Patent GB-526268-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to machines for sorting statistical record-cards
Filed: 1939-03-11
Abstract: 526,268. Statistical machines. BRITISH TABULATING MACHINE CO., Ltd. March 11, 1939, No. 7889. Convention date, March 11, 1938. [Class 106 (i)] A record card sorting machine in which the cards are sorted direotly by the card-reading between guides of differing lengths leading to the sorting boxes, has guides which are normally held on one side of the card path against biassing means but are periodically released to cross the card path if permitted by latches, there being a latch 12 for each guide 4 which, if operated, holds its guide and all longer guides in the normal position, and electromagnets SM9 &c., one for each latch, which are selectively energized by the card reading. The invention is illustrated in a machine generally similar to that set out in Specification 391,496 with a single column selector as described in Specification 242,654, [Class 106 (i)], for sorting Hollerith cards. For the thirteen sorting boxes 3 numbered 12, 11, 0, 1, 2, ...9, from right to left, the shortest guide blade, Fig. 1, belongs to the " 12 " box, the next to the " 11 " box, and the longest to the " 9 " box. Each blade 4 has attached to its underneath a deflector 65 to assist the card into the box. The cards are fed from magazine 5 by picker 24 and rollers 17 to reading brushes 14 and sorting station 5. One or more of the brushes 14 may be selectively converted in circuit by means described below. The blades 4 are arranged as shown in Fig. 4 with the " 12 " blade lowest, then the " 11 " blade and so on to the top blade " 9." The ends 5 of the blades rest upon individual stems 12 each having a lug 93, Fig. 11, held up normally by a common bail 92 so that all the ends 5 are above the card path. Once in each cycle the bail 92 is lowered by arm 97 and cam 111 but prior to this the cardreading brush (considering any one column) has energized one of the sorting magnets SM9 &c. The corresponding attracted armature 81 releases a lever 78 so that its spring 80 projects a latch end 75 beneath a lug 77 on the corresponding stem 12. The sensitive blades 4 then follow the bail 92 downwards but the latched-up stem 12 holds up its related blade 4 and all the longer blades resting upon it, so that the card enters the correct channel. The sorting magnets are arranged in two rows, indicated at SM9 and SM7, Fig. 11, for convenience, one set of latch levers 75 being cranked at 79 but all pivoting on a common rod 76. Bail 92 and blades 4 are restored upwards shortly afterwards and a restoring plate 115 is rocked counter-clockwise by shaft 114 to relatch any actuated latch 75 behind the end of its armature 81. Column selection.-Each brush 14 is guided in a grooved insulated roller 29, Fig. 1, and is attached to a holder 30 having an extension 35 mounted in an insulating bar 31. Each blade 35 is gripped between the flared ends 36, Fig. 5, of a pair of contact strips 37 embedded in an insulating plate 42. Each strip pair 37 has flared knife connectors 38 and 39 or 41 and 40. Parts 39 and 40 are staggered alternately and parts 38 and 41 are arranged in diagonal sets of six as shown. Leads 48 have plug tips 47 which may be inserted through insulated slots 46 in a cover plate 44 to connect in flared ends 38, 41 as desired, the other ends of wires 48 being connected to strips 136, Figs. 12 and 7, and to sorting control magnets R9 ... R12. Each line 136 connects contact points 135 of one column (arranged zig-zag for convenience) together. A cover plate 141 carries bridge pieces 145 which when turned at right angles connects a spot 135 to its corresponding spot 134. These bridge switches are shown turned for the number " 386 " in Figs. 7 and 12. Similar switches 145 connect points 137 and 138 for multi-column sorting and points 139 and 140 for length-sorting as set out below. Coacting with the two rows of parts 39 and 40 is a single blade 49, Fig. 1, wide enough to reach either row and attached to an insulating block 52 fastened to a slide 25. This blade 49 is used for single column sorting and coacts in every position with a common electrical contact bar 50. Slide 25 is guided by a bar 54 and may be lifted by a ring 62 to disengage blade 49 from a flared end 39 and 40 and then moved transversely and lowered to enter another end 39 or 40 of the column upon which sorting is desired. Slide 25 also has a rack portion 57 coacting with a worm 26 