Patent GB-742142-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to record card controlled statistical machines
Inventor: WILDY RONALD GORDON
Filed: 1953-06-12
Abstract: 742,142. Statistical apparatus. POWERSSAMAS ACCOUNTING MACHINES, Ltd. June 1, 1954 [June 12, 1953], No. 16302/53. Class 106 (1). A record card controlled machine in which alternate impression receiving and data bearing cards are fed in succession from the input to the output ends of the machine and in which imprinting mechanism is operable in timed relation with the card-feeding means to imprint on an impression receiving card, Fig. 1, an impression of data sensed from a data-bearing card, Fig. 2, is characterized in that a card stop is provided which is selectively movable to locate an impression receiving card in a line position thereof, and a card stop control means is provided under control of an impression receiving card selectively to position the card stop and assist the impression receiving card in the appropriate line-imprinting position thereof. The cards are placed alternately in a magazine, not shown, of known machine and fed past sensing means in the usual manner. Assuming that the first line of printing has been effected and it is desired automatically to position the card stop 42, Fig. 6, to assist the impression receiving card in the second line imprinting position 45, Fig. 1, the card will prior to its insertion in the machine be provided with a perforation 46 in the interstage position at which the second line of imprinting is to be effected. This perforation is sensed by the sensing pin 14 at the extreme left as viewed in Fig. 3 so that the stop 21 next to the permanently active stop 21 is raised. Thus, when the racks 38 are released the abutment 41 will advance only until it is arrested by the stop 21 which is second from the right as viewed in Fig. 3 and the card stop 42 will be positioned to locate the impression receiving card in the second line imprinting position 45, to receive an impression of data sensed from the next succeeding card. By providing a succession of holes 46, as shown in Fig. 1, each hole being produced only after a line has been printed, the position at which the impression receiving card is arrested each time it is fed through the machine can be automatically determined. Thus in Fig. 1, the hole 46a indicates that imprinting is to be effected in the fourth line position during the next passage of the card through the machine. The rack 38 which co-operates with the column of stops 21 conditioned by the sensing pins 14 also co-operates with a toothed member 37 which meshes with a gear wheel 36, the gear wheel 36 is integral with a sprocket 35 to which is secured a further sprocket 47, Fig. 3, the drive from which is taken to a toothed sector 54, Fig. 6, in mesh with a toothed rack 55 secured to a carriage 56 by which the card stop 42 is supported. The type wheels 33 are aligned in known manner by an aligner bar 62 common to all type wheels. A punch 69, Fig. 12, co-operating with a die 70 is provided for punching the hole 46 simultaneously with the printing operation. The punch is so positioned in relation to the striking bars 43 that the perforation formed by the punch is located in the next line position as illustrated at 46a on the card shown in Fig. 1. The punch 69 is supplied on an arm 71 pivoted at 72 and connected to a fork 73 which is fixed to the end of a strap 74 of an eccentric 75 freely mounted on a shaft 76 and connected with a plate 77. The plate 77 has a pawl 78 pivoted at 79 and urged by a spring 80 towards the teeth of a continuously driven member 81. The pawl 78 has a tail 82 normally latched as shown in Fig. 12. When the hammer-firing shaft 61 is rocked clockwise as viewed in Fig. 3 to release the hammers 59, the actuator arm 93 is also moved clockwise thereby engaging the abutment 93 and moving the link 91 to the right as viewed in Fig. 3, thus rocking spindle 85 counter-clockwise so that the first latch member 83 is also moved counter-clockwise that of the path of the tail 82 of the pawl 78 When the latch member 83 is removed from the tail 82 the pawl 78 is urged by its spring 80 into engagement with a tooth of the wheel 81 so that plate 77 and eccentric 75 are rotated to effect rocking of arm 71 which depresses punch 69. A cut-out device is provided which comprises a lever 102 which when depressed causes the abutment 92 on link 91 to be raised to a position where it cannot be engaged by the actuating arm 93 so that the punch 69 is not operated when the hammer firing shaft 61 is actuated. The punch may be replaced by a member suitable for marking a mark on the card if other sensing means is to be employed, e.g. magnetic or photo-electric means.