Patent GB-1084800-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to document sorters
IPC: B07C3/00
Filed: 1964-10-06
Abstract: 1,084,800. -Statistical apparatus. ING. C. OLIVETTI & C., S.p.A. Oct. 6. 1964. [Oct. 8, 1963] No. 40611/64. Heading G4M. General.-Documents are fed from a magazine 13, Fig. 1, and magnetized characters thereon are sensed by spaced heads L1, L2 which may be aligned with different rows of information. Each document is sorted into one of three branch paths 17, 18, 19 and thence into one of pockets 5-9, 0-4, A-R. The deflectors SC1, SC2, D5-D8, D0-D3 and DA-DD are controlled by associated stores M1, M2, M3 into which the sort control data is shifted as the document traverses the main path sections 14, 15, 16. The transfer of data between stores M0-M3 is effected when the leading edge of a document reaches photocells T1, T2, T3, gates 31, 32, 33 being opened at this time. The machine is capable of operating in any one of four modes selected by push-buttons (not shown). Mode 1-Normal sorting.-Each document has a plurality of fields, each preceded by a start character, and each including 15 numeric characters. A field counter 40, Fig. 2, is advanced each time a start character is sensed, and is reset each time a document is fed from magazine 13. A character counter 41 is advanced each time a numeric character is sensed, and is reset each time a start character is sensed. Plugboard terminal 69 is connected to one of outputs Z1-Z15 of field counter 40, and terminal 68 is connected to one of outputs C1-C15 of character counter 41 to select a given field and character position to control the sorting process. Gate 30 is opened when the selected character is being sensed, and character-recognition circuit 20 passes a 4-bit signal representing the selected character to store M0. If circuit 20 produces an error signal ER, a special character " E " is entered in M0 and will eventually cause the document to be directed to the reject pocket R since none of the deflectors are actuated by this character. When the document passes T1, the associated sort control character is transferred to M1, and thence to a decoder SC1 through a gate 24, this gate, together with gate 26, being opened by a signal SEL in this mode of operation. If the sort control character is any of characters 5-9, SC1 is operated by decoder 25, together with one of deflectors D5-D8 if the character is either 5, 6, 7 or 8. Store M2 and decoder 27 control deflectors D0-D3 in a similar manner for characters 0-4. Any documents reaching section 16 automatically go to the reject pocket R. Mode 2-Selecting by key number.-In this mode, documents bearing four selected characters in selected positions in a given field are separated from the other documents. The field is selected by connecting terminal 70, Fig. 2, to one of outputs Z1-Z15 of the field counter 40. The character positions are selected by connecting terminals 64-67 to the appropriate ones of outputs C1-C15 of character counter 41. The particular characters on which selection is based are selected by banks of switches 42-45, each bank comprising four ganged switches 50-53 which are set to a position corresponding to the desired character. None of switches 50-53 produce an output when the character supplied thereto by recognition circuit 20 corresponds to the setting of these switches. Gates 58-61 are enabled in turn as the selected character positions are sensed, and provided the characters sensed at these positions correspond to those set in banks 42-45, a bi-stable circuit 62 remains set and produces a signal S1 which erases any data in store MO and enters a special character " N" in store M1 when the document reaches T1. The character " N " is transferred from M1 to M2 to M3 as the document passes T2, T3, and decoder 202 produces an output ND to operate deflector DA and direct the document into pocket A. Other documents, with which character " N " is not associated, are directed into reject pocket R. Mode 3-Sorting by following document.- In this mode, master documents bear a character "H" in a given position and may be followed by detail documents which do not bear this character. Master documents which are not followed by detail documents are directed to pocket B, while the other master documents are directed to pocket C together with the associated detail documents. The given position for the character " H " is selected as in Mode 1, gate 30 being opened when this position is sensed. When a master document is in path section 16 and has reached T3, the associated selected character is in M3, and decoder 202 produces an output H3 since this character is " H." At the same time, the next following document is in path section 15 and the associated selected character is in M1. If this character is also " H," decoder 201 applies a signal H1 to gate 208 which is enabled by a mode control signal SSM, and deflector DB is operated to direct the master document in path section 16 to pocket B since it is followed by another master document. Master documents having associated detail documents are directed together with the detail documents into pocket C by deflector DC which is continuously operated in this mode by signal SSM. Mode 4-Heading only.-Gate 204 is normally enabled by an inverter 207 and mode control signal L so that documents are directed into pocket D by deflector DD. If an error character " E " is transferred to M3 in association with a document, decoder 202 produces an output ED, gate 204 is inhibited, and the document passes on to reject pocket R.