Patent GB-482304-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to machines for sorting perforated cards
Filed: 1936-09-28
Abstract: 482,304. Statistical machines. REMINGTON RAND, Inc. Sept. 28, 1936, No. 26264. Convention date, Sept. 27, 1935. [Class 106 (i)] A sorting-machine has a column of main sensing pins 48 in a reciprocating frame 47, a latch bar 56 pivoted on the frame and co-operating to lock to the frame any pin 48 reading a card hole, a card box for each pin 48, means which sort a card into the correct box when the latch bar is free to act and when a pin 48 reads a hole, means 20, 22 normally obstructing the latch bar 56, and an auxiliary sensing pin 9 or 15 operatively connected to the latch bar so that when an auxiliary pin 9 or 15 is arrested by a card, the latch bar is allowed to lock the main sensing pins. The machine is of the kind in which when a sensing pin 48 reads a hole it operates a Bowden cable 32 to set a latch 37, Fig. 7, carrying a roller 36, on a rotary disc 34 so that at the time the sensed card reaches its correct sorting box, the projected roller 36 meets and raises an arm 35 to raise the sorting box deflector. The parts 40, 39 are subsequently operated to reset the latch 37 by a pin 41 or 43. In the present invention the pin 41 resets the parts after two cards have passed into the same sorting box but for normal sorting a short arm 42, pivoted to the long arm 35, is lowered so that its locking pin 50 is in the lower hole 46 of two holes 46, 44 of the arm 35. In this lowered position a pin 43 on arm 42 meets and resets the latch 37 earlier so that only one card is sorted into a box at a time. The sensing head consists of two plates 47 carrying a column of twelve sensing pins 48 and slidable along horizontal bars 45 for setting the pins over the desired card column. Each pin 48 has a shoulder 55 coacting with a bail 56 on shaft 57. For vertical oscillation of the sensing head, bars 45 are carried in brackets' 72 reciprocated by links 77 and cams on drive shaft 73. After the pin box has been lowered to read the card, bail 56 is moved in so that it is over the shoulder 55 of the pin which has read a hole and below those held up by the card. Further travel downwards of the box causes bail 56 to depress the lowered pin and actuate the appropriate Bowden cable 32. If, under conditions set out below, a pin 22 on bail 56 is obstructed by a lever 20 as shown in Fig. 4 the bail 56 cannot move in and although a pin has read a hole, the corresponding cable 32 is not actuated. Each name card 26 has a hole 28 read by a special pin 15, Fig. 3, and is accompanied by an address card 27 having a hole 29 read by a special pin. Each hole 28 is at the " 12 " position of column 1 of the card and each hole 29 is at position " 9 " of column 1 of the card but is turned face down to coact with position " 12 " column 45 of the pin bed plate. Secured to the pin box brackets 72 are two plates 2 in which is journalled a shaft 3' having a flattened portion 4 coacting with the bell-crank 20 pivoted to a bracket 19 on one of the plates 47. To the right-hand bracket 72 is secured a plate 5 with a bracket 6 to which is pivoted a bell-crank 7, Fig. 5, having a lug 8 coacting with the special pin 9. Secured to shaft 3 is an arm 11 connected by link 12 to crank 7. The connection between parts 11 and 12 is a wing nut to permit disconnection. Arm 17 on shaft 3 has a pin 24 which meets plate 2 to limit the rotation of shaft 3. Arm 17 is also acted upon by spring 18 which is connected to bracket 72 and keeps pins 9 and 15 in operative position. A bracket 14 on the left-hand plate 2 positions the special pin 15 over the " 12 " position of the first card column. Pin 15 is connected by a wing nut to an arm 16 on shaft 3. Only one special pin 9 or 15 is used for a particular sorting operation. For example, if the machine is to sort name cards each followed by an address card, the name pin 15 is disabled by removing the wing nut between pin 15 and arm 16, and pin 50 is placed in upper hole 44, Fig. 7. The sensing head is set over the correct card column containing the first letter of the name, e.g. " S," and the pins are adjusted to select only perforations corresponding to the letter " S." The name card 26 of a pair is read first in chamber 30 and the " 4 " and " 12 " pins 48 and special pin 15 (disabled) enter holes 51, 54, 28. The " 12 " pin 48 has been disabled so that only the " 4 " pin is effective. The address pin 9 is raised by the card material and rocks the shaft 3 so that latch 20 is cammed away from pin 22, Fig. 4. Bail 56 is allowed to move in and force the " 4 " pin 48 down so that the " 4 " cable 32 is actuated to sort the card into the " 4 " box. When the next card, an address card, is read the disabled pin 15 is raised but being disabled is ineffective and the address pin 9 reads an address hole in column No. 45 of the pin box bed plate and does not rock shaft 3. Latch 20 obstructs bail 56 and the address card follows its name card into box " 4 " since pin 41, Fig. 7, has not yet reset the latch 37. U.S.A. Specification 1,476,161 is referred to.