Patent GB-668843-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to machines for classifying and selecting record cards
IPC: G06F7/22
Filed: 1948-12-24
Abstract: 668,843. Statistical apparatus. BRITISH TABULATING MACHINE CO., Ltd. Dec. 24, 1948 [Dec. 30, 1947], No. 33274/48. Class 106 (i). In a machine for collating record cards having columns of data-representing index points, electronic data-comparing means are provided (e.g. in the selector and sequence units described below) having a pair of gas-discharge tubes and of vacuum valves for each pair of card columns to be compared, the tube and valve for each column having a common input and being made conducting by applying data-representing potentials thereto, and a control circuit between each of the valves and the non- corresponding tube so that conduction of the former prevents the latter conducting. The machine described is similar in function to that described in Specifications 523,652 and 550,843, and is arranged for collating the cards described in Specification 21219/48 (as open to inspection under Sect. 91). Each of these cards comprises three decks or fields A, B; .C, Fig. 3, each comprising 60 columns of 7 perforation positions, the perforations being made singly and in combination according to a special code to represent numerical, alphabetic and other data in a definite sequence. The positions 0, 1, 3, 5 are used alone for numbers and in combination with positions X, Y and Z in turn to represent letters. " Primary " and " secondary cards are fed from separate hoppers and sensed, for comparison, with the top edge, Fig. 3, leading, by electric contact brushes which send timed impulses to electronic data stores mounted on plate 76, Fig. 4,and to sequence units (called " plates ") not shown. The stored data is later read out into selector units (called plates "), Fig. 8b. Contact-controlling cams and other circuitbreaking devices, shown in Fig. 4, control the timing of circuit operations including the selective operation of card feed electromagnets due to the electronic comparing means contained in the selector and sequence units. Card feeding and sensing mechanism. This is generally similar to that described in Specifications 523,652 and 550,843, the primary card being sensed at stations PS, P, Fig. 8a, in that order, and the secondary cards at station S. The cards at P and S are compared by the selector units, and those at P and PS by the sequence units, due to the plugging connections shown, these comparisons controlling the subsequent feed of the cards which may be sent to one of four pockets, not shown, by deflecting blades controlled by electromagnets. The plugging connections allow a field of one card to be compared with a different field of another, the cams CR-10, CR-11, CR-12 closing contacts in turn, during the sensing of card fields C, B, A respectively, to supply voltage impulses produced by a continuously rotating circuit breaker 75 to the connected sensing station contact rolls. The sensed data are stored in the electronic stores connected by further plugging to individual sensing brushes, and read out simultaneously while the last card fields A are being sensed. Data stores. A store is provided for each card column to be compared and comprises 7 gas-filled triodes G1-G7, Fig. 8a, one for each column perforation position, mounted with their associated circuit components on a plate 76, Fig. 4. During each card-sensing cycle potential is successively applied to the control electrodes of the triodes by a read-in distributer 74, once for each card field. If potential is applied, at the same moment, through the sensing brush connected to the store, the triode conducts. During the sensing of the last field of the cards, a read-out distributer 132 supplies impulses successively for each conducting triode to a selector unit, Fig. 8b, to represent the card data. For example, as shown, storage plates 1 and 3 are connected to brushes of sensing stations Sand P respectively, and their read-out distributers supply dataimpulses simultaneously to be compared in selector unit 1. The circuits of the triodes are broken before the end of the cycle by the timed operation of relays RL-208, RL-211. Selector units. In each selector unit, Fig. 8b, timed impulses are sent from the read-out distributers of two data stores via rectifiers RC1, RC2 respectively to the control grids of gas-filled tubes G8, G9 and of a vacuum double triode V8a, V8b, normally biased to cut-off. The anodes of triodes V8a, V8b are connected to the screen grids of tubes G9, G8 respectively so that if e.g. V8a conducts it. prevents G9 from becoming conductive. These anodes and screen grids are connected to a supply line 202 the voltage on which is periodically increased, once for each cycle point (corresponding to the sensing of a