Patent GB-685642-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to apparatus for comparing statistical record cards
Inventor: THOMAS ARTHUR
IPC: C08F8/00
Filed: 1950-02-02
Abstract: 685,642. Statistical apparatus. POWERSSAMAS ACCOUNTING MACHINES, Ltd. Jan. 10, 1951 [Feb. 2, 1950], No. 2772/50. Class 106 (i). A machine for comparing statistical record cards comprises two sensing devices PS, SS, Figs. 1A and 1B, operable in timed relation so that one effects sensing of a card in advance of the other, the data patterns sensed being simultaneously transmitted to comparing mechanism CM which indicates whether the data patterns agree or disagree. In the machine shown, primary and secondary perforated cards are fed from magazines 1, 34 to sensing devices PS, SS and are subsequently passed to receivers 33, 58. The device PS is similar to that described in Specification 401,012, the pins 67 in movable pin-box 60 first sensing the card and then transmitting the sensed data through connecting elements 88 and pins 59 to a removable connection box 75 comprising wires 74 which actuate the upper slidable elements 76 of comparing mechanism as described in Specification 685,640. The device SS comprises a fixed pin box 77 with pins 78, and a card sensing chamber which is supported by a vertically movable carriage 81 rocked by a cam (not shown) on main shaft 45. The carriage is raised simultaneously with the descent of the pin box 60 and those pins 78 which do not pass through card perforations actuate lower slidable elements 80 of the comparing mechanism through transmission elements 79. The testing slides 90 subsequently act on a common bail member and if any slides are obstructed, due to disagreement of the data compared, an indication is given, e.g. as described in Specification 369,307 or 685,641. The columns of the secondary .card compared are selected by levers 89 which operate bell-cranks associated with slides 90 as described in Specification 685,640, and the primary card columns are determined by the connection box. In addition, the cards may be arrested for sensing in one of two positions according to whether normal or " interstage " index positions are to be sensed. A primary card is normally engaged by a stop 6 which is operated through the interstage stop 7 rocked through linkwork by a cam (not shown) on upper drive shaft 9. For interstage sensing, the stop 6 is raised by arms 28 connected by linkwork to a manually operable lever (not shown). Similarly, the secondary card is normally engaged by a stop 39 operated through the cam-controlled support 42 for interstage stop 40. The stop 39 is rendered inactive by a latch 46 operated through linkwork by a lever 56. If it is desired to check that a certain field of the secondary cards is blank, this field is compared with columns of the sensing device PS rendered inactive by locking slides 87 operated by levers 84. In order to verify the perforations in preselected positions of a secondary card, some of the comparing elements 76 are set by plungers 93, Fig. 4, connected by Bowden wires 94 to rods 98 operated together or independently (as shown, through an interponent 99) by one or more axially movable spindles 105. The or each spindle is actuated by a knob 107 against a spring 106 and retained by a pin engaging a bent slot 110.