Patent GB-674572-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to record card controlled statistical apparatus
Filed: 1950-07-19
Abstract: 674,572. Statistical apparatus. BRITISH TABULATING MACHINE CO., Ltd. July 19, 1950 [Aug. 13, 1949], No. 18029/50. Class 106 (i). A record card totaling and reproducing machine having data accumulators, a detail card sensing station, means in said station for controlling said data accumulators, a total card reproducing station, means in said reproducing station under control of card sensing means in said detail card sensing station for reproducing on total cards, totals set up in said accumulators, a card receiving station, means for delivering detail cards from said detail card sensing station to said card receiving station, and means for delivering total cards from said total card reproducing station to said card receiving station. In order to provide a machine capable of sensing and accumulating totals from record cards, and for reproducing total cards showing either major or minor totals, and for thereafter collating the total cards with the detail cards, the machine comprises two main units, a punched card reading unit and a total card punching and checking unit so arranged that punched total cards may be disposed with detail cards or may be directed to a separate card receiving hopper. In Fig. 1 the card reading unit is shown comprising a supply hopper 21 from which cards 22 are fed by a knife 23 in known manner, to feed rolls 24. Thence the cards are fed between sensing brushes 25 and a contact roll 26 of an advance sensing station to second and third feed rolls 27, 28. The cards are then fed between a second set of sensing brushes 29 and associated contact roll 30 of the second sensing station. From this point the cards are fed to clutchcontrolled feed rolls 28a and then into the first pair of a plurality of feed rolls 31 and thence to a receiving hopper 32. The card punching and checking unit consists of a card supply hopper 33 from which cards 34 are fed by a knife 35 to feed rolls 36. The cards are then fed by feed rolls 36 through a die and stripper of a card punch to feed rolls 37 and 38, which latter advance the cards between sensing brushes 39 and associated contact roll 40 of a checking station, feed rolls 41 then carry the cards to a selected one of three card-receiving hoppers 32, 42 or 43. Located between the second and third set of feed rolls 41 from the right of the contact roll 40 as viewed in Figs. 1 and 1A is a pocket selecting mechanism comprising selection shoot blades 44, 45, see also Fig. 3, the leading edge of each resting on a guide surface of armatures 46 and 47 respectively which in turn are operated by the respective magnets 48, 49. The armatures are so arranged that the energization of the magnet 48 will attract its associated armature 46 and lower the leading edge of the shoot blade 44. The energization of the magnets 49 will attract its armature 47 and lower the leading edge of the shoot blade 45 and at the same time the armature 47, because of its overlapping contact with armature 46, will push the armature 46 down and lower the leading edge of the shoot blade 44. On depressing the start key, two card feed cycles occur, in the first a card is fed to the punching station, and in the second, which takes place at the same time, cards are fed into the reading unit, the first card being fed to the second sensing station and the second card to the first sensing station. The data read from the card at the sensing station is stored in an accumulation of the type described in Specification 483,021 and the total cards are punched in the punch unit from the data stored in the accumulator. After punching the total card is fed past the checking station between the contact roll 40 and brushes 39. The amounts punched in the card are checked against the amounts standing in the counters from which the card was punched, the checking operation being accomplished by subtracting from the counter the amount punched in the card, which if correct will return the counter to zero. If the counter is not returned to zero, the machine will stop and a suitable indication will be given. Provision is made for two classes of totals major and minor, the plug connections being as follows: from the two major control field plug hubs 204 (Fig. 7B) to the two left-hand plug hubs 207 (Fig. 7C) and from the two minor control field plug hubs 204 to the two right-hand plug hubs 207. From the two major control field plug hubs 205 (Fig. 7B) to the two left-hand plug hubs 208 and from the two minor control field plug hubs 205 to the two right-hand plug hubs 208. When a major control break occurs two total card punch cycles and related checking cycles ensue. The first punch cycle records the minor total data and the second records the major total data. During the checking cycle of the minor total data a relay will drop out if the punched data is correct. If the punched data is in error the relay will remain energized until an error reset key is pressed. Specification 442,534, [Group VIII], also is referred to.