Patent GB-867293-A (GB)
Title: Record card feeding device
IPC: G06K13/02
Filed: 1959-10-14
Abstract: 867,293. Feeding and delivering sheets. NATIONAL CASH REGISTER CO. Oct. 14, 1959 [Oct.30, 1958), No. 34763/59. Class 100(1) Apparatus for feeding record cards from a stack to an accounting machine comprises a normally ineffective separator device for advancing the cards from the stack into engagement with constantly rotating feed rollers, a control device operable to render the separator effective to advance the cards, and disabling means actuated by the card itself, when the latter has been fed into engagement with the rollers, to disable the control device so as to terminate the effectivity of the separator. The feeding apparatus is removably coupled to an accounting machine and has its own driving and pneumatic mechanism, and each card fed to the machine is fed out again and delivered to one of two bins 44, 45 on the feeder. The electrical controls of the feeding apparatus are associated with those of the accounting machine, and can be set to suit the type of operation on the cards. The cards are perforated at their leading edges for engagement by feeder means in the accounting machine, and have magnetic data thereon. Pile tables:-The stack of record cards 33 is supported on a table 60 provided with rollers guided for vertical sliding in rails 66, and having toothed racks engaged by pinions 69 driven periodically by a pawl and ratchet drive whereby the table 60 may be raised automatically. A plate 76 carrying the driving pawl is pivoted to a pitman 97 adapted to be reciprocated horizontally to the right (Fig. 4) by a cam on a motordriven shaft 94, and to the left by a return spring 98. An arm 104 secured to a shaft 105 can be rocked by a vertical lever 107 so that an abutment on the arm can engage a stop 100 on the pitman 97 and prevent movement of the latter to the left by the spring 98, and thus render the ratchet drive of the table 60 inoperative. This occurs when a feeler 110a resting on the top of the stack of cards 33 is raised sufficiently to rock a shaft 109 clockwise and raise the lever 107. The table 60 can be raised or lowered by turning a hand-crank 83, and the table can be released from the ratchet drive by depressing a lever 111, so that it can be raised or lowered quickly by hand. The drive to the table 60 is derived from a motor 47, belt and pulleys 86, 87, 85, and gearing. Card separation and forwarding:-Streams of compressed air from two perforated tubes 131, 132 are constantly directed towards the top edge of the card stack to raise the top card 33a into contact with two constantly rotating wheels 134 which are perforated and provided with fixed suction chambers communicating with a vacuum pump driven by a motor 49. The establishment of suction at the wheels 134 is controlled by a valve 159, Fig. 2, and when a card is separated by the suction wheels it is directed by guides 202 through a gap between two members 195, 197, adjusted so that only one card can pass therethrough. The card is then fed over supporting bars by two driven rollers 175, 176 and idler rollers 177, 178, the leading edge of the card moving feelers which actuate two switches (205, 206, not shown) arranged between the rollers 175, 176. The card is then passed between a pair of pivoted guide plates 218, 221 into an accounting machine 32, the plate 221 being supported by a lug 223 on the table 224 of the machine, and itself supporting the plate 218 The card enters the machine 32, is gripped therein by a rack-and-pinion reciprocating means, and passed over a number of magnetic heads which perform known operations according to the magnetised material on the card. The card is then fed out of the machine back to the feeding apparatus. A control board on the feeding apparatus for controlling the feeding and delivery of the cards has electric circuits associated with the circuits of machine 32, and settable to suit the kind of operation to be performed by that machine. In operation, with the suction established at the rotating separator wheels 134, a card is fed between the feed rollers 175, 177, the leading edge of the card then operates the first switch causing the valve 159 to cut off suction at the wheels 134, and later operates the second switch to' condition the machine 32. The valve 159 is opened to allow another card to be separated when the machine 32 has completed its cycle of operations. Card delivery:-Each card is fed on to the table 224, Fig. 2, of the accounting machine 32 between the two pivoted guide plates 218, 221, Fig. 2, is fed into the machine by a reciprocating carrier, and returned along the same path, but beneath the lower guide plate 221, on to guides 280 beneath the constantly-rotating feed roller 176, and is subsequently pressed into contact with this roller by a number of fingers 285 which are operated by a solenoid. The card is now delivered along arcuate guides 293, assisted by further feed rollers 295, 296 towards switch arms 301 which are operated by a solenoid 305. The arms 301, according to their position, determine whether the card is to be delivered into a bin 44, or a bin 45. In one type of machine operation, odd numbered cards are delivered to the bin 44, and even numbered cards to the bin 45.