US2043280A - Card verifier - Google Patents

Description

J. W. BRYCE CARD VERIFIER June 9, 1936.

4 Sheets-Sheet l avwemtoz Filed- March 13, 1950 June 9, 1936. J w BRYCE 2,043,280

CARD VERIFIER Filed March 15, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 avweMto'c June 9, 1936. J. w. BRYCE CARD VERIFIER Filed March 13, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Emma V601 June 9, 1936. J. w. BRYCE 2,043,230

CARD VERIFIER' Filed March 13, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ul IH I H I. 6/

Patented June 9, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE can!) vaiurma poration of New York Application March 13, 1930, Serial No. 435,455

Claims.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in verifying machines.

In tabulating machine work, data are tabulated by punching differentially spaced holes on record cards. The machine for carrying out the punching operation may be the Schaaff machine shown in Patent No. 1,134,018. In this machine the punching operation is performed by depressing certain keys. Operators using the machine sometimes depress the wrong key and incorrect data are then tabulated upon the card. It has therefore been found that usually the punched cards must be checked to determine if any errors have been made. Often this checking is done by a visual inspection of the cards but this method of checking has been found unsatisfactory as the checker is liable to make the same error that was originally made by the operator who punched the card. Also the visual checking is a tedious and time consuming operation.

The present invention is directed to a machine in which the punched cards may be placed and the errors detected. The operation of checking is exceedingly rapid and the possibility of checkers errors being identical with punching operators errors is largely eliminated.

The verifying machine is provided with keys similar to those in the card punching machine and the checker operates the keys just as if a new card were being punched. If a card is correctly punched the record card carriage feeds forward upon the depression of each key; but if a punch hole is incorrectly spaced in the card, the carriage does not feed forward thereby apprising the checker of the error in the card.

Heretofore in verifying machines, mechanical devices have been employed to sense the card to detect the presence or absence of a perforation. One of the objects of the present invention is to 40 provide electrical card sensing devices for determining the correctness of the perforations in the card.

In its preferred form the invention consists of a set of independent sensing balls adapted to make contact with a common contact roller through the perforation in the card and establish electric circuits through a series of relays one for each index point position of the card. The contact points of these several relays-are wired to form a series circuit to a. magnet which when energized actuates the carriage escape mechanism to advance the card one step at a time.

When a card column containing a perforation is presented to the sensing balls a circuit established through the relay corresponding to the (01. Iii-51) index point in which the perforation occurred will open the contact points of that relay to prevent the establishment of a circuit through the escape magnet. If, however, the proper key is depressed, it will cause the bridging of this 5 open circuit and permit the advance of the card.

Also where a card havingcombinational punching 1. e. a card perforated with two or more holes in a single column is being verified it will be necessary to depress the several keys correspondm ing to the several index positions of the combinations being checked.

Various other objects and advantages of my invention will be obvious from the following particular description of one form of mechanism em- 1 bodying the invention or from an inspection of the accompanying drawings; and the invention also constitutes certain new and novel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a section through the card feeding and analyzing section of the machine.

Fig. 1a is a detail of the skip key.

Fig. 1b is a detail of the contact blade structure. 25

Fig. 2 is a detail view of the carriage escape mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a detail view of the carriage releasing key and associated mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a wiring diagram of the electric circuit of the machine. Fig. 5 is another form in which the machine may be wired to obtain the same results.

' Fig. 6 is a view of magnetic key operating mechanism.

Fig. 7 is a section through a key board operated coding mechanism.

Fig. 8 is a circuit diagram of the local wiring of the key selecting mechanism.

Card feeding mechanism In the accompanying drawings in Fig. l, the perforated card I!) is inserted between a card pusher I] and a forward guide I2 with the first column of the card coinciding with a column of spring pressed contact balls l3 adapted to make contact through holes in the card with a common roller M insulated from the frame of the machine.

The pusher H and guide l2 are attached to the rack bar l5 which is suitably supported and guided by rollers l6 which cooperate with rail structure I! integral with the frame of the machine. In Fig. 2, the bar l5 has teeth meshing with a gear it upon whose axis is mounted a spring barrel which through connection to the gear l8 tends to urge the bar I! to the right as viewed in this figure. A suitable escape mechanism comprising pawls I9 and 20 cooperates with bar l5 to permit step by step advance thereof.

The normal position of the parts is as shown in Fig. 2 wherein pawl l9 engages bar l5 to hold the carriage in analyzing position. A shaft 2| when rocked in a clockwise direction is adapted to permit step by step advance of bar IS in the following manner. Secured to the end of shaft 2| is a double armed lever 22 having a pin 23 in one arm extending into an enlarged opening in pawl IS. A second pin 24 in the other arm fits within a slot in pawl 20. As the shaft 2| and arm 22 are rocked, the pin 24 will lower pawl 20 into engagement with bar l5 holding it in position while pin 23 raises pawl i9 out of cooperation with the bar. Pawl I9 is provided with a slot 25 and a spring 26 which cause the pawl |9 to advance slightly so that, upon return of arm 22 to its initial position, pawl l9 will engage the next succeeding tooth in bar l5.

In Fig. 1 shaft 2| carries an arm 21 connected by linkage 28 to armature 29 of escape magnet 30 in such manner that for each operation of armature 29 the shaft 2| will be oscillated to permit the card carriage to advance one step.

