Patent GB-841764-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in record card collating machines
Filed: 1956-12-17
Abstract: 841,764. Collating record cards. INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION. Dec. 17, 1956 [Dec. 20, 1955], No. 38373/56. Class 106 (1). Collators.-The machine according to the invention is adapted to arrange two sets of records originally in random order, into one set in numerical sequence. As shown in Fig. 1 there are primary and secondary card feed paths each having sensing means and means controlled by the sensing means for comparing primary and secondary record cards and for comparing cards in each path in sequence, including control means governed by these comparing means for rendering the primary feeding means operative to advance primary cards when certain conditions exist and for initiating a secondary card feed when other conditions exist, these conditions being detailed below. In order that the machine may be able to sort two separate sets of cards arranged in random order, into one set in order of the magnitude of control data thereon it follows certain rules which govern the operation of the primary and secondary feeds so as to eliminate some of the step-down sequence conditions in each run-through, the process being repeated until all step-down sequence conditions are eliminated. The rules are such that a primary card feed will occur when there is (a) a low primary cross-compare condition accompanied by similar sequence conditions (i.e. stepup in both primary and secondary sequences or step-down in both) (b) a low secondary cross compare condition with different sequence conditions, and (c) and equal cross compare condition irrespective of sequence conditions and a secondary feed takes place where there is (d) a low secondary cross compare condition with similar sequence conditions, (e) a low primary cross compare condition with different sequences and (f) equal cross compare conditions. A stepdown condition in the secondary feed means that a card has control data lower than that of the preceding card and a step-up condition is a high or equal sequence. In the primary card stream, however, a step-down condition exists when a low primary sequence comparison in one card feed cycle is followed by a primary card feed in the next machine cycle and a primary step-up occurs when (a) a low sequence condition is not followed by a primary feed cycle, or (b) a high sequence condition or (c) an equal sequence condition. General description.-Coding relays 190, Fig. 5, are picked by cam contacts in each machine cycle, one being picked at each index point. Record card sensing brushes are connected through the contacts of these relays to pick corresponding code relays 191 by means of which the record card data is translated into a machine code which is used to make the necessary comparisons. Comparisons are to be made of blank columns, special characters, alphabetic and numeric data and for the first two the code relays alone are insufficient so that it is necessary to provide additional relays 193 termed " correction relays." These relays are picked through circuits which include code relay contacts 194, and in effect modify the action of the comparison circuit so that blank and special symbol cards shall be given values according to the predetermined scale (referred to later) to enable them to be compared for relative magnitude. The block 195 represents the primary and secondary feed control unit and it includes contacts of the correction relays and of the code relays arranged in comparison circuits which direct test impulses to the data compare control relays 196. These relays are picked according to the relative magnitude of the data being compared so as to give high, low or equal indications. The control relay contacts 197 govern the operation of the primary and secondary and " eject " feed clutches and the card distributing magnets all represented in block 198. Card code.-The record card shown in Fig. 4 has twelve index positions, numeric positions 9-1 and zone positions O, X, R. Numerals are represented by single perforations in numeric positions, letters by combinations of zone and numeric positions and special symbols by single perforations or two or three in combination. Each symbol has a value allotted to it so that all form a scale of ascending magnitude. The order is (1) Blank column. (2) Special symbols, in specified order. (3) Letters, in order A to Z. (4) Numbers, in order 0 to 9. Card feeding.