Patent GB-493783-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in record controlled statistical machines
Filed: 1937-03-10
Abstract: 493,783. Photo - electric statistical machines. BROIDO, D. March 10, 1937, No. 7069. [Class 40 (iii)] A beam of radiant energy associated with a device sensitive to radiant energy is adapted to analyse in succession a plurality of areas on a record, each of which may or may not contain a single perforation or mark, the extent of relative movement between the beam and said areas on the record during an analysing cycle until said beam coincides with said single perforation or mark directly effecting a proportional movement of a sorting, selecting, tabulating, or totalizing mechanism. The record may be one as shown in Fig. 4, having a single row of digit areas A, B, C, ..., each such area being divided along the row into unit areas a, b, c ..., only one of which contains an opaque, transparent, or reflecting mark. To save length, the digit areas may be arranged in multiple rows. In another form, Fig. 8, the divisions a, b, c, ..., of the digit areas A, B, C, ... are transverse to the row A, B, C, .... In one apparatus suitable for records such as shown in Fig. 4, the records are stacked with their rows of digit areas horizontally in the upper part of a container 1, Fig. 2. One record 2 at a time is fed by a feeding device 3 to a window 5 between a lamp 11 and a photoelectric cell 15 within a scanning drum 12, Fig. 1. This drum is formed with perforations 14 arranged in helical formation and is coupled by a spindle 13 to a number of arcuate racks 16 co-operating in succession with pinions on a shaft 18, clutches 17 transmitting rotation from these pinions to numeral type-wheels 22 for printing on a paper strip 26 as more fully described in Specification 475,943, [Group XIX]. The rotation of the scanning drum is synchronized with the rotation of a cam shaft 21 adapted to move armatures 19a in succession within reach of an electromagnet 19. When a mark on the record is detected by a perforation on the drum, the photo-cell circuit causes the electromagnet 19 to be energized and attract the armature within its reach at the moment, whereupon the corresponding clutch is put out and the type-wheel stopped at the numeral corresponding to the mark on the record. One rotation of the drum scans the whole record, the printer is operated, the scanned record is dropped by a trigger 6 controlled by a cam 9 synchronized with the scanning drum, and the drum returned to the starting position in readiness for the next record. In a modification, the pinion and clutch devices are modified to add up the values of successive records, that is to totalize instead of merely to tabulate these values. In another modification, a perforated ring is set in relation to each pinion with the perforation at a desired unit, so that, when a record having the desired units is scanned, the perforations are all brought opposite prongs on a sliding member, which operates a flap to discharge the record into a separate channel from the others, thus selecting or sorting the records according to desired values or marks thereon. In another modification intended for records having multiple rows of digit areas, one lamp and one photo-cell is provided for each row, and all the rows are scanned by one rotation of a single scanning drum having a single series of perforations, each perforation scanning the corresponding parts of all the rows in succession. In the apparatus shown in Fig. 9, the record 2 is supported by a finger 50 on a belt 51, which lowers the record step by step between the lamp 11 and the photo-cell 15 for scanning successive rows by a drum 12<1>, or for discharging the record in one of a number of channels 56 according to the position of the mark on the record. In another record sorting apparatus, Fig. 12, the record 2 is supported by a trigger 68 with a digit area vertically between a lamp 11 and a photo-cell 15 inside a scanning drum 12<2> on a vertical shaft 62 carrying face cams 74. These cams correspond in position to the scanning slots 14 in the drum, and are adapted to unlock a corresponding number of levers 75 in succession. When the photo-cell is affected by a mark on the record, an amplifier 65 operates a relay 66, which temporarily de-energizes an electromagnet 78, whereupon springs 77 rock the released levers 75 and deflect a corresponding set of flaps 83 to cause the record to be discharged in one of the channels 84, according to the position of the mark on the record, when the trigger is released by a cam 72 at the end of the scanning rotation of the drum. The record supporting device of this apparatus may be made adjustable vertically and horizontally according to the kind of record to be sorted. In another modification, the records are scanned by being moved horizontally between a lamp and a photo-cell and are then passed along by feed rollers over flaps which open under control of the scanning operation to drop the record in a'channel corresponding to the position of the mark on the record. Specification 446,338, [Group XIX], also is referred to.