to the end of which is attached a handle 27. Each end of shaft 26 also has a cam 63 coacting with a fixed roller 64, Fig. 6 (not shown), so that as the handle is turned the cams first lift the worm 26 and blade 49, the worm then moves slide 25 and blade 49 sideways by one card column and the cams lower the blade into the next flared end 39 or 40. A pointer 61 associated with slide 25 indicates the column to which the blade is set. The apparatus may be used for (1) sorting on a single card column, (2) sorting by the length of a name or number, (3) multi-column selection. A second control unit consists of relays R9, R8 ... R12, Fig. 12, which control latch levers similar to levers 75, 78 of Fig. 11. A control latch lever when released by the energization of its relay, say R8, closes corresponding contacts RC8. (1) Switches SW1 and SW2 are set as shown in Fig. 12 and blade 49 is set to the desired card column. The cards are then sorted according to the digit hole in that column. For example, for a " 5 " hole a circuit 200, 153, 28, " 5 " card hole, 14, 39 (or 40), 49, 50, 154, SW1, single column selector 203, 155, SM5, 156, the " 5 " segment 157 of the distributer 158, SW2, 201 is made at the " 5 " time in the cycle to energize the sorting magnet SM5. The latter holds up Nos. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 blades 4, Fig. 4, to sort the card into the " 5 " box. (2) To sort according to the length of a name, a wire 48<SP>1</SP> from No. " 9 " relay R9 is plugged to the socket 38 (or 41) for the card column carrying the first letter of the name ; the next wire 48 from the No. " 8 " relay R8 to the second letter socket and so on. Thus one-letter name cards go into the " 9 " box, two-letter name cards to the " 8 " box and so on. For length of numbers the wire 48<SP>1</SP> would be connected to the right-hand (i.e. units digit) column of the number and so on in reverse. Switch SW1 is moved to post 162, switch SW2 is opened and the entire horizontal row of " Length " switches 145, Fig. 7, are turned to bridge the contacts 139 and 140. The position of a hole in a card column is now immaterial. For example, for a four-letter name card, circuits are completed from line 200 to 153, 28, the four left-hand brushes 14 at different times in the cycle, 38 and 41, four wires 48<SP>1</SP> and 48, the four left-hand pairs of contacts 140, 139 (now closed), four wires 163 and the four sorting magnets SM9, SM8, SM7, SM6, wire 155, 203, SW1, 201. Although four sorting magnets are energized at different times in the cycle, the magnet SM6 is the effective one since it holds up all the number 6, 7, 8 and 9 blades 4, Fig. 4, and the four-letter card goes to the " 6 " box. (3) To sort all cards with, say, the multidenominational number " 386 " into the 12 " box and all others into the reject box R " the plugs 47 are connected to the brushes 14 of the columns used, switch SW2 is closed and certain switches 145 are turned to bridge contacts 134 and 136 to represent the desired number. The number " 386 " is shown set up in Figs. 7 and 12 (left end). All the " Length switches 145 are turned off as in Fig. 7 and in the " Multi-Col." row those switches 145 are turned on which lie to the right of the selected columns bearing the number. When perforations " 3," " 8," and " 6 " are read the sorting magnet SM12 is energized as follows. When the " 3 " hole is read a circuit 200, 153, 28, " 3 " hole, 14, 38, 47, 48<SP>1</SP>, R9, 136, 145 in the " 3 " position, 134, " 3 " segment 157, 158, SW2, 201 energizes the relay R9 which then closes its contacts RC9. Similarly the " 8 " and " 6 " holes in the other two columns energize the relays R8 and R7 to close contacts RC8 and RC7. The contacts RC9, RC8 and RC7 then provide a circuit as follows to energize the sorting magnet SM12, viz.. 200, 165, RC9, RC8, RC7, switch 145 bridging the points 137 and 138 of relay RC6, eight similar shorts, 166, SM12, 156, " 12 " segment 157, SW2 and 201. Although other sorting magnets may be energized by the early completion of the circuits RC9, RC8 and RC7 the magnet SM12 is finally energized and neutralizes these earlier actions since the latched-up " 12 " stem 4 holds up all the other stems. Due to this, during multi-column selection, single-column selection inside or outside the field may occur at the same time. The cards will be sorted on the single column selected except that all " 386 " cards will be sorted to the " 12 " box by the above over-riding control of the 12 " stem 4.