US1772180A - Card picker - Google Patents

Description

E. A. FORD I I CARDPICKER Aug. 5, 193( s Sheets-Shet -1 Filed Nov. 23, 19 28 I l-lllii llllllllll l i.

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Aug. 5, 1930. FORD 1,772,180

CARD ,PICKER Filed Nov. 23, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 lalllillw" I Aug. 5, 1930. E, FQRD 1,772,180

CARD PICKER Filed Nov. 23, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet s F|G.4. 2a 294 27 25 a5 28 29 1 til! q all III/l,

Uh I l v angutoz W Patented Aug. 5, 1930 v UNITED STATES PATENT I OFFICE f EUGENE A. FORD, OF SCARSDALE, NEW YORK, ASS IGNOR TO THE TABULATING MA-' CHINE COMPANY, OF ENDICOTT, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEYv cam) rrcxna Application filed November 23, 1928. Serial'No. 321,291.

The present invention relates to a feeding mechanism for record cards which is especially provided for sorting, tabulating, punching and like machines which have to handle cards of a relatively small thickness with great speed andaccuracy.

More particularly the invention relates to the pickerv and its driving mechanism; such as are generally known in the kind of machines in question to pick cards from a card stack and to feed the same to transport rolls. It is one important object of the present invention to provide an improved picker arrangement which ,allows the picker to feed only one card-to the machine each feeding cycle.

Another object of the invention consists in the provision of means to shift record cards from said stack in a'direction opposite the feeding direction towards the picker for the purpose of aligning the same.

A further important object of the invention consists in the provision of means to adjust the picker mechanism relatively to the card stack without adjusting the driving elements for'the picker.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide adjusting means between the picker ele ment and a carrier for said picker element.

Another object of the invention is to provide a driving mechanism for the picker of very quiet and reliable operation.

Still another object is to provide an actuating bar for the picker mechanism,'which barbooperates with cam means to reciprocate the picker.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter set forth in the accompanying specification and claims and shown in the drawings which show by way of illustration what is now considered tobe a preferred embodiment of the invention.

While the invention is shown and describedin connection with a sorting machine, it will be understood that it is in no way limited to this kind of machine but only to such machines as deal with the problem of handlingaccurately and reliably cards with the characteristic physical features of tabul'ating rec- Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 1, the cam means being partly shown and partly omitted.

Fig. 5 is a detail of Fig. 1. The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention as applied to a sorting machine of the well known horizontal type. The cards. are fed from the'card stack 3 located in the magazine of the machine by the icker 4 to the first set of transport rolls 2 1g. 1). On their way through the machine the cards are analyzed by brush 1 and coordinated contact roller 5 and are distributed according to their designation by means of sorting blades 6 into corresponding sorting boxes. The

sorting blades 6 are controlled by a magnet 7 which in turn is under the control of the perforated record card.

There are provided two picker elements 4 each of which is fastened to a reciprocally movable picker carrier 8 which is actuated by means of bars 9 (see also Fig. 4) The bars 9 are hinged on their lower ends to an element generally designated at 1.0 which is fastened to the frame of the machine. The element 10 includes a cylindrical sleeve 11 and a square sleeve 12 which is provided on its upper part with a longitudinal slot 13 and has a cutaway portion so as to form a hinge for the head 14 of its bar, one bein coordinated to each picker carrier.

A pressure spring 15 serves to hold sleeve machine frame carries two pairs of guiding pins 19 provided for pressure springs 20 holding each .bar 9 in contact with the coordinated cam disk 21 which is keyed to the shaft 22 driven b (Fig. 4).

the motor through wheel .23 ubricating means'for shaft 22 are generally designated at 45. It is obvious that the bars 9 will oscillate in unison with turning of shaft 22 and the picker 4 will feed the record cards one by one from the stack 3 through'the machine. For the cooperating surfaces of bars 9 and cam disks .21 there are provided lubricating means.

