Patent GB-809639-A (GB)
Title: Data processing system
IPC: G06C11/08
Filed: 1957-10-16
Abstract: 809,639. Statistical apparatus; cash registers. NATIONAL CASH REGISTER CO. Oct. 16, 1957 [Nov. 16, 1956], No. 32297/57. Class 106 (1). A data processing system comprises a combination of three units: a key-operated cash register 102, Fig. 1, receiving one class of data, a record reader 101 adapted to read different groups of another class of data from a succession of inserted records, and a recording unit 100 adapted to record both classes of data, and there is also provided a record identification device for identifying the inserted records, a sequence control device and sensing control means controlled jointly by these devices so as to permit sensing of the inserted records for subsequent recording only if the records have been inserted in the reader in a predetermined order. This sequence control is effected by a stepping switch connected to contacts related to different index positions of the identification recording, the switch being stepped through the different positions so that the record reader can respond only to the next predetermined kind of record. The apparatus is designed for use in a shop to allow sales data to be recorded at the time of making a sale such data consisting of the salesman's number, the customer's number or account number, merchandise identification number, amount and other details. The salesman normally enters his number and that of the department by means of a personal record card inserted in the record reader 101. This is followed by the customer's number or account number entered from a record card in his possession. If either of these cards is not available the required data may be entered by the keyboard of the cash register. Attached to each article to be sold are three tags, Fig. 4, each having twenty-five columns for punched data relating to the article. The price on the tag is used as a comparison between the original price and the price at which the article was actually sold, this value being set up on the keys of the cash register. The three parts of the tag are identical except that the uppermost has a hole 122 for the string. The lowest tag is inserted in the reader 101 and is read, and marked to indicate this, without being separated from the others. The tags are retained in case the customer wishes to return the article, in which case the marked tag is torn off and the upper two tags re-attached to the article. Further data is entered on the keyboard of the cash register. The recording punch 100 is controlled by the reader 101 and the cash register 102 to produce a tape bearing coded data in a predetermined sequence. This sequence is enforced by programming means. The reader 101, Fig. 6.-The reader can sense records with thirty columns and five rows of perforations. The record is manually inserted into a shoot 130 formed of front and back plates 131, 132, the shoot being open on the right-hand side of the machine so that it can receive a record of any size provided the area of perforations is correctly located in one corner. Above the shoot is a transparent curved guide plate 144 pivoted at 147 to arms 148 spring urged towards the front of the machine and the plate is itself spring urged in a clockwise direction to the position shown. The plate is displaced to the rear as a record is inserted and returns to the illustrated position when the record is in position. After the sensing the record is ejected, passing to the right of the plate 144 so as to come into contact with a stop surface 160 and fall on to surface 162 for storage. If the record is larger than the standard size, e.g. if the triple record, Fig. 4, is inserted, the plate 144 is prevented from returning to the normal position and the record is ejected outwardly after reading. Thirty columns of five sensing pins 171 pass through the rear guide plate 132 and three locating pins also pass through the rear plate engaging holes in the record to align the card and lock it in position until the reading is complete. There are also a number of holes through a preselected one of which passes a shop identification pin. This checks all customers' account cards to ensure that they have been issued by that shop. Correct insertion of a record in the reader closes a switch initiating operation of the reader. The record is stopped in the sensing position by a stop controlled by a solenoid as the card is inserted. The stop is withdrawn from the shoot, when the reading is completed, by de-energization of the solenoid, and this also releases a loaded spring to operate the record ejecting mechanism. The energization of the solenoid as the record is inserted also causes the record aligning pins to be projected into engagement with holes 118, 119 and 121 in the record and shop identification pin into engagement with the hole 120. The aligning pins are moved through springs so that if the record is misaligned the springs are stressed and contacts closed. If the record is not perforated in the correct place 120 for the shop identification the corresponding pin will strike the record and a linkage prevents the reader initiating switch from closing and the operation of the reader is blocked. When a record has been inserted into the reader it is clamped in position by a clamping block 181 having a series of grooves to provide clearance for the ends of the sensing pins. The clamping block is applied by a solenoid energized when the aligning pins have passed through the record and de-energized after the reading operation. The sensing pins 171 are caused to read the record column by column, each column of pins being released in turn. Each pin is in the form of a Bowden wire of which the forward end is located in the appropriate hole of the rear shoot plate 132 and the rear end is connected to a contact control rod 315 having an insulating tip 316. The pins are each mounted for longitudinal movement in a sheath 319 and each is urged to the left by a spring 321. Each spring in the projected position of the sensing pin engages a contact rod 337-341. The springs are mounted on input connector bars 327-331 which are electrically connected together and the contact rods 337- 341 are common for each row of springs. -In the projected position of the sensing pin the input line is connected through the spring to the corresponding contact rod 337-341. The sensing pins are normally held retracted by arms 342, one arm to each column of pins, and cams 344 on shaft 359. During a sensing operation the shaft 359 is driven by motor 333 through one revolution in thirty-six steps to release the arms 342 for each column in turn. A disabling bar 343 in its normal position prevents movement to the left of the arms. This bar is rotated to inoperative position during sensing and returns afterwards. It also prevents operation of the tag-ejecting means if any sensing pin fails to move back after sensing to its proper position thereby preventing damage to the sensing pin. The reader may be adjusted to sense any desired number of columns by setting switch plates rotating with the cam shaft. The switch plates and the cams have thirty-six holes arranged in a circle and are positioned by a rod 409 passed through the appropriate hole. A somewhat different set of sensing pins is provided for sensing the first column of the record which is the identification column. These pins are released for sensing movement by an arm similar to arms 342 but controlled by a solenoid which is energized at the beginning of a sensing operation to release the pins and de-energized -at the end to withdraw them. These sensing pins have rods 411, Fig. 9, similar to rods 315 but each is provided with a companion rod 419 controlled by a cam on shaft 359. The rods 411 and 419 are interlocked by means of a ball 426 fitting in grooves in one or the other rod so that only when the sensing pin passes through a perforation can the associated rod 419 move towards the left when released by its cam on shaft 359. Contact springs acting on rods 419 engage fixed contacts when these rods are displaced to the left, the contacts being electrically separate from those previously described. During the reading an embossing hammer is operated to impress each tag with the mark mentioned above. This mechanism is controlled by a key lock to be operative or inoperative as desired. Sequencing unit.-A. selector switch unit for controlling the sequence of operation of the recorder is mounted in the reader on a base 510, Fig. 6. This unit comprises a multi-position, multi-level switch 518, Fig. 32, made up of a number of wafers and wipers, each wiper cooperating with two wafers. One wafer of each pair has four sectors and the other twelve, the wiper having four blades and being between the two wafers so as to make contact with both. The selector switch is stepped round in twelve steps by a solenoid-operated ratchet mechanism. Each pair of .wafers and associated wiper constitutes a four level switch, each of the four sectors on one wafer being a common for one of the levels and each of the twelve sectors on the other provides one of three positions for each level. There are three sets of wipers and wafers. The switch 518 therefore provides a number of three-position switches (SS20a1 to SS20a7 in Figs. 73A-73F) which are stepped on after each operation connections being made to the switches so that the apparatus can only be operated in a certain order. In the first position the record reader will respond only to a record which has the saleman's identification hole, in the second it will respond only to a customer's record and in the third it will respond only to a merchandise tag. The switch unit may be replaced by another to give a different sequence. Recorder 100, Fig. 43.-The recorder punches the data from the reader and the cash register into the tape according to a programme determined by a programme control device in the recorder. Interlocking controls between the uni