Patent GB-811478-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in reproducing machines for statistical record cards
Inventor: PERRIN JOHN
Filed: 1957-01-17
Abstract: 811,478. Selective punching machines. POWER-SAMAS ACCOUNTING MACHINES Ltd. Dec. 4, 1957 [Jan. 17, 1957], No. 1804/57. Class 31 (2). Apparatus for reproducing data recorded by perforations in statistical record cards comprises at least one column, or row, of sensing pins movable axially to effect sensing of a perforated card located in a sensing chamber, a punch axially aligned with each sensing pin to be movable axially by the pin on passage of the pin through a perforation in a perforated card thereby to effect punching of a corresponding perforation in a card aligned with the sensed card, and card locating means including a sensing chamber carriage movable stepwise by an escapement device to locate the sensing chamber relative to the sensing pins for successive sensing operations, and a first and a second card carriage supported for movement relatively to one another in the direction of movement of the sensing chamber carriage and each latchable to the sensing chamber carriage for movement therewith during sensing and punching of cards. As shown, a punched card PC to be reproduced and an unpunched card UPC are located respectively in a sensing chamber formed by perforated plates 1, 2 and in a punching chamber formed by die plates 3, 4. Co-operating with the sensing and punching chambers are a plurality of columns of sensing pins 5 and punches 6 supported by a vertically reciprocable frame 7, 8 for axial movement relatively to one another and to the frame and for concomitant axial movement. Each sensing pin is provided with a laterallyextending stud 18, Fig. 3, to permit the sensing pin to be latched relative to the frame 7, 8 when the pin passes through a perforation in card PC. Latching of the pins is effected by latch plates 19 provided with laterally-extending studs 20, the latch plates being urged to the active positions thereof by springs 21 and on the return upward stroke of the frame, being engaged by a restoring plate 22. The die 3, 4 is secured to a base-plate 10 but the sensing chamber 1, 2 is supported by a sensing chamber carriage 24, Fig. 1, to which is secured the toothed rack 25 of an escapement device, the actuating member 26 of which is controlled by an actuator 27 movable with the frame plate 8. The escapement device, which is similar to that described in Specification 430,251, [Group XIX], is actuated during each return upward stroke of the frame 7, 8 to move the sensing chamber stepwise one column. The card PC is located in the initial sensing position thereof by a spring influenced pawl 28, Fig. 4, pivoted at 29 to a first card carriage 30 slidable lengthwise of plate 2. The card UPC is located in the initial punching position thereof by a spring- influenced pawl 32 pivoted at 33 to a slide 34 mounted on a second card carriage 35 slidable relative to the punch die 3, 4 and to the carriage 24. The slide 34 slides between the upper surface of the carriage 35 and guide plates 41 secured to the carriage and when the cards have been placed in position as shown in Fig. 1, an operating handle 42 pivoted to the carriage 35 is turned counterclockwise, as viewed in Fig. 1, to move the slide 34 to the right relative to the carriage 35 until a retaining pawl 47 carried by the slide 34 is engaged with a stud 48 secured to the carriage 35. Continued movement of the handle 42 causes movement of the carriage 35 until the nose of a locking pawl 55 engages an adjustable stop 56, Fig. 4. The pawls 47, 55 are pivoted at 57 to a bracket 58 secured to slide 34 and a pin 59 dependent from pivot 57 is engaged in a hole 60 in a lever 51. The stop 56 is mounted in a tie bar 61 of the sensing chamber carriage 24 and the bar 61 is provided with a latch 62. When the pawl 55 engages with the latch 62, a spring rotates the pawl 55 so that it is moved into latching engagement with the latch 62, and the pawl 47, on which the pawl 55 is mounted, is moved into latching relation with the end of one of the guides 41 thereby latching the slide 34 to the carriage 35. During the last portion of the movement of the pawls 47, 55 into latching relation with the guide 41 and latch 62, an abutment 64, Fig. 7, movable with the slide 34 engages an operating arm 65 pivoted at 66 to the first card carriage 30 and moves the carriage to the right, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 4, until, when the pawls 47, 55 are latched to guide 41 and latch 62, a retaining latch 67 pivoted at 68 to the carriage 30 co-operates with a second latch 69 also carried by the tie bar 61 to latch the carriage 30 to the sensing chamber carriage 24. When the abutment 64 first engages the arm 65, the arm is retained by a release bar 70 carried by the plate 2. The abutment 64 engages the edge 71 of a notch formed in arm 65 and, as the arm 65 and carriage 30 are moved by the abutment 64 away from the bar 70, a spring 72 rotates the arm 65 counterclockwise so that the abutment 64 is located in the notch in the arm. The sensing chamber carriage 24 is now locked to the first and second card carriages 30, 35 and the cards PC and UPC are located in the initial sensing and punching positions thereof, as shown in Fig. 4. As the carriage 24 is moved stepwise to the left, as viewed in Fig. 1, by the escapement device, the carriage 35 moves with it and the card UPC is also moved due to the engagement therewith of a bar 74, secured to the carriage 35. On completion of the reproducing operation, the cards are located for :removal from the apparatus by clockwise movement, as viewed in Fig. 1, of handle 42. The initial clockwise movement of the handle causes pivot 57 to be rocked counterclockwise so that the pawls 47, 55 are disengaged from guide 41 and latch 62 respectively, thus releasing the slide 34 from the second carriage 35. Continued movement of the handle moves the abutment 64 into engagement with the edge 75 of the notch in arm 65 and causes a slidable stop 76 mounted on the first carriage 30 to be moved against a spring 77 to withdraw the stop from beneath a gripper plate 78 which is secured to an axially movable spindle 79. This spindle carries a spring 80 to cause the gripper plate to descend and grip card PC against lugs 81 carried by carriage 30 so that, on release of carriage 30 from the sensing carriage 24, continued movement of the handle 42 causes card PC to be withdrawn from the sensing chamber 1, 2 so that the card can be engaged manually and extracted from the sensing chamber. The arm 65 is pivoted to a fork depending from the stop 76 and during retraction of the stop, the pivot 66 for arm 65 engages the tail 83 of the retaining latch 67 and rocks the latch out of engagement with latch 69 so that the carriage 30 is uncoupled from the sensing carriage 24. Just prior to the carriage 30 reaching the position shown in Fig. 7, the lower end of the spindle 79 engages a fixed cam-plate 82 which, during continued movement of the carriage 30 by handle 42, raises the gripper plate 78 against spring 80. As the arm 65 approaches the release bar 70, the tail 85 of the arm is engaged by the release bar and rocks the arm out of engagement with the abutment 64 so that the second carriage 35, with slide 34, is now released from the first carriage 30 and thus the spring 77 restores the stop 76 to its position beneath the gripper plate. By continued movement of the handle 42, the carriage 35 and slide 34 are restored to the starting position thereof shown in Fig. 1 and the card UPC can be removed from the apparatus. If desired, two or more cards can be superimposed in the sensing chamber so that data common to the cards can be simultaneously reproduced in a single card.