These comprise an oil reservoir 24 and;,a strip 25 of felt orany other suitable materialwhich sucks the oil from the reservoir and feeds the same to the cams 21. The strip 25 s two cutout and bent portions 26 whic drop into the reservoir and suck the oil from the sameto feed theremaining part of stri 25. This strip is fastened by a felt cord 2 'to the frame of the machine. This cord is guided through holes of the fram and is located in the upper part of t frame in grooves 28 as will be seen from 1 2 and 4.

The sliding bars29 of the picker carrier 8' slide over these grooves and therefore these sliding surfaces will be also fed with oil by means of the felt cord 27 provided in the grooves 28.

The bars 9 have a slot on their upper ends into which a felt iece'30 is forced which coacts on the one side with the cam disk'21- and on the other. side with the felt strip 25.

The slanted art of felt 30 which cooperates with cam dis 21 touchin this disk once each machine cycle and the disk will be oiled by this felt-30. The felt 30 in turn engages the felt 'strip 25 in the extreme left position of bar 9 (see Fi 1 and 3) and receives oil from this strip. e oil reservoir 24 is fastened to the machine frame by screw 34 and maybe (Fig. 4) w ich'normally is closed by'a pin 4s filled throu h a hole 35 inthe machine frame screw.

To provide easy and quick adjustment of the picker without adjusting the driving means as for instance the cam disk, there are provided adjusting means (Figs. 1 and 5) between the picker carrier 8 and the picker 4 which. consists of the knife holder 31 and the picker knife 32 fastened to the holder 31 means of screws .33. To the carrier .8 is riveted element 17 which is provided with a slot 37 and an internal screw thread. Also the knife holder 31 is rovided with an, internal screw thread but in opposite direction to that in element 17, (see also Fig. 1). The

adjusting screw .38 has two opposite screw threads theone cooperating with element 17 of carrier 8 and the other cooperating with a knife holder 31. It is obvious that b turn inlg the screw the knife 32 may be a justed re tivel to the carrier 8 in either direction of the path. For insertion'of the card magazine the lowermost card only as long as the rear screw driver for screw '38 there are provided holes in the knife 32 and also in the front part of the machine frame as will be recognized from Fig. 1.

The present machine als provides means to align the cards prior to each picking operation. Thep'cker knives project into the hsuflicient distance to feed edges of the cards are in alignment. But the movement of thelowermost card tends to carry along the one above it through friction. When this happens the forward edge 'of this card may jam against-the throat and prevent its properfeed. Also this card above the one being fed may be dis laced suflicient' 1y to permit the rear ed e o thecard above it to be engaged by the plcker knives on their next operation thereby causing jamming. The cards according to the present invention are therefore realigned prior to each picking operation by the following means. The carner plates 8 are'provided on their front end with slots 39 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) into which passes a pawl 40 which is pivoted to a holder 36- fastened to the machine frame; pawl 40 pivots upon pin 41 and is limited in its movement in either direction b stop pin 42.

As will be seen from ig. 1 the pawl 40 will not affect feeding of the record cards in feeding direction when the picker is movedfrom its extreme. right to its extreme left position, When, however, the picker returns and nears its extreme right position the pawl 40 will be engaged b cross part 43 of carrier plate 8 and the paw will be turned in clockwise direction and consequently align the stack of cards if the lowermost ones are out of alignment so that the lowest card is entirely or nearl in en agement with the knife 32 which t en 'fee 5 onl the lowest card -di-,

ice

rectly'through the th at when the picker reverses its movement.

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single modification it will'be understod that various omissions andsubstitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. 7 It is the intention therefore to be limited only as indi-v cated by the scope of the following claims.

I claim: i 1. In a machine of the character described,

a feeding mechanism for record cards com-- picker to eed record cards in the advance direction ofsaid picker and means to positively shift record cards in the return direction of said picker towards the same to bring said cards into positive alignment before it engages the record card to feed the same in advance direction. f

3. In a machine of the character described, a magazine for record cards, a picker and means to move said picker to pick record cards one by one from said magazine and to feed the same in one direction and means to positively shift record cards from said magazine in opposite direction towards said picker to bring said cards into positive alignment,

before the same engages the record card to feed it in the first mentioned direction.

