GB608816A - Improvement in record card reproducing machines - Google Patents

Abstract

608,816. Statistical apparatus. BRITISH TABULATING MACHINE CO., Ltd. March 1, 1946, No. 6457. Convention date, March 2, 1945. [Class 106 (i)] A record card reproducing machine comprises means for sensing alphabetic classification data on records, means for comparing the sensed data on records, means for comparing the sensed data with a representation set up in the machine, and punching means for reproducing data recorded on other record material when the comparing means registers agreement. The invention is applied to a known machine comprising a card pocket R, Fig. 1, for receiving a file of record cards 10, means for feeding the cards in succession past sensing brushes 15 for reading classification data in the cards, a second card pocket P containing unpunched cards 11, and means for feeding these blank cards in succession past punches 18. A second set of sensing brushes 16 read data in the record cards and control the operation of the punches 18 to reproduce this data in a new card. According to the invention, the classification data comprises alphabetic characters which are represented by combinations of holes in the R, X or O positions with holes in the 1-9 positions. As a record card passes brushes 15, Fig. 4b, the sensing of each hole energizes the pick-up coils of relays R58 ... R64 to which the brushes are connected. The associated contacts R58a ... R64a are closed to establish circuits for the holding coils H of the relays, and contacts R58b ... R64b of a comparing device are transferred. Classification data is set up in the machine by plugging selected sockets 205 of an emitter Em to relays R57 ... R63, the sockets 205 representing the R, X, O positions being connected through intermediary contacts RXOa, b controlled by a relay R101 which is energized during the reading of the R, X, O positions only. The arm 40 of the emitter Em passes over segments R, X, O, 1-9 in synchronism with the reading of the card by brushes 15 and transmits impulses to the pickup coils of relays R57-R63 according to the classification data represented by the plug connections. The relays R57-R63 control " b " contacts in the comparing device so that, in case of disagreement, current passes to a relay U97 which stops the feed of the blank cards. When the comparing device registers agreement, however, a blank card is fed stepby-step past the punches 18 as the controlling record card passes over the sensing brushes 16. The classification data may consist of alphabetical, numerical or partly numerical characters, e.g. " AB89," and an additional data group may exercise control, either separately or in combination with the first. Thus, a second relay U98 may be connected to a comparing network for the second data group, and the energization of either of these relays, or both together, may be arranged to stop the feeding mechanism of the blank cards.