US1849677A - Electrically controlled sorting machine - Google Patents

Description

March 15, 1932. MANSEL 1,849,677

ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED SORTING IIACHINE Filed May 4. 1929 3 Sheets-Sinai 1 3-; a 11 1 i L LL; M

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juveni'ar: Raul fi/ansel aawy' March 15, 1932.

P. MANSEL ELEGTRIOALLY CONTROLLED SORTING IACHINE Filed May 4, 1929 Fig 2 :5 Shoots-550st 2' f ewl awsaz I P15]. 7 a, U

March 15, 1932. P. MANSEL 849,677

ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED SORTING MACHINE Filed May 4, 1929 SShoots-Shoot 3 fnvekgtor;

B-ul fia nksel Patented Mar. 15, 1932 UNITED STATES 'PATE NT- OFFICE PAUL MANSEL, OF BERLIN-CHARLOTTENBURG, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO SIEMENS &

HALSKE, AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, F SIEMENSSTADT, NEAR BERLIN, GERMANY,

A CORCPOR-ATION 0F GERMANY ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED SORTING- MACHINE Application filed May 4, 1929, Serial No.

My invention relates to improvements in electrically controlled sorting machines, more particularly of that type in which cards or stripsof paper are provided with ,5 perforated symbols.

There are already known sorting machines of this type in which the control (if the closing members for the individual sorting coinpartments takes place by means of selector or feeler devices located directly in front of the individual sorting compartments in the path of the card through the machine. Such control mechanism operate satisfactorily only if the speed at which the cards pass through the machine does not exceed a certain comparatively low amount. In sorting machines it is, however, desirable to be able to sort as large a number of cards as possible in a unit of time. The locationof the sets of contacts in the common track for the individual cards causes, furthermore, certain difficulties and is frequently the reason for breakdowns.

According to my invention these drawbacks of the known machines are eliminated by rotating a plurality of feed gears mounted on a continuously driven shaft and adapted to be set in motion'with a lead in definite sequence through a plurality of intermediate feed gears controlled by them by a shaft rotated in correspondence with the individual values determined by the feelers, in order to act for the remainder of their limited rotary motion on the devices for selecting the sorting compartments concerned. The duration of the drive of the individual intermediate gears is determined by the shaft rotated in correspondence with the values determined by the electromagnetically controlled feelers by ;ouplings or clutches from contact dewoes of the intermediate feed gears. In the drawings aflixed hereto an embodiment of myinvention is diagrammatically illustrated, all parts of the sorting machine not essential to my invention having been omitted for the sake of clearness.

In the drawings Fig. 1 illustrates a construction of my improved sorting machine in which the sorting 5o switchgears are mechanically driven,

spective numerical value.

360,340, and in Germany May 7, 1.928.

Fig. 2, a sorting machine in which sorting switchgears of the type usual in telephone selectors are used,

Fig. 3, thearrangement of a contact disc of the intermediate feed gear with the respective locking pawl,

Fig. 4, a side elevation of one of the sorting switchgears of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5, the coupling mechanism between the two gear wheels of the individual intermediate fecd gears in the inoperative position,

Fig.6, the mechanism of Fig. 5 in the operative position, and Fig. 7, a .set of transmisk sion wheels co-operating with a toothed shaft and Fig. 8 is a fragmentary detail perspective view showing one of the shafts of my improved machine, cam discs on said shaft, and contacts or switches controlled by such cam discs successively during one revolution of said shaft.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is the preliminary switchgear with the feeler lever contacts 2 to 5, the switch magnets 6 to 9 for the coupling discs controlled by these contacts and sets of mutilated transmission wheels 11 to 14 mounted on the continuously revolving shaft 10, and engaging a common toothed shaft 15. The coupling devices controlled by the electromagnets 6 to 9 are so arranged, that during each coupling process they couple the respective transmission wheels with the shaft 1U only-for the duration of one revolution of said shaft.

