814,939. Selective perforating devices. NATIONAL CASH REGISTER CO. Dec. 23, 1957 [Feb. 6, 1957], No. 39823/57. Class 31 (2). [Also in Groups XVI and XXIV] A data record perforating device comprises a plurality of punches, individual drive transmission members, one for each punch and each having ineffective and effective portions, respectively, a common driving member adapted to co-operate with the effective portions to drive the drive transmission members so as to actuate the corresponding punches, and individual latching members normally latching the drive transmission members in positions wherein the ineffective portions thereof are presented to the common driving member, the latching members being adapted to be selectively disabled so that any unlatched drive transmission members can thereby move to present their effective portions to the common driving member for actuation thereby. As shown, a plurality of punches 36 are slidably mounted for vertical reciprocating movement in a support block 32, Fig. 1, one punch being for punching sprocket holes in a recording tape 29 while the remainder are for punching data in the tape. Each punch is pivotally connected at its lower end to a pitman 38 by means of a pin 39. A shoulder 40 on each pitman coacts with the lower surface of a block 33 to prevent upward movement of the pitmans when these are in the position shown in Fig. 1. A spring 41 urges each pitman clockwise about the pin 39, as viewed in Fig. 1. The pitmans are normally retained in the position shown in Fig. 1 by means of fingers 43 on the pitmans, which co-operate with notches in pivotally-mounted spring-influenced armatures 44 of punch-selecting magnets such as 45, 46. Energization of any of these magnets will cause the corresponding armatures to be shifted to the left, as viewed in Fig. 1, out of engagement with its related finger 43 of the pitman thus freeing the pitman for clockwise movement under the influence of the spring 41. An additional pitman 55, which controls the punch for punching sprocket holes in the tape 29, is similar to the pitman 38 except that it is not provided with a finger 43 and is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 1, by a spring 56. Each pitman has an enlarged lower. portion to accommodate a cut-out 60 which forms an idling space 61, an upper driving surface 62 and a lower driving surface 63. A driving bar 64 extends through all the cut-outs and is secured at its ends to pivotally mounted plates 65, 66. A pair of rollers 68, 69 rotatably mounted on the plate 65 are arranged to coact with a pair of cams 70, 71 fixed to a shaft 72 which is driven through a single-revolution clutch 76 from a motor of the recording system e.g. similar to that described in Specification 799,005, [Group II], with which the punching mechanism is associated. Each time one or more of the pitmans 38 are released, a pivotally mounted spring-influenced bail 145 is moved counter-clockwise to close contacts SC3a1 and energize a pair of clutch magnets 78, Fig. 5, to trip the clutch 76. The pitmans 38, 55 are aligned and held in their operative positions by means of an arm 92, Fig. 3, operable by a cam 90 on the shaft 72 and including an aligner 94 influenced by a spring 94a, the aligner 94 coacting with fingers 95 formed at the lower ends of the pitmans. A plate 100, Fig. 1, for restoring those pitmans which have been released and rocked clockwise is integral with arms 98, 117 rotatably mounted on a shaft 99, the arm 98 being operable by a cam 96 on the shaft 72. A spring-influenced bail 101 for restoring those armatures 44 which have been shifted is formed integrally with two arms 102, 103 rotatably mounted on the shaft 99, the arm 102 having an extension 86 provided with a pin 87 positioned in the path of movement of a surface 88 on the arm 98. A tape-feeding pin wheel 106 is fixed on a shaft 107 on which is also fixed a ratchet wheel 108 driven stepwise by a tooth 109 on an arm 110 pivotally attached to the upper end of a link 111 pivotally secured at its lower end to the arm 98 by a pin 112. Also pivotally secured to the upper end of the link 111 is an arm 113 rotatably mounted on the shaft 107, a spring 114 connecting the free ends of the arms 110, 113. Means are provided to prevent retrograde movement of the pin wheel 106. Punchings are caught in a housing 50 and subsequently carried through a slot 51 to a receptacle. In the event of the tension on the tape 29 being so great as to cause improper punching or in the event of the tape breaking, a tension control arm 121, a tape feeler 122 and a pressure plate 123 co-operate to close contacts SC1b1 in an operating circuit for the magnets 78 to prevent operation of the punching mechanism. Cam-operated contacts SC2b1, Fig. 3, are opened to de-energize the magnets 78 at a predetermined time after rotation of the shaft 72 has been initiated. Cam-operated contacts SC4a1, Fig. 3, are closed to synchronize the operation of a media reader with the operation of the recorder. The punch mechanism may also be provided with a set of contacts SC5acl and SC5bcl, Fig. 5, for use in a sequential timing and checking circuit to keep a sequential stepping switch in the recorder in correct phase relationship with the punching mechanism. A plug unit 177, Fig. 5, connects the electrical circuit components of the punching mechanism to the circuitry of the remainder of the recording system. Operation.-Assuming that power to the data-recording system has been turned on and that the system is fully prepared for operation, the entry of data to the system will cause one or more of the punch-selecting magnets, such as 45 or 46, to be energized thereby causing the corresponding armatures 44 to be shifted to the left, as viewed in Fig. 1, to release the related pitmans 38 for movement under the influence of the springs 41 to the dotted-line position shown in Fig. 4. This movement of any of the pitmans causes the bail 145 to be rocked counter-clockwise to close the contacts SC3al. This causes the energization of the clutch magnets 78 thereby coupling the shaft 72 to the motor for the recorder for one complete rotation. Soon after commencement of the punching cycle, the aligner 94 is shifted by the spring 94a upwardly into operative position in which it retains the selected pitmans 38 and the pitman 55 in a position in which they, together with their corresponding punches 36, will be operated by the drive bar 64 in an upward direction. Subsequently, the cams 70, 71 coact with the corresponding rollers 68, 69 to shift the drive bar upwardly. Those pitmans 38 which have not been shifted from the position shown in Fig. 1 are not moved upwardly since the cut-outs 60 of these pitmans have the idle spaces 61 positioned in the path of movement of the drive bar. However, the selected pitmans which have been shifted to the dotted line position of Fig. 4, as well as the pitman 55, present their upper driving surfaces 62 in the path of movement of the drive bar. As this bar moves upwardly, it contacts these surfaces 62 and carries the selected pitmans and the corresponding punches upwardly with it to punch the tape 29. Continued rotation of the shaft 72 causes the drive bar to be returned downwardly and to carry the operated pitmans 38, 55 down with it by contact of the drive bar with the lower driving surfaces 63 of the cut-outs 60 of the operated pitmans. During continued rotation of the shaft 72 and after return of the drive bar 64 to its original position, the cam 90, Fig. 3, rocks the arm 92 to cause the aligner 94 to move out of the position in which it retains the fingers 95 of the pitmans 38, 55 against movement. The restoring plate 100 is then caused to move clockwise to the right (Fig. 1) by means of the cam 96 co-operating with the arm 98, to coact with adjacent surfaces of the pitmans 38, 55 to shift them to the solidline position shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The restoring bail 101 is also caused, by contact of the surface 88 on the arm 98 with the pin 87 on the extension 86, to coact with the armatures 44 to return them to their original positions shown in Fig. 1, in which notches in the armatures engage the fingers 43 on the pitmans 38. During this time, the tape 29 is advanced one step. Also during the punching cycle, the contacts SC2bl, SC4a1, SC5ac1 and SC5bc1 are caused to operate at predetermined times.