Patent GB-566594-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to apparatus for punching holes in record cards
Filed: 1943-06-30
Abstract: 566,594. Punching-machines. BRITISH TABULATING MACHINE CO., Ltd. June 30, 1943, No. 10640. Convention date, July 2, 1942. [Class 31 (ii)] [Also in Group XIX] An apparatus for punching in record cards C, Fig. 8, alphabetical and numerical data recorded on a tape 25, Fig. 3, in a telegraphic code, is constructed so as to produce two perforations at a time in the card C for alphabetical reproductions, one in one of the rows R, X, O, and the other in a position 1 to 9 vertically beneath the perforations in rows R, X, O. The telegraphic tape 25 is perforated at intervals with perforations representing a " letter " code designation, and subsequent perforations in the tape produce two perforations in the card, also the tape is perforated with "figure" code designations which are followed by the operation of one punch only to produce a numeral perforation. As shown in Fig. 9, a tapesensing unit S is connected by a cable connection CC to a recording perforating unit which is similar in construction and operation to the unit described in Specification 362,529. This unit comprises perforating magnets 115, which are indicated in the diagram, Fig. 14A, in positions corresponding to the perforations indicated in Fig. 8 on the card C, and Fig. 14A also shows the contacts 52 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) which are operated by the sensing pins 50, Fig. 3, which are advanced at each cycle of the machine into contact with the intermittently fed tape 25. Each time a pin 50 senses a perforation in the tape, the corresponding contact 52 is closed, and translating relays R3, R4 ... R11 are thus selectively operated to control the energization of the magnets 115, with the aid of other distributing relay contacts R 12 ... R42, Figs. 14B, 14C (not shown), which are arranged in cascade form and control the supply of current from mains 200, 203 to individual conductors of the groups 208 ... 219, connected to the magnets 115. Ultimately, the selection of the energization of the magnets 115 is controlled by other relays R43 ... R46, Fig. 14D (not shown), which are energized by " figures " or " letters " key code perforations in the tape 25 and determine the formation of numerical or alphabetical perforations in the card C. The code changes need not be repeated when a sequence of similar perforations is desired. The punch unit is provided with a read-out device 165, Figs. 9 and 14F, for automatically controlling the starting and stopping operations of the tape-sensing unit. Relays R47, R48, R53, R54 cause sensing operations to be suspended temporarily during functional operations of the punch unit, such as card ejection and carriage return, and tabulating and duplicating operations. Other relays R49 ... R52, Fig. 14F, are used to cause the " carriage return " and " line feed " signals sensed on tape 25 to determine and check whether all the sensing and functional units are completed in unison upon the completion of each cycle of operation of the punch unit. The tape 25 is guided by members 29, 34, Fig. 3, and is advanced by a pin-wheel 36 on a shaft 37 which is advanced intermittently by pawl-and -ratchet mechanism comprising a pawl 40, Fig. 2, on a lever arm 41 which is oscillated by a cam 45 on a drive-shaft 66 driven by a motor 69. The sensing pins 50 are advanced towards the tape by an oscillating bail 53 on a shaft 54 which is given an oscillating movement by a cam 57 on the shaft 66 when a latch plate 62 controlled by the energization of a magnet 63 releases the arm 55c of a three-armed lever 55 on the shaft 54. Normally, a pivoted catch on the arm 55b of the lever engages a lever 43 on the shaft 42 of the arm 41 and prevents movement of the pawl lever 41, but when the lever 55 is released it first moves clockwise to release the arm 41 so that the wheel 36 can be advanced at a period later than the oscillation of the bail 53. The feed thus takes place after the sensing operation. The tape 25 is wound up on a roller driven frictionally from the shaft 66. The current to the motor 69 is cut off when the tape 25 is exhausted, and also when a guard 85 is moved away from the feed roll 36 to permit of access to the pins. The shaft 66 also carries cams for operating contacts C1, C2, C3 in the circuits of the latch magnet 63 and the sensing contacts as shown in Fig. 14A. These circuits are thus closed for only a part of the time of each rotation of the shaft 66. The record card punching apparatus, which is of the kind described in Specification 362,529, is provided with a picker knife 112, Fig. 9, to feed a card from the bottom of a hopper 111 to a card carriage 113 which is advanced by escapement mechanism step-by. step to the left until the punching operation is completed, and the card delivered automatically by grippers to a pile carrier. The mechanism can be set so as to skip predetermined columns of the card. The card carriage 113 is provided with extensions 173, 174 between which a pattern or master card M can be positioned, and a roller 175, Fig. 14A, is positioned above the card for coaction with sensing brushes 176 which are raised into contact with the card M by a brush magnet 170. The extension 174 carries brushes 168 of the punch read-out device 165, one brush coacting with the common conducting strip 166 of the device 165 and the other successively with the spaced conducting segments. The tape can be punched with one perforation which causes the card carriage to be moved without operation of a punch. The circuits can be connected up in different ways to the punch read-out device 165, as shown in Fig. 14F, in which leads 202, 223, 225, 226, 227 can connect different spaced segments of the device to plug sockets which can adapt the punches to operate to carry out tabulating operations, skipping operations, duplicating operations, and column checking operations.