The transmission wheels are provided with a number of teeth corresponding to the re The transmission wheel of the set 11 thus possesses, for instance, a single tooth only, the transmission wheel of the set 12 two teeth only, the respective wheel of the set 13 on the other hand four teeth and the toothed wheel of the set 14' eight teeth. As will be seen in Fig. 7, these teeth are 'so located on the transmission wheels, that the individual groups of teeth come into engagement with the toothed shaft 15 in suc-' cession during one revolution of the shaft 10, if coupled with the continuously revolving shaft 10 by the excitation of therespective switch magnets 6 to 9.

On the toothed shaft are mounted a plurality of intern'iediate switch gears comprising sets of coupling and transmission wheels, each of which consists of a coupling sleeve 16 longitudinally slideable on the shaft 15, but which revolves together with the shaft 15, and a loose gear wheel 17 non-slideable upon the shaft 15. The hub of the toothed wheel 17 and the coupling sleeve 16 are at the sides facing each other provided with coupling or clutch teeth. The coupling sleeve 16 is fur thermore provided with a guide groove 18 engaged by the forked end of the armature of the respective coupling magnet 20. Each of the toothed wheels 17 is in engagement with a toothed wheel 22 likewise held against longitudinal movement but loosely rotatable on a common shaft 21. The individual toothed wheels 22 are by a sleeve 23 each rigidly connected with a disc 24, which by means of a projection 25 controls a contact 26 and is maintained in this position by a springcontrolled arresting lever 27 engaging in the switchgear 35.

zero position a circumferential recess 28 of the disc 24. Adjacent to each toothed wheel 22 there is rigidly mounted a ratchet wheel 29, a sleeve 30 and a cam or tappet 31 on the continuously revolving shaft 21. The ratchet wheel 29 is adapted to be rotated in one direction of rotation with the toothed wheel 22 by means of a spring-controlled pawl 32 pivoted upon said wheel 22.

In the inoperative position the pawl 32 rests with a laterally projecting extension 52 upon a stationary stop 53 and is kept out of reach of the teeth of the wheel 29. Only when owing .to the motion of the toothed wheel 22 by the toothed wheel 17 the extension 52 of the pawl 32 slips off the stop 53, the pawl 32 engages the teeth of the ratchet wheel 29 and effects, after the cessation of the driving motion of the toothed wheel 22 by the toothed wheel 17, a coupling of the toothed wheel 22 with the continuously revolving toothed wheel 29 (Figs. 5 and 6).

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1, the contact 33 controlled by the cam 31 is connected in the circuit of the respective coupling magnet 20, while the contact 26 is connected with one contact spring to the positive pole and by the other contact spring to the contact arm 34 of the respective sorting The sorting switchgear 35, which according-to Fig. 1 is designed as a positively driven contact arm adapted to slide over a plurality of contacts arranged in a circle, possesses a number of contacts corresponding to the number of sorting compartments 36, each of which' contacts is connected to one of the windings of the sorting compartment magnets 37. The other end of the winding of the individual sorting compartment magnets 37 is connected to the negative pole. Each sorting compartment magnet 37 operates by it armature 38 one of the 33, so that thus the individual intermediate switchgears are coupled successively with the preliminary switchgear as will be understood best by reference to Fig. 8. The contactcontrolling discs or cams 31 are each provided with a lug or projection the circumferential extent of which is about 30, that is to say, one-twelfth of the circmnferenee. During the first twelfth of one revolution of the shaft 21, to which the twelve contact-controlling discs or cams 31 are secured rigidly, the first disc, designated as 31 in Fig. 8, will cause the corresponding contact or switch 33 to be closed. As long as this contact or switch remains closed, the coupling magnet 20 shown at the extreme left in Fig. 1 is encrgized, so that its armature 19 will shift the coupling sleeve 16' and couple the corresponding gea wheel 17 with the shaft 15.

