Patent GB-289484-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to machines for sorting perforated statistical record cards
Filed: 1928-04-28
Abstract: 289,484. British Tabulating Machine Co., Ltd., (Assignees of Ford, E. A.). April 29, 1927, [Convention date] Statistical machines; sorting cards. - In a machine for sorting code cards the card-reading device is combined with a translating device to operate the movable card channels leading to the various sorting boxes. There is only one card-reading device (which may consist of one or more reading brushes) as distinct from machines, such as described in Specifications 243,354, 243,362, 332 and 243,364, where there is a card-reading device for each sorting box. A six position code is used ; Fig. 2 shows the card on which columns 1 - - 10 show the hole combinations for the numerals 0 - - 9 and columns 11 - - 36 the hole combinations for the complete alphabet. This card has also two fields, either of which may be used for the sorting, and the lower edge of the card, Fig. 2, enters the machine first. The card is fed from the magazine A, Fig. 3, to the reading device B, the single brush 42 of which is adjusted to the card column which is to be used for sorting. Electrically connected to this brush 42 is a disc 48, Fig. 17, having a lug 49 which passes through six stationary knife switch contacts 50 at the moments that the six hole positions on the card come under the reading brush. Contacts 50 are connected to six magnets M, Figs. 3 and 9, which operate the card sorting channels 82, so that when a card is read, one or more holes in the column energize one or more magnets M which in combination select a bar 79 to open the correct channel for the card, the channels 82, 88 leading to the individual sorting boxes. The disc 48, Fig. 17, has a pressed-out tongue 57 which engages a recess 56, or 56<1>, in a disc on the shaft driving the disc 48, so that by slackening the nut 61 and easing the spring 60 which presses the discs together the projection 57 may be shifted to recess 56 or 56<1> as desired. When the projection 57 engages recess 56 the relationship of 49 and 50 is such as to operate for the upper card field and in the case of the other recess 56<1> the other field of the card is used. The disc 48 is driven from the shaft which operates the card feed from the magazine A. Each magnet MA - - MF, Figs. 3, 7, and 9, has an armature 66 the hooked end 71 of which engages a slot 73 in a plate 74 so as to hold the latter to the right against the action of a spring 76. The six plates 74 coact with thirteen bars 79, Fig. 12, having lugs 85 and the arrangement is such that for each different combination of one or more plates 74 released, by energization of one or more magnets MA - - MF, one particular bar 70 is released, this bar being the appropriate one to open the correct card channel 82 by lifting the correct number of plates forming the channels. The letters and numerals sorted by each bar 79 are marked at the top of Fig. 12. To decide which half of the alphabet is being used for sorting, e.g. whether the eleventh bar is to sort for J or for X, a piece 98 is pivoted to each bar 79 and slides in a slot 100 in a member 99. All the pieces 98 are moved to their left or right position by the plate 99, shaft 102, and handle 103. When the pieces 98 are to the right, Fig. 3 (letters A - - L sorted) they coact with lugs P5 and plates 74 in a totally different fashion than when t@ @v are to the left, Fig. 9 (letters M -- Z sorted). To allow for certain combinations of holes in the card the plate 74 E has two slots 109, Fig. 12, opposite the lugs 85 of the third and sixth bars 79. To allow for further combination the slots 109 may be closed by a plate 110 having a lug- 111, so that this latter plate only advances when both plates 74 E and 74 F are released. Released bars 79 which have been moved upwards by their springs 83 are restored downwards at the correct time in the machine cycle by a bail 123, Fig. 9. The released plates 74 are restored to the right, Figs. 3 and 7, by a bail 113 having an arm 114 which extends downwards through slots 115 in the plates. The combinations of holes used for the signs " & " etc. in columns 37 - - 45 of the card, Fig. 2, are such that no bar 79 is released when the reading brush reads such a sign. To put any particular sorting box out of action, the corresponding bar 79 is prevented from rising by a lug 135 on it, into the path of which lug is placed the appropriate one of a number of members 133, Fig. 6. Each member 133 has a single lug 134 which may be moved into the path of the corresponding lug 135 by means of the manual end 136 of the member 133. Feeding cards. Spring-pressed pivoted picker blades 26, Figs. 6 and 3, which feed the cards singly from the magazine A to the card reading device B, are attached to a plate 25 reciprocated by arms 23, 23<1>, links 22, and crank arms 21 on the shaft 20, Fig. 3. To overcome warping of the card and to ensure that only one card at a time is fed from the bottom of the stack a floating card throat is used. This is formed by two members 27, Figs. 6 and 10, pivoted loosely at 30 on slots 28 in the fixed frame. An inclined member 32, on which the card stack rests, is mounted on an arm 33 pressed upwards by a spring 34 so as to leave an opening 31 just sufficient to allow one card through at a time. This floating throat arrangement is shaken slightly to prevent the bottom card from sticking frictionally to the card immediately above it since the arm 33 is mounted on eccentrics 36 on the continuously running shaft 20. Delivery cards. Those cards which are not sorted into one of the boxes pass finally to a reject or card-stacking device 41 Figs. 13 and 16, the bottom of which is formed by a plate 137 on a frame 153. This frame slides vertically on guide bar 154 and has pivoted to it a bell-crank 152 carrying a nut 151 which engage a thread 150. on a shaft 149 driven from a worm 147, Fig. 11, on a sleeve 146. As a card enters the reject stack it raises rollers 138 mounted in floating bearings 139 attached to a bell-crank 140, 144, the arm 144 moving a clutch disc 145, splined to a continuously running shaft 17, into engagement with the clutch sleeve 146 so that the worm 147 rotates with this shaft and rotates thread 150 to lower the plate 137 until the last card fed in has moved down sufficiently for the rollers 138 to remove the clutch disc 145. To move the plate 137 freely up and down the nut 151 is disengaged by the handle 155 at the end of the bell-crank 152 carrying the nut.