-Primary cards PC, Fig. 1, and secondary cards SC are fed in turn out of their hoppers by pickers 20. Feed rollers and contact rolls on the primary and secondary feed paths are driven by spiral gears from drive shafts disposed parallel to the feed paths. The drive shafts may be coupled to a continuously rotating main shaft by one revolution clutches operable by clutch magnets. There are two sensing stations on the primary feed path having brushes QB and PB which coact with contact rolls. A similar secondary sensing station has brushes SB coacting with contact roll SCR. At the end of each feed path are eject rolls 39, 40 on the primary side and 41, 42 on the secondary side. The secondary eject rolls are driven by the secondary drive shaft with the other rollers of the secondary feed path but the primary eject rolls are driven by the main shaft through another one-revolution clutch operable by a clutch magnet as before. Cards issuing from the eject rolls are forwarded by more rollers to the appropriate pocket. There are two pockets SP1 and SP2, which may be selected to receive the cards and there are three guide blades 55, 56, 57 for directing the cards to the selected pockets. Blade 57 rests at the rear end on a top 58. Blade 55 is shaped to lie against guide bar 66 and the rear end of blade 56 extends under a lever 53 controlled by magnet 67. When this magnet is de-energized cards SC issuing from eject rolls 41, 42 feed over blade 57 and under blade 56 into pocket SP1 and primary cards from eject rolls 39, 40 likewise pass into pocket SP1. When this magnet is energized blade 56 is depressed so that cards issuing from the eject rolls pass over it and are guided by blade 55 into pocket SP2. Energization of magnet 67 unlatches lever 53 to allow it to bear down on blade 56. It is reset by energization of magnet 68 which causes lever 61 to lift and re-latch lever 53. Cards from the primary hopper pass in the first cycle under card lever 84 and in the second cycle to the sequence sensing station to operate contact lever 72, a second card then being fed from the hopper. In the third cycle the first card is fed to the primary station operating contact lever 74, the second card then being fed to the sequence station. On operation of the eject rolls the primary card is fed to the selected pocket. The secondary cards pass along the feed path to the select pocket in three cycles operating card lever 76 and contact lever 78 on the way. Coding circuits.-To prepare for the comparisons all data is read from the record cards at the various sensing stations and set up in one or more code relays. There are six different code relays associated with each comparing position of the primary, secondary, primary sequence, first secondary sequence and second secondary sequence. Circuiting is shown for comparing data in only one card column but in practice it may be repeated to compare the data of, say, sixteen columns. The code relays store the card data being energized as shown in Fig. 6b. The pick-coils of the code relays R101, R104, &c., are connected in series with contacts of the cyclically picked coding relays R453- R473. Vacuum tubes V1-V5 are connected via sockets 95 &c. to the brushes and conduct when a perforation is sensed to pick any of the code relays R101 &c. whose coding relay contacts R453-1 are closed at this time. The operation of the coding relays is such that coed relays R110 and R113 are picked by the firing of tube V1 at 5 index time and are held by hold coil circuits. In order to make comparisons of the control values of successive cards in the secondary card stream the data sensed by the brushes SB and entered into code relays unit 121 in one cycle is in the next cycle " tumbled " into another set of code relays either those R372-R387 in unit 123 or those R373-R388 in unit 124. Whether the secondary card data is to be entered in the first or second secondary sequence units 123, 124 is determined by a relay which is picked on alternate secondary feed cycles to cause succeeding card values to be entered into the units 123, 124 alternately. Correction circuits.-The correction relays which enable comparisons to be made between blank column data, special characters, alphabetic and numeric data are shown in Fig. 6g, R389, R390, R391, R392, R449, R450. They are selectively energized through contacts of the code relays. In an example a secondary card having holes R and I (representing letter A) passes under the secondary brushes while a primary card having a 5-hole (= numeral 5) passes under the primary brushes and sockets 95 and 99 (Fig. 6b) are plug connected respectively to the primary and secondary reading brushes so that primary code relays R110 and R113 and secondary code relays R102, R105, R108, R111 and R117 are picked. By circuits (Fig. 6e, not shown) primary correction relay coil R391 is energized through contacts of secondary code relays and secondary correction relay coil R392 is energized through the primary code relay contacts. The primary and secondary cross-compare correction relay contacts R391-1, R392-1 and R392-2 are shown in the comparison circuit of Fig. 6g. When making comparisons to determine relative magnitude of data in the same columns of primary and secondary cards, it is required that the relationship of the values in the higher orders shall dominate the relationships in lower orders. Comparison circuits for the different denominations are therefore connected in tandem to control the comparison result indication but if a higher order circuit indic