During this operation, the perforated card which has been fed to the feeler lever contacts 2, 3, 4, 5-from the receptacle -15, is sensed by the corresponding feeler levers 44, so that one or more of the contacts or switches 2, 3, 4, 5, are closed. This causes the energizing of one or more of the electromagnets (S, 7, 8, 9, which through the medium of the transmission wheels 11, 12, 13, 14 cause the shaft 15 to be given a partial rotation, the extent of which corresponds to the value to be transferred. If, for instance, the card in its sensed column or line has perforations corresponding to the number 7 the shaft 15 will receive a partial rotation corresponding to seven units.

These various steps take place during the time that the contact-controlling disc 31 of Fig. 8 closes the corresponding switch 33 and energizes the first coupling magnet 20. Therefore, the rotation of the shaft 15 by an amount equal to seven units, is transmitted to the toothed wheel 22 shown at the extreme left in Fig. 1.

After motion has thus been transmitted, the lug on the disc 31 will release the-corresponding switch 33 so that the latter will be opened to de-energize the magnet 20 shown at the extreme left in Fig. 1. At about the same time, the lug of the second disc 31 will close the corresponding switch 33 and thus energize the magnet 20 which in Fig. 1.is the second from the left, thereby establishing a driving connection. between the shaft 15 and the wheels 17 and 22 assqciated with such second coupling magnet.

In the meantime, the perforated c'aid sensed during the operation described above,

' are well-known in this art.

has been brought out of the range of the contacts 2, 3, 4, 5, by any suitable means, for instance feeding rollers (not shown) such as The card isthus delivered to a card guide or track by which it is guided to the particular sorting compartment 36 the position of which corresponds to the value sensed upon the card. At about the same time, a new card, taken from the card receptacle or magazine 45, by the energizing of the electromagnet 42, is brought into co-operative relation to the feeler lever contacts 2, 3. 4, 5. Let us assume that this second card. in the column or line sensed by said contacts, has perforations corresponding to the number 5. In this case, through the medium of the electromagnets 6, 7, 8, 9, the shaft 15 will be given a partial rotation the extent of which corresponds to five units, and the second gear wheel 17 from the left in Fig. 1 will transmit such movement to the corresponding toothed wheel 22.

In the manner described above, the twelve coupling, magnets 20 will be energized individually in proper succession, by the action of contact-controlling discs 31 to 31 and switches 33 to 33 associated therewith, the first two and the last two discs and switches of-this series of twelve being shown in Fig. 8. The values sensed from successive lines or columns of the card will thus be transferred successively to the several toothed wheels, there being twelve such successive operations, in the particular example illustrated.

