Patent GB-804658-A (GB)
Title: Improved method of and device for punching statistical cards
IPC: G06K19/00
Filed: 1956-09-12
Abstract: 804,658. Selective punching-machines. JONKOPINGS OCH VULCANS TANDSTICKSFABRIKSAKTIEBOLAG. Sept. 12, 1956 [Aug. 2, 1956], No. 27898/56. Class 31 (2). A method of punching a record card in which the capacity of the card is increased by overpunching is characterized in that an overpunching impulse, when entered in a punching- machine, is stored in a memory of mechanical, electrical or other kind, that the overpunching operation is prepared by said impulse and that thereafter the memory is released, after which the overpunching operation is performed at a predetermined time. In the machine shown, a record card 1 rests on a die 2 which is movable towards a row of punches 3, the punches being selectively lockable by means of latching-pins 5 carried by latching-bars 7. The pins 5 are selected by means of a keyboard, depression of a key moving an ejector pin 10 to move a corresponding pin 5 downwardly. The pins 10 are supported by guides forming part of a carriage 11 movable on rails from one end of the card to the other across the columns thereof On release of a depressed key, the carriage is moved one step to the right, Fig. 2, corresponding to one column. The ejector pins 10 for numerals 1 to 9 of the record card are actuated by a corresponding number of bellcranks 14, whereas the ejector pins for the overpunchings P, Q, O are actuated by bell-cranks 49, Fig. 3. The bell-cranks 14 are each provided with a pivotally-mounted selector-rod 15 and with a pivotally-mounted driving-plate 16. When a keyboard key is depressed its movement is transmitted by cables 19 so as to turn the plate 16 counterclockwise. This causes an arm 18 of the plate 16 to engage a pivotally-mounted setting member 21. On release of the key, a servomotor rocks the member 21 to the left, Fig. 2, by means of a cable 22. This causes the bell-crank 14 to turn counterclockwise and actuate an ejector pin 10 and the corresponding latch pin 5. Thereafter, the carriage is moved one step to the next column by the return movement of the key to its original position. The selector rods 15 are adapted to be turned through an angle so as to actuate memory pins 24, Fig. 2, when a switching member 23 is swung to the dotted line position. This swing- ing movememt of the member 23 is brought about when an arresting member 30, Fig. 9, on the carriage engages a stop 29 inserted in a groove of a fixed bar 28. When a memory pin 24 is depressed, its corresponding memory lever 25, Fig. 2, is turned downwards so as to be locked by a memory latch 27, thereby storing the impulse in the machine. The carriage is movable stepwise by means of a ratchet-wheel the pawl of which is rocked by means of a movable lever 33 Fig. 8, on the back of the carriage, which in turn is actuated by a pivotally-mounted connecting-rod 34 provided with a stud 35 engaging a vertical slot in the setting member 21. The heightwise position of the free end of the connecting-rod 34, which carries a catch 37 for engagement with the lever 33, is determined by a roller 38 on the switching member 23. When the member 23 is in its position shown by full lines in Fig. 8, the catch 37 drives the rocking lever 33 and moves the carriage one step for each stroke of the setting member 21. When the member 23 is swung by means of the stop 29 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8, the catch 37 is lowered so as to disengage the lever 33 and no movement of the carriage can take place. During the stroke of the setting member 21, the stop 29 is lifted in the grooves of the bar 28 by means of a lever 39 (not shown) so that the arresting member 30 is freed and the switching member 23 returns to its original position. The next impulse from the keyboard through the cables 19 will cause the mechanisms for locking the latching pins and moving the carriage to function normally. Each one of the nine memory levers 25 is movable around a shaft 44 and actuates one of three converting arms 43 which are thereby also turned round the shaft 44. The arms 43, which represent the overpunchings P, Q, O, each have a connecting- beam 46, Fig. 5, extending across the memory levers 25 and supported at its other end by the shaft 44. The beams 46 are actuated by catches 45, Fig. 6, on each of the memory levers. The arms 43 transfer their movement by means of links 43a to locking-plates 47 mounted on a shaft 47a supported by a column slide 48 movable longitudinally of the carriage. The bellcranks 49 are each provided with a pivotallymounted driving-plate 50. When a memory lever 25 is being depressed by the action of the setting member 21 upon the bell-crank 14, the corresponding converting arm 43 is turned to the vertical position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3. The locking-plate 47 is thereby turned and the driving-plate 50 is simultaneously switched over to a position in which it can be engaged by the setting member 21. On its second rocking stroke, the member 21 turns the driving-plate 50 counterclockwise and thereby causes the bell-crank 49 to actuate an ejector pin 10 and the corresponding latch-pin 5. When the next stroke begins, the device for moving the carriage is again operative. When the lever 33, Fig. 8, is turned, it actuates the memory latch 27 so that the locked memory lever 25 returns to its upper original position. In the case of delayed overpunchings, means are provided to prevent unintentional punching in the position 0 of a column. Further, the slide 48, which is spring-influenced, has a projection 64, Fig. 8, which rests against a leg of the setting member 21 in its left end position and can be moved to the right by the member 21 against the action of the spring. Its return to the left, however, can be barred by a time disc 65, Fig. 8, secured to a shaft 72 and provided with peripheral slots for engagement by a projection 48a on the slide 48. The movement of the time disc 65 is effected by means of a ratchet-wheel 67 which can be turned stepwise by a pawl 66 on the connecting-rod 34. The position of the ratchet-wheel 67 before being turned by the pawl 66 is determined by means of two groups of three catches 68 carried by upper extensions of the memory pins 24, each group actuating one of two turning slides 69 each provided with a pawl 70, Fig. 3, which moves a ratchet-wheel 71 on the shaft 72 stepwise in such a way that the ratchet-wheels 71 are rotated in opposite directions. The ratchetwheel 67 is positioned in such a way that the movement of the column slide 48 is determined by the impulse received by the machine and converted to an overpunching according to a predetermined schedule. When the column slide 48 moves, a lever actuates the memory latch 27 to release the memory lever 25 which caused the overpunching. The machine may be controlled by a perforated, magnetic or other tape instead of by a keyboard. Further, the carriage may form a carrier for the card which is moved stepwise column by column over a row of punches actuated by mechanical, electrical or other means.