Patent GB-491219-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to record-card-controlled statistical machines
Filed: 1937-02-26
Abstract: 491,219. Statistical apparatus. BRITISH TABULATING MACHINE CO., Ltd. Feb. 26, 1937, No. 5838. Convention date, Feb. 27, 1936. [Class 106 (i)] A collating machine for record cards comprises a plurality of card hoppers, MH, DH, Fig. 2, a matching pocket MP, a plurality of card-feed mechanisms each operable to feed the cards, one by one, from a related hopper to the matching pocket, means for reading a number from each card fed, and comparing mechanism, Fig. 17, operable to compare the numbers read from the cards and to cause the card-feed mechanism to be operatire or inoperative individually in accordance with the relative sizes of the numbers compared. In certain cases, a deflecting member 207 is rendered operative to deflect unmatched master cards into a reject pocket RP. In comparing account numbers, electrical sensing brushes MB, DB, Figs. 16-and 17, influence magnets MM, DM, to arrest the movement of bars 286M, 286D, and cause lever 295 to assume a vertical or an inclined position according to whether the digits of that denomination agree or disagree. In the latter case, switch block 302 is moved to close contacts 301, 305. In interleaving single master and detail cards, disagreement causes energization of magnet MFM or DFM, Fig. 16, to stop the card feed on one side of the machine and magnet MS or DS to retain appropriate card stops, while magnet MSM or DSM prevents zeroization of the bars 286M or 286D. When the deflector 207 is allowed to operate, closure of the circuit on the detail side energizes a magnet CRM to deflect lower numbered master cards into the reject pocket RP. In this manner single master cards can be matched with groups of detail cards. When matching single master cards with single detail cards, a switch S1, is closed to bring relay SCM into operation and open contacts SCM1 to stop the machine when a master card is missing. In separating master cards from detail cards the detail card side of the machine is not used. Switch US is moved to the upright position, thus enabling a restricted portion of the cards to be sensed and, by means of special punchings, cause all master cards to be deflected into the reject pocket RP. The mechanism for feeding and sensing the master and detail cards, respectively, is substantially the same. Feeding mechanism. The cards are fed from a hopper MH, Figs. 2 and 5, by a friction roller 96 driven by a ratchet and pawl mechanism 108 comprising a bell-crank lever 99 pivoted at 95, one arm of which co-operates with a cam 104, while a lug 103b is engaged to prevent the feeding operation by a projection 145b when magnet MFM is energized. Engagement of the pawl 107 with ratchet wheel 98 is controlled by a pair of drag links 109 the heads of which are pressed against stationary plates 111 by an interposed spring. During the feeding operation, plate 115 is lifted by a cam 121 to reduce drag on the card. The card throat comprises a button 123 of glass or like material, a vertically adjustable member 128 and a spring-pressed plate 130 slidable in relation to the member 128, and adjustable by a conically tipped screw 132, for preventing the jamming of the throat by a second card. The card passes through feed rolls 112, 113, but is held at the second set of rolls by slightly hooked members 171a projecting into grooves therein. Here a guide frame 163, Fig. 10, is moved laterally to position the card accurately for the subsequent reading operation by brushes MB fixed to a block 189 and extending into the grooves of a roll 183 to contact with roll MCR. More card stops are located between rolls 194, 195, 216, 217, Fig. 2, and these, together with the stop 171a are adapted to be moved out of the path of the cards by a bar 236M, Fig. 7, which, normally, is reciprocated once per card cycle by cam means (not shown). Energization of magnet MS, however, releases a cam-influenced pawl (not shown) to prevent movement of the bar 236M and, accordingly, hold up the stream of master cards. The magnet CRM, when energized, releases a spring-urged arm 208 to operate the deflector 207 and guide a master card into the reject pocket RP. A lever 238 can be manually rotated anticlockwise to withhold the deflector arm 208 by means of a link 255 while a pin 238a engages lever 229 to remove the card stop 228. Analysing mechanism. A series of magnets MM, DM, Fig. 12, energized from the sensing mechanism, lift armatures 276 and release spring-pressed pawls 282 which engage bars 286M, 286D, movable under the control of spring-urged levers 289 and bars 316M, 316D, which bars move to the right in synchronism with the passage of the cards beneath the sensing brushes. These bars extend across the analyser and are each attached to a separate carriage 320, Fig. 13, slideable relative to a bar 308 which is itself slideably mounted in brackets 306 fixed to the rear of the machine. The slide 308 is moved by a sector arm 311 pivoted at 310 and actuated by a cam 314 fixed to the feed roll shaft 112. Spring-urged pawls 322, withheld in their initial positions by stationary abutments 324, engage notches 316a in the slide 308 as it moves and are carried along against the action of springs 318. When one of the magnets MSM or DSM is energized, however, the armature 326 thereof bears on the surface 322a and prevents the engagement of the pawl with the moving slide, thus maintaining the setting of the corresponding bars 286M, 286D. Levers 328, Fig. 12, are adapted to be struck upon the return of bars 286 to knock off the armatures 276 from their magnets. A spring-urged switch lever 295 is associated with each pair of bars 286 and passes through an aperture in a switch block 303. Manual rotation of a shaft 336 bearing cams 335 having progressively increased dwells causes any desired number of levers 332 to be moved downwardly to render inoperative their associated switch levers 295. To ensure proper feeding of warped cards, card lifter elements 138, Fig. 5, are fitted in the hoppers and are raised or lowered by a rack and pinion 139. Hopper contacts MHC, Figs. 5 and 16, are also provided to stop the machine when a hopper becomes empty. Pivoted card levers 259, Fig. 2, located between the various feed rolls, maintain contacts MCLR, MCL &c. when cards are present. Mounted for vertical movement in each of the pockets MP, RP is an L-shaped member 77 linked with a sector 83 which gears with a governor 87. When member 77 depresses one of the arms 89, contacts FPC, Fig. 16, are opened to stop the machine. Plug boards 264 are situated at either side of the machine and have sockets DPS, DAPS for connecting up the card brushes and analyser magnets, Fig. 16.