Patent GB-523832-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to record-card controlled machines
Filed: 1938-08-13
Abstract: 523,832. Typewriters &c. BRITISH TABULATING MACHINE CO., Ltd. Aug. 13, 1938, No. 23891. Convention date, Aug. 13, 1937 [Class 100 (iv)] [Also in Group XIXI In a record-card-controlled machine a different part of each card is read in each cycle of a group of cycles and a card is' fed from the supply magazine in one cycle only of the group of cycles related to the preceding card. Name and address cards and detail cards are dealt with. The name and address cards, denoted by a '.' 9 " hole 140, Fig. 8, in the last column, are read in three successive cycles but are fed from the magazine in alternate cycles. Each numeral is'represented by a single digit hole in the positions 1 ... 9 and each letter is represented additionally by a zone hole in the positions 0, 11, 12. During the first cycle, a card is withdrawn from the magazine ; during the second cycle the " 9 " hole 140 of the lowest card, Fig. 8, is read and the name is zoned at upper brushes UB, Fig. 10 (i.e., read as to zone hole 0 or 11 or 12). During this cycle no card is fed from the magazine. In the third cycle, the name digit holes of the card are read at intermediate brushes IB, the name is printed at the first line of the statement, Fig. 9, the street is zoned and a second (state) card is fed from the magazine. During the fourth cycle the street digit holes of the first card are read at lower brushes LB, the street is printed; and for card No. 2 its 9" " hole 140 is read and its state zoned at upper brushes UB. During the cycle No. 5 the state is printed at brushes IB and the first detail card is fed from the magazine. Thereafter, in the absence of the special holes 140, the detail cards are fed in every cycle and the details printed as shown in Fig. 9. Card feeding means. Sorting means. The cards are fed from magazine 21 past brushes UB, IB, and LB and card levers 40 and 41, Fig. 2, by rollers 36 which are driven from a main shaft through a dog clutch 11, 12, Fig. 1 (not shown). which is engaged whenever magnet 16, Fig..10, is energized. The picker blade 23 is driven also from the main shaft through a clutch 29, 30, Fig 1 (not shown), which is disengaged whenever a magnet 33 is energized. A deflector 48 is in the full line position for detail cards to deliver them to drum 42 carrying clips 43.and to box 45 and in the dotted position for name and address cards to send them to box 51. When box 45 is full a plate 46. engages a handle 47 to trip a snap-switch which stops the machine. The box 51 is pivoted at 52 and balanced to bear against a pin 53 on one blade of the contact pair 54. When the box is nearly full, the weight opens contacts 54 to stop the machine. The deflector 48 is controlled by a cam, Fig. 6 (not shown), and a magnet 59, Fig. 10, which when energized, actuates the deflector through a circuit delay device which holds up energization of the magnet for over two and a half cycles so the deflector is moved to pass a name card to box 51 three cycles, after the brushes UB read the " 9 " hole 140 of that card.. The printing mechanism is substantially that shown in Specification 425,838 in which each type bar carries the numerals and letters mixed in groups of four, viz., 9,I.R,Z; 8,H,Q,Y; 7,G,P,X; &c. and each type bar is first moved relatively to its carrier one, two or three steps under the control of a zone magnet 111, Fig. 10, energized from a zone hole " 12," " 11," or "0" " and then arrested differentially by a print magnet 95 energized by a "digit " hole in one of the " 1 " to "9" positions. Thus for a numeral, a zone magnet is not energized and a magnet 95 acts to select a numeral type. For a letter, the additional step given by, the zone magnet 111 will select the correct letter out of the group of type selected by the energized magnet 95. The paper spacing mechanism is actuated from the main shaft through a clutch device 130/31, Fig. 5 (not shown), which is controlled by magnet 134, Fig. 10. The device is such that two paper spacings may be effected in one cycle if the magnet 134 is energized twice in the same cycle. Circuits. Fig. 