Patent GB-724741-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to record card checking apparatus
Inventor: ROUTLEDGE CHRISTOPHER ADRIAN
Filed: 1953-06-05
Abstract: 724,741. Statistical apparatus. BRITISH TABULATING MACHINE CO., Ltd. June 5, 1953, No. 15572/53. Class 106 (1). Apparatus for comparing two packs of record cards for identity comprises means for feeding and sensing corresponding pairs of cards in synchronism, means for checking the two cards for identity at each index point position, a plurality of means operable by the checking means on disagreement for indicating the index point position in which disagreement has occurred, and further means controlled by the checking means for modifying the operation of the machine on disagreement. The circuits described are applicable to a known machine of the type described in Specification 442,534, [Group VIII], generally known as a reproducing punch. The machine is fitted with a device for off-setting selected cards of the type described in Specification 555,995, [Group VIII]. The apparatus is provided with forty differentially wound checking relays CHm1-CHm40 to allow half an eightycolumn card to be checked on a single run. The two windings of each checking relay are connected to corresponding brushes at the reading checking, and punch-checking sensing stations. Corresponding cards are fed through the two sensing stations together, so that the holes should be sensed together, and both coils of the checking relay should be energized simultaneously producing no movement of the armature. If the columns of the cards do not agree, only one winding of the relay will be energized and its contacts will be operated. There are twelve error-indicating relays R9 to R7 corresponding to the twelve index positions on the card. Each of these relays is connected to one segment 403 of a commutator. A brush 401 is driven by the same shaft as that carrying the cam for operating the contacts C15 and therefore runs in synchronism with the rest of the machine. It is so timed that it connects the segment 403 of the relay R9 to common bar 402 when the " 9 " index point is being sensed. The common bar 402 is connected through contacts CHm1a to CHm40a in parallel with the checking relays and cam contacts C41 to two relays m14 and R11. Operation of one or more checking relays during an index point will energize the corresponding error relay irrespective of the column in which the error occurs. The relay R8 establishes a hold circuit through contacts R8a and contacts m14E and/or R11C. The relay m14 is held through error reset key contacts Rc. Contacts m14A and hold coil m14H and the relay R11 is held through contacts R11a, cam contacts,C40 and hold coil R11H. The cam contacts C40 are opened for a short period at the end of each cycle. Energization of the relay m14 operates contacts which break the running circuit of the machine as described in Specification 442,534 so that the machine stops with the two disagreeing cards on top of their respective stackers. If the relay R11 is energized, then contacts R11b are closed and magnet Sn is energized when cam contacts C26 close after the last index point has been sensed. The magnet Sm controls an off-set stacking device as described in Specification 555,995 so that the disagreeing card in the punch stacker is offset. Contacts R9b to R76 are in series with lamps L9 to L7 across the supply lines. With the relay R8 energized the lamp L8 is lit to indicate the index point row in which the error has occurred. If a second error is present in the same card, for example, in the index point row " 7 " then the relay R7 will also be energized and the lamp L7 will be lit. The relay m 14 is de-energized by depressing the error reset key to open the contacts RC and the machine may then be re-started. Specification 674,774, [Group VIII], also is referred to.