single card perforation), due to the short-circuiting of a 'voltage regulator by a continuously rotating circuit breaker 107, Figs. 4 and 8d, comprising equally spaced conductive inserts which periodically contact two brushes 109. Two voltage regulators are provided each comprising a series of valves V1- V7, which normally deliver to lines 201, 202 respectively voltages intermediate those supplied over lines 196, 199. Thus, if two impulses are received simultaneously through rectifiers RC1, RC2, Fig. 8b, valves V8a, V8b will conduct for the duration of the impulses, and will prevent conduction of tubes G9, G8. If, however, an impulse is received only through rectifier RC1, valve V8a will conduct and, when the high voltage impulse is sent over line 202, tube G8 will also conduct and relay RL-213 will be energized while cam-controlled contacts such as S-5 are closed. If, later, a solitary impulse is received through rectifier RC2, tube G9 will be similarly rendered conducting to energize relay RL214, thus lowering the potential on condenser C4 and lowering the anode potential of G8 to render it non-conductive. Thus, when two card columns are compared, that column having the last perforation, in the order of sensing, unaccompanied by a corresponding perforation in the other column will be selected by conduction of the corresponding tube G8, G9. The perforation code is such that such a column is higher. in sequence. Suppose, e.g., that columns similar to columns 16 and 21 of deck A of the card of Fig. 3 are compared, data-representing impulses being sent through rectifiers RC1, RC2, respectively. Then, when the impulse corresponding to the " 0 " perforation in column 16 is received, tube G8 will be rendered conducting and will remain so since all the other perforations are paired. Column 16 is thus selected (" X " being higher in sequence than " W "). The selector unit may be arranged so that numbers are always selected in preference to letters (" nos. high ") or vice versa (" alph. high "). For " nos. high," the common line between the a contacts of relays RL 213, RL 214 is connected to cam contacts CR13, Fig. 8d, which close while the "X," " Y,"  " Z " positions, Fig. 3, are being sensed. Thus, if during this time tube G8 or G9 is rendered conductive to energize relay RL213 or RL214, Fig. 8b, potential will be supplied from line 196 to the grid circuit of a corresponding gasfilled tube G10 or G11 which will thereupon conduct, thus applying negative potential from its anode to the control grids of tube G8 or G9 and valve V8a or V8b. This prevents subsequent, conduction of the valve, so that the other tube G9 or G8 will sooner or later be rendered conductive, after which further conduction of the first tube will be prevented by G10 or G11, so that the numerical data will be selected. For " alph high," connection is made to cam contacts CR3, Fig. 8d, which close during sensing of the " O " position, Fig. 3, and the grid circuits of tubes G10, G11 are connected by plugging CP1, CP2, so that at the " O " time both tubes G10, G11 will conduct and will prevent any further response of tubes G8, G9 to data-representing impulses. The energized relay RL213 or RL214 closes contacts b, Fig. 7b, so that a relay RL22, RL23 or RL24 is energized according to whether the primary card data are lower than, equal to, or higher than the secondary card data, and closes other contacts (not shown) to light corresponding neon lamps in a block 180, Fig. 4. The tubes G10 G11 are later extinguished by the timed operation of relay RL212. Sequence units. The circuit for each sequence unit (not shown) is similar to that for a selector unit. The sequence unit, however, operates from data sensed directly on primary cards at the stations P and PS, Fig. 8a, this data being stored for a short period by additional, gasfilled tubes which, when they conduct, supply positive potentials over their cathode circuits to the grids of tubes like G8, Fig. 8b, and valves like V8a. These additional tubes have their anodes connected to line 201, Fig. 8d, and are . de-ionized near the end of each cycle point by a circuit-breaker 108 (similar to circuit breaker 107) which periodically supplies negative potential to the control grids of valves V1-V4 of the associated voltage regulator to reduce the potential on line 201 to zero. Relays like RL213, Fig. 8b, are selectively. energized, according to the data compared, and close contacts to energize relays like RL22-24, Fig. 7b, and neon lamps in the block 180, Fig. 4. Control of card feed by selector and sequence units. The selective energization of relays RL22-RL24, Fig. 7b, and similar relays associated with the sequence units, controls the feed of the primary and secondary cards in a manner generally similar to that described in Specifications 523,652 and 550,843.