Fig. 1 shows twelve coupling magnets 20 because the machine illustrated has twelve sorting compartments 36 and because the speed at which the card is. fed over its guide or track has been assumed to be such that, between'two successive sensing operations, the card will travel a distance corresponding to the interval between two adjoining sorting compartments 36. v If the speed of the cards is doubled, half the number of coupling magnets, that is, sixmagnets, would suflice, since then the card which has to travel farthest (the one which is to be dropped into the twelfth sorting compartment 36) would reach its proper compartment after six sorting operations, whereupon the first coupling magnet 20 could again become operative in conjunction with its associated toothed wheel 22 for the transfer of a value sensed from the card. It will also be obvious that. the number of coupling magnets could be reduced by employing fewer sorting compartments 36. If, for instance, only ten sorting compartments were employed, the number of coupling magnets 20 could be reduced to ten, when using the low speed mentioned above for the feed movement of the cards, or to five, when using the double speed referred to. The contact arms 34 of the sorting switchgear 35 are arranged in such relation to one another on the same shaft 43 that they reach the first contact in succession simultaneously with the coupling of the preliminary switchgear with the corresponding intermediate switchgear, and are in this manner continuously moved over their contacts by the continuously revolving shaft 43. The shafts 21 and 43 revolve at equal circumferential speeds, while theshaft 10 revolves at a considerably higher speed than the shaft 21. The card conveying magnet 42 moves the cards in their guide track above the sorting compartments 36, in which they are conveyed forward at a uniform speed by means of conveying rollers of any well-known or approved construction (not shown), The motion of each intermediate switchgear and the sorting switchgears coordinated to each numerical unit value corresponds as regards time with the travel of the card from one sorting compartment to the next. The feeler lever contacts 2 to 5, together with the feeler levers 44 between the card receptacle 45 and the sorting compartments 36 of the machine, are arranged below the card guiding track. The 'feeler lever set, consisting preferably of four feeler levers coordinated to the combination values 1, 2, 4, 8 together with the con- :tacts 2 to 5 is slidable for adjustment, in a direction transverse to the guide track of the cards.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Fig. 2 step switchgears 46 are provided instead of the contact lever devices and their driving magnet windings 50 are connected in parallel to the coupling magnet windings 20. Each of these step switchgears is equipped with two contact levers 47 48, connected by gearing or other suitable means (not shown) in such a manner that said levers will move in opposite directions; in the diagrammatic illustration the lever 47 slides over a contact segment 49 connected to the one spring of the contact 33 and the lever 48 in the opposite direction of rotation over the individual contacts connected to the windings of the sorting compartment magnets 37. The contact disc 40 on the shaft 21 is of the wellknown type having a plurality of projections or teeth 40 (twelve of them in the particular case illustrated) which at each revolution of said shaft will close the contact 51 a corresponding number of times (twelve times) to set up the impulses. This disc 40 controls at the same time the closing contact 41 for the card conveying magnet 42. The starting of the sorting switch magnets 50 takes place in succession and in coincidence as regards time with the excitation of the respeccircuit from positive pole, through 51, 47, 49, 50, to negative pole, a contact 54 is opened in the circuit of the respective coupling magnet 20 by a contact arm 47, (the dotted lines in Fig. 2 show said arm in the contact-closing position), thus preventing the excitation of coupling magnet 20, which is connected in parallel to the step switch magnet 50. The contacts 26 are connected by one spring to the contact levers 48 of the sorting switchgezllr 46 and by the other spring to the positive p0 e.

My improved sorting machine as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings operates in the following manner: 1

