Patent GB-725566-A (GB)
Title: Record-controlled statistical apparatus, particularly for use in telephone message accounting
IPC: H04M15/38
Filed: 1953-01-28
Abstract: 725,566. Statistical apparatus. WESTERN ELECTRIC CO., Inc. Jan. 28, 1953 [Jan. 29, 1952], No. 2426/63. Class 106 (1). A record-controlled statistical apparatus of the type claimed in Claim 1 of Specification 725,565 operating in response to the sensing of successive record entries on a continuous recording medium to transfer the record entries on to separate cards, comprises an input register for storing the successively sensed record entries, an output register to which the record entries are transferred from the input register for recording on the cards, and a translator interposed between the output register whereby certain of the data of the record entries is translated into a different form, during the transfer of the record entries from the input register to the output register. The apparatus.is particularly adapted for telephone message accounting and provides an improved form of apparatus of the kind described in Specification 725,565, in which two storage registers are alternately rendered operative to store the successively sensed record entries and to transfer them to card-punching means for recording on the cards, the two storage registers being effectively connected in parallel to timecard-punching machine through a translator adapted to translate certain of the data of the record entries into a different form more suitable for recording on the cards. In the apparatus according to this invention, a series arrangement of an input register, a translator, and an output register is utilized. The continuous tape containing the record entries is sensed by a reader in similar manner to that described in Specification 725,565, all the several items of each line being sensed simultaneously, and the several lines (corresponding to a complete entry or transaction) sequentially. The several items appearing in each line are transferred; first to a set of reading relays. Each horizontal line of the tape may have twenty-eight individual positions. The first group of three is called group A, the remaining twenty-five are divided into five groups of five each, i.e. groups B, C, D, E and F, Fig. 85. The items of information perforated in the tape are in accordance with a known " two out of five " code to represent any decimal digit. The five code positions are 0, 1, 2, 4 and 7, two of which are perforated, thus 0 and 1 represents 1; 1 and 2 represents 3, 4 and 7 arbitrarily represents 0. The sixth item of information (group A) may operate on a different code such as " one out of three " or " three out of three " code. Input register.-The input register is divided into as many sections as the maximum number of lines of tape required for a transaction or record entry, e.g. five in the present example. Each section of the input register has a relay corresponding to each reading relay and therefore to each of the positions in a horizontal row of tape. After each line of tape is read by the reader, and transferred to the reading relays, it is next transferred to its particular line or section of the input register, according to its line position on the tape in which it is perforated, each line in sequence, until all of the lines of tape relating to a particular transaction have been read and recorded in the input register. Two checks are operated to ensure that the relays correctly register each entry, first all relays are initially checked to ensure that all are released and a further check is subsequently made to ensure that only two relays in each group are operated. Output register.-The output register as a whole is built up of thirty component registers, a considerable number of which are arranged to receive certain items of information directly as recorded in a corresponding number of groups of relays in the input register. Other information recorded in various groups of relays in the input register is first acted upon by certain groups of switches or relays to change the form of the information as recorded in the input register into a different form, or to add an element of information thereto before it is impressed on the output registers. The operation of the output registers in turn controls the punches of a statistical machine punch of usual form. Tape reader.-The tape reader is of known form, and is fully described in Specification 640,011. Card punch.-The card punch is of known construction, and has a punch for each vertical column. In the arrangement described, all the columns are not required and the punching arrangements may be limited accordingly. The punch is controlled by a rotary emitter which controls the punching of the twelve index positions in succession in discrete steps, the card being stepped into position so that each horizontal row of index position is presented to the punches in turn. Operation.-Reference to Fig. 86 indicates the output registers in a vertical column at the left. Thirty such registers, four indicated individually by rectangles and twenty-six by a single rectangle are connected through the punch control and punch sequence control circuit indicated by a rectangle, and through a cross connection field, so that any register may be flexibly connected to any punch magnet. As a rule a single register will be connected to a single punch, although in certain cases it may be desired to connect a register to two or three punches. An electric motor drives the punch bail eccentric and the emitter, which is a rotary interrupter having 14 positions in a cycle, 12 of which are for the horizontal index positions and two for punch control purposes between successive cards. Each punch control and sequence circuit controls an individual path through the cross connection field to an individual punch magnet. Punch magnets which are energized operate the interposers to draw them into alignment with their respective punches. After the machine has been started, the reading relays are connected permanently to the reader, these relays give an accurate representation of the holes that are punched in the perforated tape by operating from the grounds supplied by the reader pins passing through the perforations. The reading relays pass this information through contacts to the steering circuit, which guides the information to the proper input register relays. The reading relays are also responsible for checking the validity of the reading, i.e. one of three relays in group A or two out of five relays in any of the other groups, only have operated. Before any information can be stored in the input register relays the machine must first clear the splice pattern and leading end tape identity perforations which are not recorded in the input register. The steering circuit, Figs. 8-12, is conditioned to steer the information of the first call line on the tap by operation of relay SR1. As soon as the first line of the call is encountered it will be steered into the input register for the first line of the call. On the next, the reader break contacts open, breaking the hold circuit of relay SR and relay SR2 is operated. Relay SR2 steers the next line of the tape into the second line input register. When the reader make contact opens, it releases relay SR2 and operates SR3 and the same procedure is followed for all five lines of the tape record entry. The proper tape index relays are operated throughout the moving of a particular tape, and together with the class translator uses information derived from the automatic message accounting tape to form a distinguishing number for each type of detail call called the AMA Class. In addition these circuits provide a signal to indicate to the output the number of cards to be punched for a particular call, and also indicate whether a detail call is to be punched with a " charge " or " no charge " perforation. The card employed is a known type with a two-hole code for letters. It comprises 80 columns, Fig. 89, with twelve index points in each column. Numerals 0-9 are punched in index position and letters are punched according to the known two hole code.