provide positive and negative bias signals + P and - N corresponding to the encoding on the strip 2. The counter track is read by heads RH2 and the signal is passed through circuits to provide change-over pulses C at the beginning of each code bit and mid-pulses M and the middle of each code bit. The positive and negative bias signals and the change-over pulses C and midpulses M are applied to a shifting register SR comprising two columns of 20 valves on which the four digits of the account number and the stop signal are recorded in binary form. When the stop signal is received by the register SR the account number stored therein is transferred to a jacket numerical marker JNM where it is recorded in decimal form on four columns of ten valves, for thousands, hundreds, tens, units, NTH, NH, NT, NU. The receipt of the stop signal in the register SR also causes the control circuit CC to start a motor 14 to drive the film projector at high speed to find the frame of the first account cards, the thousands digit of which is the same as the thousands digit of the account number of the jacketed cheque being verified. The film passes four photo-cells P1-P4 constituting a reading head for the coded number on the frames. The outputs from these cells are fed to a read-out register RR comprising two columns of 4 valves FA, FB in which the four digits of the account number of the frames are successively read out in binary form and transferred in decimal form digit by digit in a frame marker FM comprising four columns of ten valves FTH, FH, FT, FU, one for each digit. The output from a fifth photo-cell P5 is passed through circuits to provide three sets of timed pulses A, B and R which are used to control the operation of the control circuit CC, the readout register RR and frame marker FM. The A pulses control the transfer of digits registered in RR to the correct column of marker FM and the R pulses initiate the resetting of the register after each binary digit level has been scanned. As the account number of each frame is recorded in the frame marker FM the thousands digit recorded therein is compared in the control circuit CC with the thousands digit encoded on the cheque jacket and recorded in the jacket numeral marker JNM. The control circuit comprises thousands, hundreds, tens and units comparing or " found " valves. These valves are controlled by " and " gate connections to the markers so that when the first frame arrives of which the thousands digit is equal to the thousands digit of the jacketed cheque being verified, valve TH fires. This causes de-energization of a high-speed relay HSR which removes a shunt from the resistance R1 in the circuit of a speed clutch MC interposed between the motor 14 and projector 15. The projector now runs at medium speed until the correct hundreds digit comes up on the film frames. The valve HU then fires and speed relay MSR is de-energized so that a shunt for resistance R2 is removed and the projector runs at low speed. When the tens digit is found the valve TN fires, deenergizes relay LSR and removes shunt from resistance R3 so that projector runs at slow speed. When the units digit is found the valve UN fires and relay UR is energized which closes the circuit of a magnetic brake BC operable on the drive shaft between the motor 14 and projector 15. The projector is thereby stopped showing on the viewing screen the correct account card so that the signature on the cheque can be checked by visual comparison by the operator.