GB694365A - Improvements in or relating to record card controlled statistical machines - Google Patents

Abstract

694,365. Statistical apparatus. POWERSSAMAS ACCOUNTING MACHINES, Ltd. May 2, 1951 [May 17, 1950], No. 12378/50. Class 106 (i). A card sensing means comprises a source of light to illuminate the card, card locating means to arrest a card in successive scanning positions, a photo-electric cell for each data indicating position of the portion of the card located in scanning position, each cell being responsive to the quantity of light reflected from the data-indicating positions and operative when a data-indicating position is at least partly obscured by a mark formed thereon to control a function, for example, a punching operation, characterized in that light guiding rods guide the light to each cell which is reflected from the data-indicating positions on the card, and a shutter is disposed between the light guides and the cells and is operable in timed relationship with the card locating means to obturate the cells except when a card is arrested in position for scanning. A temporary record for controlling subsequent punching is made on a record card by obscuring with ink &c. the appropriate record areas arranged as shown in Fig. 2. The cards are passed through the apparatus shown in Fig. 3 and holes 16 are punched by a punching unit in accordance with the marking of the record areas 12. The cards are passed from a magazine 17 by known picker means 18, Fig. 3, to a reading station between plates 20, 21, Fig. 6. The cards are read column by column, the card stop 19 being advanced in step-by-step fashion to bring each column successively into scanning position. The card stop 19 is reciprocated by means of a cam 22 mounted on the shaft 23, and a lever 31 coupled to a lever 32, sliding head 35, link 36, and carriage 119 moving on slides 122. When the card stop 19 reaches the extreme righthand position as viewed in Figs. 5 and 6 it is depressed below the level of the card track by an inclined cam 126, and is held in this position by a catch 128 during the return stroke. On reaching the extreme left-hand position the catch is released when the tail 131 contacts a fixed stop 132 and the card stop 19 is raised by a spring 123. Each column is in turn illuminated by the lamps 37 and an image of the column is focused by the lens system 38 on to the grouped ends of light-guiding elements 39 of the plastic rod type. The light from the areas of card column is conveyed by the lightguiding elements to the respective photo-cells 40 with which each rod is associated as shown in Fig. 4. A shutter 41 normally cuts off all light from the photo-cells and is actuated in timed relation with the card-advancing means to expose the photo-cells to each column at the required time. A punching unit of known type is conditioned by the output of the photo-cells after passing through amplifiers. The output from the photo-cells 40 is conveyed via cables 45 to amplifiers 46, the output of which is conveyed via cables 47 to relays 48 the contacts of which are normally closed. When the whole of the area of a card has been sensed it is fed by rollers 49, 50, Fig. 5, to the punching unit PU which punches the perforations representing the data sensed from the card. The punch unit is of well-known construction and includes a vertically-reciprocable card chamber operated from a cam on the main shaft. The relays 48 carry contacts which are normally closed and are conditioned for each column by the opening of the shutter 41, the coil of the relay being energized if there is an unmarked data area in position and the relay contacts are opened. If the data area is marked the corresponding relay 48 will not be energized and its contacts remain closed so that when a rotary switch 86, Fig. 8, is actuated, electromagnets 79 are energized along leads 148 to set up the punching-bars for perforating the card with the data read from the marked area.