Patent GB-421555-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to mechanism for stacking statistical record cards
IPC: G06K13/12
Filed: 1933-06-22
Abstract: 421,555. Stacking statistical cards. BRITISH TABULATING MACHINE CO., Ltd., Victoria House, Vernon Place, Southampton Row, London. June 22, 1933, No. 17850. Convention date, June 23, 1932. [Class 100 (i)] Statistical machines controlled by or handling record-cards are provided with mechanism for Stacking the cards in original or in reversed order comprising automatic means for reversing each card before it is stacked, and controlling- means for rendering the reversing - means operative or inoperative. The reversing-mechanism may extend into the first of two cardreceptacles and be adapted to turn through a half-revolution and deposit a card in reversed position in the second receptacle. Alternatively, the reversing-mechanism may consist of a card-gripper rotatable through a half-revolution about an axis to deposit a card, and also rotatable on an axis perpendicular to the first axis to reverse a card. The reversing- mechanism shown in Figs. 2 and 3 is embodied in the card-punching machine described in Specification 362,529, [Group VIII], and comprising a rotatable gripper 46, 47 for receiving a card 91 from a carriage and depositing the card in a receptacle 15, the gripper being secured to a shaft 22 geared to a rack which is displaced on completion of the punching operation. The reversing-mechanism comprises arms 132 connected by springs 123 to a shaft 130 arranged between the receptacle 15 and a second receptacle 15a, the shaft being geared to a shaft 121 carrying a loose pinion 120 gearing with the rack. The pinion is provided with a releasable coupling comprising a sleeve 123 having pins engaging holes in the pinion. The sleeve is held in coupled position by a nut 122, and is moved into released position by means of a spring when the nut is slackened. When the pinion is uncoupled, the cards are stacked in the original order in the receptacle 15, but when the pinion is uncoupled each card is reversed and stacked in the receptacle 15<a> by means of the arms 132 and the cards are stacked in reversed order. In the reversing- mechanism shown in Fig. 9, a card is received from the carriage by a gripper consisting of fixed and movable jaws 136, 135 on a block 137 having a boss 141 pivotally mounted on a stud 142 secured to a collar 143 on a shaft 144. A bevel-gear 145 formed on the boss 141 engages a bevel-gear 146 which is loose on the shaft 144 and can be clamped by means of a screw 147 to a stationary sleeve 75. When the bevelgear 146 is loose, the gripper turns with the shaft 144 through a half-revolution, and the cards are stacked in the original order. When, however, the bevel-gear 146 is clamped, the gripper rotates through a half-revolution on the axis 142 as well as on the axis 144, and the cards are stacked in reversed order. The collar 143 has an arm 148 co-operating with a latch which is released on each operation to permit rotation of the shaft 144. The movable jaw 135 is engaged by a spring 138 and a cam 140 formed with an arm 139 which co-operates with pins 53, 152, 152<a> to open the jaw.