Patent GB-960703-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to devices for selecting a desired record from a stack of records
IPC: G06K17/00
Filed: 1960-09-28
Abstract: 960,703. Record card apparatus. ITEK CORPORATION. Sept. 28, 1960 [Sept. 29, 1959], No. 33368/60. Heading G4M. In a machine for selecting one record card or sheet from a stack 34, Fig. 9, comprises means for holding them so that they may rotate about their lower edges from one angular position to another, means for moving the holder past an air jet so that the cards are blown one at a time from one position to the other, past a reading head 54. When the desired card is detected, the holder is stopped and a number of cards overlying the one wanted are blown back past the reading head by another air jet and opposite movement of the holder to enable the desired card to be isolated. The records consist of cards 32, Fig. 21, having a cut-away at the lower end to give inwardly facing hooks 78 which are normally engaged by the out-turned flanges of resilient rail members 76, comprising the holder. One edge of the record has magnetic markings to be read by the sensing head 54. The holder is slidably mounted on rollers 88, Fig. 3, and driven through a rack 44 and gear 46 by an electric motor 48. The motor 48 drives through a clutch 82 and a brake 84 to bring the holder to rest. The two separators 56, 60, Fig. 9, are mounted for vertical movement and are interconnected by a rocking lever so that when one is down in proximity to the tops of the cards the other is raised into an inoperative position. To extract a desired card, the number is entered into a store and the stack is displaced from left to right the cards lying over on the left. The separator 56 is lowered and blows the cards over in turn to the other position, the edge-coded data being sensed at 54 and compared with the number entered in the store in a comparator. When an agreement signal is produced the holder is stopped by the opening of clutch 82 and the application of brake 84. During this detection run isolating levers associated with the other separator 60 are lifted up into an inoperative position. Since the mechanism does not stop immediately upon detection of the desired card it will be covered by several of the following cards. The other separator 60 is now used in conjunction with the isolating levers 62, 64, 66 which are cam-controlled to allow one card at a time to be blown past the sensing head during a return run of the holder. The overlying cards 32K, 32L, 32M, 32N are thereby returned to the left-hand section of the stack as shown in Fig. 9 and each in turn is sensed, intercepted by a cam-controlled trap lever 68 and released to fall on to the stack. When the desired card 32A is detected on its return movement the cam drive is stopped so that the card remains in the position shown in Fig. 17 lying against the trap lever 68. One of a pair of arms 70A carrying endless belts is then lowered as shown in Fig. 18 and the card 21A is blown against it by a jet of air from separator 56. The other arm 70B is then lowered, the card 32A is gripped by the opposed belts. Cams 42A, 42B, Fig. 8, are actuated by a motor 92 to close the two flanges of the holder rail 76 together so as to release the card from the holder. The card is removed by operation of the belts. The cams 42A, 42B when operated compress the flanges only in the region of the separating heads so that only the desired card and a few cards near it are released. Specification 960, 702 is referred to.