Patent GB-753868-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to punch mechanism for punching statistical records
Inventor: THOMAS ARTHUR
Filed: 1954-02-25
Abstract: 753,868. Statistical apparatus. POWERSSAMAS ACCOUNTING MACHINES, Ltd. Jan. 7, 1955 [Feb. 25, 1954], No. 5612/54. Class 106 (1). [Also in Group VIII] Punching mechanism for punching statistical record cards or tapes comprises a set of punches 10, Fig. 5, and a die 8 supported for movement to and from each other, selectively-settable punch-conditioning means co-operating with the punches to render them effective, and a testing element 14 which checks whether or not a perforation already exists at the record portion then in position for punching and, if no such perforation is found, initiates a signal. The mechanism is described as used in the checking of a batch of returned treasury notes in which for each note there is prepared a detail card punched with data representing its series and serial numbers; in addition, for each hundred notes a master card is punched with the corresponding series number and the first four figures of highest denomination of the serial number (in the case of a six-figure number), and a space is left for the subsequent punching of holes each representing the ten and digit of one of the notes in the series. The detail and master cards so prepared are fed respectively to sensing units DCS and MCS, Fig. 1, controlling a unit CU which compares the punched data on the two cards and causes successive master cards to be ejected from the device MCS until there is correspondence between the series numbers and first four figures of the serial numbers of the two cards. The sensing device then senses the ten and digit columns of the detail card and by means of a translator unit TU selects the effective punch in combined punching and testing mechanism MCPC operating upon the master card then at the sensing device MCS. In the mechanism MCPC, the record card is positioned between a die 8 and stripper 9, Fig. 5, which are movable vertically to and from a set of tubular punches 10 arranged in ten columns of ten punches each. Each punch has a head 12 for supporting it from a fixed plate 13 and has mounted inside it a testing pin 14 which projects slightly from the lower end of the punch when its head portion 15 rests in a counterbore in the head 12. Disposed above the pins 14 with their lower ends resting on the latter is a series of vertical members 16 guided for axial movement by a fixed slotted plate 18 and a frame member 19 movable vertically with the die unit. The upper ends of the member 16 are engaged by spring-urged pins 21 which are movable axially in plates 22, 23 movable with the frame member 19 for co-operation with whichever of a set of superposed spring-pressed pins 27 is depressed by the actuation from the translator unit TU of a corresponding set bar 25. For each column of vertical members 16 there is provided a latch bar 31 formed as one member of a spring-urged parallel linkage 31, 35, 35, 36, pivoted on the frame member 19; a cam lever 44 pivoted on the frame member controls the latch bar by its engagement with a fixed cam 48 so that, as the die unit and frame member rise, latch faces 39 on the bar move from inactive positions in relation to pins 40 on the corresponding members 16 to positions in alignment with these pins. The selection of the appropriate punch by the translator unit TU, Fig. 1, results in the depression of the corresponding set bar 25 and pin 27, and is followed by the upward movement of the die unit, card and frame member. The upwardly-moving card raises all the pins 14 engaging imperforate portions of the record and with them the corresponding members 16 and pins 21 until one of the latter pins is arrested by the selected depressed pin 27 and so causes the corresponding punch 10 to penetrate the card. Towards the end of this upward movement the pin 40 associated with the actuated punch will exert downward pressure on the corresponding latch bar (through the aligned latch face 39) and thereby rock the parallel linkage; the link 36 then actuates a rock-shaft 50 to cause a flexible cable 54 to position a pivoted shutter 56, Fig. 1, so that the detail card then issuing from,the sensing device DCS passes into a receiver DR1. If the sensing pin 14 had encountered a previously made hole, it would have passed through the latter when the card was raised and, because the corresponding pin 40 would not then be raised above the latch bar 31 but locked beneath it, no actuation of the shutter 56 would occur and the discharged card would pass to the receiver DR2. To ensure that a punch will pass completely through an existing perforation before movement of the parallel linkage is permitted, the latter is additionally controlled at the end opposite the cam lever 44 by a bar 58 on levers 59 which are pivoted on the frame member 19 and guided in their action by tracks 62 of similar shape to the cam 48. The signal initiated by the detection of an imperforate record portion at punching position may be used to control operations other than the movement of the shutter 56. Specifications 685,640, 685,642 and 696,982 are referred to.