Patent GB-497345-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to record-card controlled printing mechanism
Filed: 1937-06-16
Abstract: 497,345. Typewriters &c. BRITISH TABULATING MACHINE CO., Ltd., and DARK, A. A. June 16, 1937, No. 16797. [Class 100 (iv)] Record-controlled actions.-In mechanism of the kind that prints one character at a time under control of a record-card fed step-by-step past a hole-reading device which reads one column at a time, selecting-means operable in step with the record-card is provided for causing the same hole or hole-combination to effect printing of one character when predetermined columns are read, and another character when other pre-determined columns are read. Fig. 1 shows the circuit-arrangement of the printing and punching machine described in British Specification 471,069 and U.S.A. Specification 2,046,082 as modified in accordance with the invention. The circuits are, as described in those Specifications, so arranged that (1) when a single hole, for instance 9, is read, a circuit including coils R9, R13, R21, contacts R9A, R9B, R9C, R9D, and the keysolenoid KSS9 is closed, and the selected typelever prints the numeral 9, and (2) when two holes, for instance 9 and 11 representing M, are read, a circuit including coils R9, R11, R13, contacts R9C, R11C, and the key-solenoid KSSM is closed, and the selected type-lever prints the letter M. The record-card now employs the 12 hole to represent either Z or 11, and the 11 hole to represent either A or 10. The first twenty-two columns are employed for letters, and the remaining columns for numerals, and when the twenty-third column is read by the brushes MB, a stop on the column-stop bar closes contacts PSC1 and completes a circuit through a coil R31 and holding-contacts R31A therefor. Energization of the coil R31 opens contacts R31B, R31D in circuit with the keysolenoids KSSA, KSSZ, and closes contacts R31C, R31E in circuit with the key-solenoids KSS10, KSS11 respectively. If the single 11 hole is read in any of the first twenty-two columns, the coil R11 is energized, contacts R11B are closed, a circuit including contacts R13A, R11B, R31B, and the key-solenoid KSSA is closed, and the selected type-lever prints the letter A. Similarly if the single hole 12 is read, the circuit of the key-solenoid KSSZ is completed through the contacts R31D, and the selected type-lever prints the letter Z. If the 11 or 12 hole does not occur singly, a circuit is completed through one of the coils RO .. R9 and the coil R13, contacts R13A are opened, and the circuits of the key-solenoids KSSA, KSSZ are broken. When the twentythird and subsequent columns are read, the contacts R31B, R31D are opened and the contacts R31C, R31E are closed, and if the hole 11 or 12 is read singly, the key-solenoid KSS10 or KSS11 is energized to select the type-lever for printing 10 or 11 respectively. The coil R31 remains energized until the record-card is ejected. The coil R31 can be associated with other pairs of open and closed contacts for causing holes to represent different characters, for instance the letter N and the symbol Cr. If the first twenty-two columns include holes for controlling the printing of prices, a switch APS is opened to cut out the holding-contacts R31A, and the contacts PSC1 are closed by a stop in register with a column containing the 11 or 12 hole, the arrangement causing the numeral 10 or 11 to be printed when that column is read. Other stops may be employed for controlling the printing of letters or numerals in selected groups of columns. A single hole or pair of holes may be arranged to control the printing of more than two characters by providing the associated key-solenoids with additional contacts which are controlled by relays having contacts controlled by stops in the appropriate columns. The machine described in the abovementioned Specifications can be modified to print on a record-card the data corresponding to the holes therein. For this purpose, the punching-mechaniam is replaced by reading- brushes LB, Fig. 3, in connection with the coils RO .. R12, Fig. 1, the connections including contacts for disconnecting the brushes LB and connecting the brushes MB when it is required to print constant matter under the control of a master card. The contacts are normally closed, but when a master card is inserted, a relay throws over the contacts, and printing is then controlled by the brushes MB. The brushes LB are connected by studs 1000 to a vertical bar 1001 pivoted to lugs 1002 and provided with a lug 1009 co-operating with a notch 1010 in a slide 1011 which is connected by a link 1014 to a bail 179. The studs abut on contactsprings 1004 which normally cause the brushes to bear against the back of the card. When the card-ejecting fingers 175 are operated, the bail is raised by means of a cam 134, the slide is raised, and the brushes are rocked out of the path of the card.