4. In a machine of the character described, a magazine for record cards, a pickr and -means to reciprocate said picker. from a departing position to feed record cards one by one in advance direction of said picker and means to positively shift record cards in the return direction and during the returnmovement of said picker towards the departing position of said picker to bring said cards into positive alignment.

5. In a machine of the character described,

a magazine for record cards, a picker knife, 3

a carrier therefor, means to reciprocate said carrier from a departing position to pick record-cards one by onefrom said magazine and to feed the same in advance directionof said carrier, a pawlmember pivoted to the machineframe and being engaged by'said carrier at the end of the return strokeof the same to shift the following record card to be fed from said magazine in return direction of said carrier towards said picker knife.

'6. In a machine of the character described, a feeding mechanism for record cards including a picker knife fastened to a knife'holder, a carrier for said knife holder, means to ac-, tuate said carrier to pick record cards by said knife, and adjusting means to adjust said knife holder relatively to said carrier, said adjusting means comprising an adjusting screw cooperating with a screw thread of one direction with said carrier and with'a screw thread of opposite direction with said knife holder. I

7. In a machine of the character described,

a feeding mechanism for record cards in-.

cluding a picker knife and a holder for said knife, a carrier for said holder, means to re ciprocally move said carrier to pick record cards by said picker knife and adjusting means to adjust said holder relatively to said carrier in either. direction of the path of said picker knife, said adjusting means comprising an adjusting screw cooperating with a screw thread of one direction with said car- ,justi'ng said picker in the rier and by ascrew tlfread of dpposite direction with said knife holder.

8. In a machine ofthe character described, a feeding mechanism for record cards, including a card picker carrier, a bar hinged at one end upon a fixed part of. the machine.

frame and having a fulcrum on the other end on said .cardpicker'carrier, and 'acamcoacting with said bar between said hinge and said fulcrum to positively actuate said card picker carrier in feeding direction.

9. In a machine of the character described, a feeding mechanism for record cards, including a card picker carrier, a bar hinged on one end upon a fixed part of the machine frame and having a fulcrum on the other end on said card picker carrier, a'cam coacting with said bar between said hinge and said fulcrum to positivelyactuate said card picker carrier 'in' a' feeding direction and-yielding means. to engage said bar and said cam means. 10. A machine according to the preceding claim wherein said yielding means comprise spring coils, pressing said bar against said cam means.

11. In a machine of the character described, a feeding mechanism for ing a card picker carrier, end upon a fixed part of the machine frame and having a fulcrum on the other end on said card picker carrier, cam means coacting with said bar between saldhinge'and said fulcrum record cards includ- K a bar hlnged on one' to reciprocate said card picker carrier and automatic lubricating means for said bar and cam means which cooperate with each other.

12. A machine according to the preceding claim wherein said automatic lubricating means comprise an oil reservoir, an element for sucking oil from said reservoir, a second element fixed to the bar and engaging said element being fed with oil by said first one when it engages the same in the extreme position of the bar. 13. In a machine of the character described, a feeding mechanism for record cards including a picker, slidable on a frame,--a pivoted bar and cam means cooperating therewith to reciprocate said picker on said frame and automatic lubricating means for simultaneously oiling the sliding surface of said picker and said frame, on the one hand and of said bar and cam means (in the other hand.

14. In a machine of the character described, a feeding mechanism for record cards, including a picker, a carrier, a threaded -cam means for oilingthe same, said second support for engaging both carrier and picker,

said support providing both means for addirection of travel su rtforen both carrier and icker, samupport means for adj iisting said picker in two directions relative to the carrier, one direction being back and forth in thePlane of the carrier, the other being angular with respect to the plane of the carrier. p

1'6. In a machine of the character described, a feeding mechanism for record 10 cards; including a picker, a carrier, an axial support engaging both carrier and picker and permitting said picker to rock on said support to conform to the record cards, said support being adjustable to move the picker relative to the carrier in either direction of the path of said picker. In testimony whereof I hereto aflix my signature.

EUGENE A. FORD.'

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