8 shows two name and address cards with the special holes 140 and followed by the detail cards. Fig. 9 'shows the statement printed from these cards. The start key contacts 162, Fig. 10, are closed until the first card reaches the lever contacts 40, Fig. 2, so that contacts ICL maintain relays R4 and R5 energized; contacts R4b remain closed to shunt the contacts 162 and relay R6 is maintained energized so that its contacts R6b maintain the card feed clutch 16 energized. When the supply magazine is exhausted, contacts 154 open and prevent completion of reading circuits. Relay R5. closes contacts R5a and relay MCR7 (in parallel with 16) closes contacts MCR7b so that print clutch magnet 74 and a magnet 185 controlling the zoning mechanism, are energized. Early in each cycle in which the printing mechanism operates, contacts PMI close to energize the paper spacing magnet 134. As the first card reaches the brushes UB in the second cycle the "9" hole 140 completes a circuit 161, CF11. R2b, R15b, 37, the " 9 " hole, UB, 141, 150, 151, R37, CF15, CR1 ... CR4, 160 and also a parallel circuit 151, 152, 153, R13, CF15 &c. Relay R37 contacts a delay device so that the blade 48, Fig. 2, is rocked counter-clockwise three cycles later to eject the special (name) card to box 51. Relay R13 closes its contacts R13a to energize the picker clutch magnet 33 and a coil RH13. The latter has its core common with coil R13 and holds contacts R13a closed until coil R13 is de-energized. Magnet 33 uncouples the picker clutch so that during the second cycle no card leaves the magazine and as the first card passes the intermediate brushes IB in the next or third cycle, no card is passing the brushes UB. While however, the zone positions 0, 11, 12 only of the first card are read at brushes UB in the second cycle, contacts CF25 close and a circuit 161, Cf25, R14b, MCR21, 160 causes relay MCr21 to close contacts MCR21a, so that appropriate circuits 161, CF11, R2b, R15b, 37, UB, 141, 142, 143, MCR21a, 111, CF16, CR1 ... 4, 160 may be closed by the zone holes of the name to energize the zone magnets 111. In the third cycle, at brushes IB, circuits 161, R5b, CF2, 38, IB, 141, 144, 145, MCR13a, (normally closed), 95, CR1 ... CR4, 160 are closed by the name digit holes of the cards (1 ... 9 hole positions) to energize the print magnets 95 so that the name is printed at line No. 1, Fig. 9. During the third cycle in which the name digit holes passed brushes IB the zone hole positions for the streets were passing other brushes IB and circuits 161, R5b, CF2, 38, street zone holes, IB, 141, 146, 147, MCR23a, 111, CF16, CR1 ... CR4. 160 caused zone magnets 111 to be energized. In the following (i.e., fourth) cycle as the first card passes the lower brushes LB circuits 161, CF12, 39, street digit holes, LB, 141, 148, 149, MCR25a (now closed) under control of relays MCR25 and MCR23 left-hand contacts MCR13a, 95 cause the print magnet 95 to print the street at the second line, Fig 9. During this fourth cycle also the second card passes the brushes UB, its " 9 " hole 140 is read and declutches the picker blade again and its " state " is zoned. During cycle No. 5 the " state digit holes are read at brushes IB and the state is printed at the third line. Fig. 9. No printing takes ,place during the sixth cycle, as the " state " card passes brushes LB but the paper is spaced so that the preprinted heading, Fig. 9. is skipped. During the third cycle a " 9 " hole 140 was not read at brushes UB, relay R13 was not energized, so that clutch magnet 33 was not energized and the picker clutch remained engaged to feed a card from the magazine. Cards were thus fed from the magazine in cycle Nos. 1 and 3 but not during cycle Nos. 2 and 4. A " 9 " hole is not read at brushes UB in the fifth cycle since there is no card immediately following the 11 state card; magnet 33 remains un-energized and the first detail card is fed from the magazine. Thereafter a detail card is fed every cycle since they do not carry the " 9 " holes 140. The detail cards are then zoned at brushes UB and then read as to " digit holes and printed at brushes IB, and pass the brushes LB without closing circuits.