In certain intervals determined. by the impulses set up by the contact disc 40 in the circuit from positive pole, through contact 41, magnet 42, to negative pole, the conveying magnet 42 moves the lowest card for the time being of the pole contained in the receptacle 45 on to the card guide track of the machine. Between the card receptacle 45 and the sorting compartments the feeler or selector levers 44 determine the numerical value represented on the card by perforated symbols and impart by coupling the parts of the preliminary switchgear 1 coordinated to the combination values of the respective numerical value with the toothed shaft 15 a certain angular motion to this shaft. There is a separate feeler lever 44 for each of the contacts or switches 2, 3, 4, and 5. The armature levers of the electromagnets 6, 7, 8, 9 associated with said switches, are each provided with a projection 60 which in the position of rest engages a notch 61 (Fig. 7) in the mutilated gear of the corresponding set 11, 12, 13 or 14 and thus locks such gear. In said position, the armature levers 60 also hold the clutches or coupling devices out of operative position, see Fig. 1. VVhenever one of said magnets is energized, the corresponding lever 60 is moved to release the corresponding mutilated gear from the locking projection 60 and simultaneously throw in the respective clutch or coupling device. Such mutilated gear will then rotate in unison with the shaft 10, but only during one complete revolution of said shaft, since at the end of one revolution the projection 60' will again drop into the notch 61, it being understood that springs or equivalent means (not shown) are employed to restore the levers 60 to their original position. These levers, however, when attracted by the respective magnets, can not return to their original position until the respective projection 60 registers with its notch 61, since previous to such registry the hooked end of saidprojection engages that face of the corresponding mutilated gear which is the right-hand face in Fig. 1. In transmitting, for instance, the numerical value 5 the transmission wheels of the sets 11 and 13 are coupled with the continuously revolving shaft 10 by the electro-magnets 6 and 8. In the course of one revolution of the shaft 10 the toothed shaft 15 is first moved forward or turned by means of the set 11 by the distance of one tooth and then by the set 13 by the distance of four teeth. The coupling of the shaft 10 with toothed wheels of the sets 11 and 13 provided with one and four teeth respectively effected by the electromagnets 6 and 8 is disengaged after one revolution of the shaft 10, as explained above. The forward motion of the shaft 15 first by one tooth and immediately afterwards by four teeth is brought about by the fact that the toothed wheels of the sets 11 and 13, in spite of the simultaneous excitation of their coupling electromagnets 6 and 8, operate on the shaft 15 one after the other, due to the manner in which their teeth are arranged on the circumference of the wheels, see Fig. 7. The sequence of the engagement of the toothed wheels of the sets 11 to 14 is such, that when all coupling magnets 6 to 9 are excited, first the single tooth of the set 11 will engage the toothed shaft 15 then the two teeth of the set 12, following this the four teeth of the set 13, and finally the eight teeth of the set 14. If not all the coupling magnets 6 to 9 are excited, only the teeth of those sets 11, 12, 13 or 14 which are coupled at the time with the shaft 10 come into engagement with the toothed shaft 15. It is immaterial, whether the individual sets 11 to 14 coupled with the shaft 10 come into engagement with the shaft 15 in immediate succession or with intervals. This motion is transmitted by the shaft 15 to the toothed wheel 22 through the intermediate gearing coupled with it for the time being. The engagement of a coupling sleeve 16 with the respective gear wheel 17 is effected by the magnet 20 simultaneously with the energizing of one or more of the magnets 6, 7, 8, 9, and such driving engagement continues during one complete revolution of the shaft 10. In order to obtain this result, a proper formation is given to the respective cam or tappet 31, causing it to'keep the respective contact 33 closed for the required length of time. The toothed wheel 22 the pawl 32 of which is raised out of engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 29 by the stop 53 is moved in advance of the toothed wheel 29 by an amount corresponding to the numerical value determined by the selector on the perforated card. since the shaft 10 rotates at a higher speed than the shaft 21. After the termination of this forward motion the wheel 22 is entrained again by the continuously revolving ratchet wheel owing to the pawl 32 having engaged again the teeth of this Wheel 29.

The coupling of the gear or toothed wheel 17 with the shaft 15 through the coupling sleeve 16 has previously been eflected by the excitation of any coupling magnet 20 in the circuit from positive pole, through contact 33, winding 20, to negative pole, caused by the continuously revolving contact disc 31.

After traversing a path corresponding to the remainder of a revolution of the toothed wheel 22 the contact 26 is closed. During the remainder of the rotary motion of the toothed wheel 22 effected after the advance motion of the toothed wheel 22 with the toothed wheel 29 on the shaft 21 up to the closure of the contact 26, the sorting switch gear coordinated to the respective intermediate switch gear is brought into the position in which the contact arm 34. of the respective sorting switchgear stands 'on the contact connected to the driving magnet of the respective sorting compartment. When closing the contact 26 the circuit is thus closed from the positive pole over the contact 26, the contact arm 34 and the contact just touched by the arm, the magnet winding 37 of the sorting compartment 36 corresponding with the numerical value determined by the selector to the negative pole. The workingmagnet 37 of the respective sorting compartment 36 attracts its armature and opens the closing trap 39 of the sorting compartment 36. The switching operations described extend over such a period of time, that the card moves during this time from the'point at which the numerical value is determined by the feelers 44 right up to the front of the sorting compartment 36 and is able to slide into the respective compartment 36 after opening its closing member 39.

