Patent GB-462357-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to machines for arranging statistical cards in a predetermined order
Filed: 1935-09-02
Abstract: 462,357. Statistical apparatus. BALDWIN, R. E. Sept. 2, 1935, No. 24512. [Class 106 (i)] A machine for combining cards from two packs of cards into a single pack, has a magazine 2 or 3 for each pack, a receptacle A<1> for the combined pack, means for feeding cards from each magazine, and control means 15, 27 for each magazine such that when a card bearing a control hole in a particular position, coming from one magazine, is read the feeding means of that magazine is disabled and the feeding means of the other magazine is rendered active. Each magazine has a reciprocating picker blade which is operated by arms 6, 7, shaft 5 and link 8 when the hooked end 9 of the latter is engaged by a pin 10 on an arm 4 oscillated by the driving motor of the machine. Each link 8 is urged upwardly, and outwardly towards its arm 6 by a spring 11 and a member 12 rockable about a pivot 14 is so controlled from sensing pins 15, one for each magazine 2, 3, that only one link 8 at a time is coupled to the pin 10. In each magazine, the cards, are grouped and the last card of each group or a special card following the last card, has a hole in a particular position which is read by the pin 15. When the pin 15, say for magazine 3, passes down through this special hole it lowers a tappet arm 27 which meets a shoulder 12a on the member 12 and rocks the latter clockwise so that its arm 13<1> depresses the right-hand link 8 and disengages it from the pin 10 so that the picker blade for the magazine 3 is no longer reciprocated : a spring 4<a>, between a shaft 4b and a point on rocker 12 above the pivot 14, holds the rocker in whichever position it has been rocked to. At the same time the left arm 13 of member 12 rises and allows the spring 11 to pull the left-hand link 8 up into engagement with the pin 10 to make the card feed for the magazine 2 effective. In this way the feeding is changed alternately at the end of each group in magazine 2 or 3. The two sensing pins 15 are reciprocated alternately and the descent of each pin 15 occurs during the retraction of the corresponding picker blade after the latter has fed a card. When the left-hand link 8 is raised, as described above, the arm 4 is in the position corresponding to the end of the feed stroke of the picker of magazine 2, whereas this picker and its link 8 are in position corresponding to the beginning of the feed stroke. The machine has therefore to make a half cycle to engage pin 10 with the left-hand link 8 ; during this half cycle the left-hand pin 15 'descends and does not meet a card. The pin 15 would then operate as though it had read the special hole in the last card of a group and would rock the member 12 counterclockwise to reverse the feed again. To prevent this a secured pin 16 is used at each sensing station which feels the unperforated part of a card between two card columns. Each pair of pins 15, 16 is mounted in a vertically reciprocating frame 17 and pass through a lever 18 supported on two collars 19, 20 on the pins 15, 16. Springs 22, 23 surround the pins 15, 16 between the members 17, 18. Each lever 18 has a pin and slot connection with an arm 24 rigid with the tappet arm 27 about pivot 26. When an ordinary grouped card from, say, magazine 2 is read, left-hand pins 15 and 16 are both held up by the card and lever 18 is lifted bodily so as to rock the arms 24, 27 clockwise, whereby tappet 27 is moved further away from arm 13 and can not influence the member 12 as the frame 17 descends. If the special hole at the end of a card group is read, pin 16 is held up and pin 15 descends ; left-hand lever 18 is thus rocked clockwise and arms 24, 27 are rocked counterclockwise so that as frame 17 descends the tappet 27 rocks the member 12 counterclockwise so that arm 13 disengages the left-hand link 8. If the right-hand pin 15 has just effected the card feed change as above, left-hand pins 15, 16 in descending do not meet a card since the left-hand feed has not yet started. The relative positions of left-hand parts 17, 18, 24, 27 remain unchanged so that left-hand tappet 27 does not rock the member 12 to reverse the feed again. Means are also provided for stopping the machine when either magazine fails to feed a card, and for rocking the member 12 manually (lever 36) at the commencement of an operation to decide which magazine shall commence to feed first.