Patent GB-473802-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in devices responsive to perforated records
Filed: 1936-10-08
Abstract: 473,802. Typewriters &c. MAUL, M. Oct. 8, 1936, No. 27369. [Class 100 (iv)] [Also in Group XIX] A device controlled by perforated records in which the data are represented by singlepositional holes or plural - positional holes or both is characterized by means whereby a controlling action is effected for each perforated holeposition and whereby for a plural - positional hole an additional controlling-action is effected due to the absence of the bridge portion between the hole-positions proper. The invention is described as applied to a statistical machine. A plural-positional hole is an elongated hole covering two, single, adjacent hole-positions and with the intermediate bridge portion of card removed. When a card 11 is fed downwards, each card column of three hole-positions is read by a single brush 14 connected by wire 27 to the contact-strip 28 of a commutator whose contact-arm 37 sweeps clockwise over strip 28 and three studs 30 synchronously with the passage of the three hole-positions on the card column past the reading brush 14. According to the presence of one or more singlepositional holes in the card column, one or more magnets 60-I...60-III are energized from the studs 30. For an elongated hole in any position, magnet 60-X is also energized. Energization of these magnets lifts corresponding rods 83 which reverse their associated contacts 91 so that for any combination of magnets energized only one line 81 is eventually able to energize magnet 42 when commutator 92 acts, as described in Specification 235,568, [Class 100 (iv)]. The magnet 42 for each card column differentially arrests a reciprocating type-bar. For a hole in the " I " position, Fig. 3, brush 14 and arm 37 complete a circuit 61, 60-I, 52 to energize magnet 60-I. This raises rod 83 and pulls down arm 39 to short two contact pairs 53 and 54, of which 53 provides a holding-circuit for the magnet over line 29 and strip 28. For a hole in the " II " position, the second magnet 60-II raises its rod 83 and bridges its contacts 55, 56 similarly. If there is card material between the two holes, (e.g. number 6 in Fig. 3) the brush 14 interrupts the main circuit 27, 37, 61 and the holding-circuit 28, 29, 53 after the first hole leaves the brush 14 and before the hole in " II " position reaches the brush. The magnet 60-I is thus de-energized, arm 39 rises and contacts 54 are opened. For an elongated hole covering the I and II positions, however, (e.g. number 5, in Fig. 3) the brush 14 maintains contact with the plate 13 so that when magnet 60-II is energized, the holding-circuit 29, 53 for magnet 60-I is still alive and contacts 54 are still closed. A circuit 62, 54, 70, 60-X, 52 energizes the extra magnet 60-X. Similarly, for an elongated hole between the " II " and " III " positions, Fig. 3, the holding-circuit 29, 55 is still energizing the magnet 60-II to close the contacts 56 when the magnet 60-III is energized to close contacts 57. A circuit 63, 69, 57, 56, 70 is then closed to energize the magnet 60-X. This arrangement allows the numbers 0 ... 9 to be covered by a three-point code. In a modification, a five-point code is used to cover the numerals 0... 9 and the alphabet by using five magnets 60-I .... 60-V (not shown), each with a holding-circuit and two additional magnets 60-X and 60-Y (not shown). In a modification for printing-telegraph apparatus, Fig. 9, the magnet 42 for each perforation column actuates a platen-lever 102 which presses a paper strip 103 and an ink ribbon 104 against the type on a rotary type-wheel 105, the magnet 42 being energized at the correct differential time.