The path of the card from one sorting compartment 36 to the other corresponds as regards time to a unit of the numerical value or a motion of the intermediate switchgear corresponding to such a value. The conveyance of the cards is preferably so regulated that between two cards conducted in succession on to the guide track there remains a space of the width of two sorting compartments. The selection of the respective sorting compartment may take place from each sorting compartment. A plurality of sorting compartments with the intermediate switchgears coordinated to them may operate simultaneously. In the embodiment illustrated, with twelve sorting compartments, five sorting switchgears 35 would under certain circumstances in conjunction with the card succession stated sufiice to ensure a satisfactory operation of the machine. In the embodiment illustrated the first sorting compartment from the right is apportioned to the value 1, the second sorting compartment to the value 2 and so on.

In the embodiment. illustrated Fig. 2 of'-- the drawings the mode of operation is substantially the same as in the case of the manegative pole, through 50, 49, 47, 51, to positive pole, in which circuit the sorting switch magnet 50, after its first excitation in the circuit from positive pole, through 33, 50 to negative pole is excited after each closure of the contact 51 by the disc 40. In the circuit of each coupling magnet 20 (positive pole, 33, 54, 20, negative pole) a contact 54 is connected, which is controlled by the contact arm 47 in such a manner as to be opened immediately after the first impulse caused by the contact 33. In this way it'is prevented, that during the stepwise forward motion of the contact arm 47 on the segment 49 the coupling magnet connected in parallel to the winding 50 is also excited. The leading motion of the toothed wheel 22 takes place between the first and the second excitation impulses for the magnet 50. During each excitation of the magnet 50 the contact arms 47 and 48 are moved forward by one step. In this way the contact arm 48 passes into the position in which it preparesthe circuit from positive pole, through 26, 48, 37, to negative pole for the sorting compartment 36 corresponding with the numerical value determined by the feeler. This circuit is closed in the moment only in which the contact 26 is closed by the projection'25 of the disc 24. The excitation of the magnet 37 thus efi'ected causes the opening of the respective sorting compartment 36. Thereupon the sorting switchgear 46 continues to switch forward until the contact arm 47 slides off the contact rail 49 and thus opens the holding cirscribed above, closing of the switch 33 associated with the disc 31 will energize not only the coupling magnet 20 which is shown farthest to the left in Fig. 1, but likewise the sorting switch magnet 50 farthest to the left. This latter magnet, by means of the feed pawl connected with its armature (see Fig. 2) will advance the contact arm 47 by one step, thus bringing such arm into engagement with the corresponding contact segment 49. The movement of the arm 47 from its zero position will open the circuit leading to the magnet 20, by interrupting said circuit at the switch 54:, as indicated at the extreme left in Fig. 2 with respect to the switch 54 associated with the second coupling magnet 20 or with the contact disc 25 co-ordinated to said magnet. By the controlling operations described above, a shunt in parallel to the switch 33 is closed for the sorting switch magnet 50, which therefore will be energized twelve times during one revolution of the shaft 21, by means of twelve lugs 40 on the periphery of the disc 40 and the switch 51 actuated thereby. Thus the contact arm 47 will be rotated (contraclockwise) by twelve successive steps, and the contact arm 48, rigidly connected with 47, will in similar fashion be rotated in twelve successive steps (clockwise), such movement of the contact arm 48 effecting successively an electrical connection between each of the twelve electromagnets 37 for the traps 39. and the contact or switch 26 for the contact disc 25.

If, for instance, shortly after the energizing of the coupling magnet 20 shown at the extreme left of Fig. 2, and of the sorting switch magnet 50, there has been sensed a card the sensed column or line of which is perforated according to the number 7, the

disc 25 will close the switch 26 at the exact mothe lever of the corresponding trap 39 contraclockwise, so that the card immediately in front of said trap will be allowed to drop into the seventh sorting compartment.

Various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are imposed by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an electrically controlled sorting machine for perforated cards and the like, a continuously driven shaft, a plurality of gears mounted on said shaft, another shaft, means for giving said second-named shaft rotary movements the extent of which is governed by perforations of the cards or the like, intermediate gears by which the varying-ex tent movements of said second-named shaft are transmitted to the first-mentioned gears, at a rotary speed in excess of the one at which the first-mentioned shaft rotates continuously, devices controlled by the first-mentioned gears and effecting a successive connection of the intermediate gears with the second-mentioned shaft, and selecting devices controlled by the movement of said intermediate gears.

2. A machine according to claim 1, in which there are provided contact devices controlled by the rotation of the intermediate gears, electromagnetic means, in circuit with said contacts, and clutch mechanism controlled by said means, for coupling the several intermediate gears with the shaft having rotary movements of different extent.

'3. A machine according to claim 1, in which there are provided continuously rotating driving means, devices operated by said driving means, for coupling the intermediate gears with the shaft having rotary movements of different extent, and continuously rotating means for operating the selecting devices.

4. A machine according to claim 1, in which a. plurality of successive sorting compartments are associated with the selecting devices, and in which the intermediate gears, after the end of their movement at a high rate of speed, and the selecting devices move simultaneously with the passage of a card from one sorting compartment to the next.

5. A machine according to claim 1, in which there are provided continuously rotating driving means, contacts operated thereby, and electrical operating means, in circuit with said contacts, for actuating the selecting devices.

6. A machine according to claim 1, in which a plurality of sorting compartments are associated with the selecting devices, there being one such compartment for each selecting device, and in which each selecting device is associated with one of the intermediate gears and the device effecting the connection of such intermediate gear with said secondmentioned shaft.

' 7. A machine according to claim 1, in which a plurality of sorting compartments are associated with the selecting devices, there being one such compartment for each selecting device, and in which each selecting device is associated with one of the intermediate gears and the device effecting the conate gears and the device effecting the connection of such intermediate gear with said second-mentioned shaft, and in which there are provided contact devices controlled successively by the several intermediate gears, an electrical operating means, in circuit with said contact devices, for coupling the several intermediate gears with the shaft having rotary movements of different extent, other contact devices controlled successively by the intermediate gears, and electrical operating means, in circuit with said other contact devices, for actuating the several selecting devices.

9. A machine according to claim 1, in which all the intermediate gears are mounted on the same shaft. g

10. A machine according to claim 1, in which a mechanically op'erated'controlling device is associated with the selecting devices to govern their timing.

11. A machine according to claim 1, in which the intermediate gears are mounted on the same shaft, and in which a step-by-step switch, mounted on said shaft, acts as an impulse-giving device common to all the select ing devices.

12. A machine according to claim 1, in which individual electrical driving means are provided for the intermediate gears.

13. A machine according to claim 1, in which individual step-hy-step' switches are provided for driving the intermediate gears.

14. A machine according-.tqi jclaim"1,,in which the means for giving the-'second-named shaft rotary movementsofdifferent extent includes feelers adapted'to engage the perforated cards or the like, and in which a card receptacle is located on one side of said feelers and a sorting receptacle, co-operating' with said selecting devices, on the other side of said feelers;

15. A machine according to claim 1, in which there is provided a common shaft for the devices controlling the connections of the intermediate gears and in which feelers engaging the cards are provided to control said devices.

16. In a machine of the character set forth, a continuously driven shaft, avplurality of gears mounted on said shaft loosely, pawl and ratchet mechanism for transmit-ting the movement of said shaftto said gears, means, controlled by perfora ons in a card or the like, for giving said g 7 rs rotary movements of difiere'nt extenton saidshaft, in the same dir 't'on it is rotated, but at a higher speed, lecting devices-Io" erated by said gears the end of said rotation at a high rate ofspeed, they rotate for a time more slowly in unison with said shaft.

17. A machine according to, claim 16, in which means are provided for rendering the pawl and ratchet mechanism inactive at the end of the slow rotation.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

PAUL MANSEL.

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