Release key A release key 3| (Fig. 3) is provided to cause the rapid advance of the card l0 independent of the escape mechanism. Where only the first few columns of the card are punched or when it is desired to remove an incorrect card the depression of key 3| will cause the rapid advance of the carriage to a position where the removal of the card may readily be effected. A spring pressed bell crank 32 is adapted to slide a bar 33 to the right until a cam. surface 34 at its free end which engages fixed plate 35 cams itself upward against a member 36. Member 36 is guided for vertical movement and lies beneath pawl l9 so that when raised by bar 33 it will lift pawl l9 free of the bar l5 permitting the .bar to escape to its limit position, wherein the pusher H in Fig. 3 will strike the downwardly extending portion of bar 33 and return it to normal position.

Operation of the numeral keys In Fig. 1 the depression of any key 31, will rock an associated bell crank 38 which in turn through pin and slot connection will move a slider 39 to the left against the tension of its spring 40. The rear end of the slider 39 has a cam face cooperating with contact blade 4| of a pair of contacts 42 and 43 of which 42 is normally closed and 43 is normally open. Depression of the corresponding key 31 will therefore open contact 42 and close contact 43. The forward end of each slide'has a shoulder engaging a bail 44 pivoted at 45 and carrying a depending hook 46. Spring 41 serves to maintain the bail 44 in a clockwise position and the hook 46 against the projecting blade 48 of a contact 49.

The operation of the parts and the timing is such that upon depression of any numeral key the corresponding contacts 42, 43 will immediately shift and thereafter hook 46 will be drawn upwardly with blade 48 to close the contact 49. If the key selected agrees with the perforation in the card an electric impulse is directed through magnet 38 to cause actuation of the carriage escape mechanism. A member 50 secured to one of the links 28 is adapted to disengage book 46 from blade 48 allowing contact 49 to open after magnet 30 has operated.

A skip key is also provided which is identical in structure and function with the keys 31 except that it has no contacts 42, 43 associated therewith and is used to cause step by step advance of the card across unperforated columns. This key is shown at 31a (Fig. 1a) and upon depression is adapted to operate bail 44 only, since no contacts 42, 43 are associated therewith.

Wiring diagram The various conditions which may exist to effect the operation of the machine will now be explained in connection with the wring diagram of Fig. 4 in which a switch 5| connects the machine to a source of current and a second switch 52 may be closed to connect the common roller 4 to one side of the line 53 through a ball |3a.

Correct perforations Where the card column to be verified contains a correct perforation, that is, the key depressed corresponds to the index position in which the hole appears in the column being verified, a series of relay magnets 54 are provided, one for each index point position of the card, which are adapted to shift corresponding armature blades 54a. The presentment of a perforation to the analyzing position will establish a circuit from line 53, switch 52, ball |3a, roller l4, the hole in the card (let us say in the nine position) ball l3, relay magnet 54, its resistance, wire 55, back to line 56. The armature 54a of the nine position will thereupon be shifted to contact with its lower point 54b and move away from its point 54c.

Depression of the nine key at this time will establish a circuit through the escape magnet 30 to advance the card to the next column in the following manner. From line 56 to wire 51 to blade 54a of the uppermost position, its point 540, contact 42, wire 53 to blade 54a of the next position, and so on to the blade 54a of position nine where the circuit continues through point 54b to contact 43 now closed (due to depression of the nine key), wire 59, contact 49 (also closed by the nine key), magnet 30 to line 53.

Incorrect perforations Where the card column to be verified contains incorrect perforations, that is, where a column should contain a single hole in a particular position, and this hole is punched in another position or more than one hole is punched in the column. In the case of a single hole in the wrong place, the relay magnet 54 corresponding to the wrong hole will be energized as explained above causing its armature blade 54a to shift thus breaking the series circuit from wire 51 through the contacts 540 and 42 to wire 59, and since the corresponding key is not depressed, the break in this circuit will not be bridged by the associated contacts 54b and 43 but on the contrary a further break will occur where the correct key is depressed to open its contact 42. Failure to establish a circuit will maintain the magnet 30 inoperative and operator may depress the release key 3| to rapidly move the carriage to its last column position from which the card may be removed from the machine.

If it is desired to advance the card beyond this incorrectly punched column and continue with the verification, the operator may open switch 52 which will cause deenergization of all magnets 54 and the closure of all points 54c so that a com- 7 pie-ted circuit exists between wires BI and 59. Depression of the space or column skip key which as has been pointed oiit causes closure of only the contact 49 will complete the circuit through magnet 30 to advance the card to the next column. Closure of switch 52 will again permit the continuation of verification.

Omitted perforations It is quite apparent with the above explanation in mind that where a column is unpunched, the depression of any key at will break its contact 42 to interrupt the now familiar series circuit 51. 5t and no current will pass through magnet W. Where, however, a column is intended to be unperforated the depression of the column skip key will by closing only contact 49 permit the step by step advance of the card. Should a perforation occur in any column which is being thus advanced by the skip key, the consequent circuit through the corresponding relay M will open the circuit 51, 5t and prevent further advance of the card.

Skipping gang punched columns Where cards being verified have several columns perforated with gang punched information which may be conceded to be correct and not requiring verification, the operator may skip over these particular columns or fields of the card. For this purpose switch 52 is opened and the skip key successively depressed to cause repeated operation of the escape mechanism. A tabulating key (not shown) may also be provided which upon depression will cause release of the carriage for rapid, continuous movement of the selected field past the analyzing position the card being stopped at a predetermined point in readiness for further verification upon closure of switch 52. Such tabulating mechanisms are well known in card punching machines and may readily be applied to the present invention. Such mechanism may be of the form shown in Patent 1,426,223, issued August 15, 1922 to J. 'I'. Schaafl. This forms no part of the present invention and is therefore not shown in detail.

Combination hole perforatiom;

Where it is desired to verify columns in which multiple punching occurs the operator must depress all of the keys associated with the index point positions involved. For instance, where a character represented by a hole in both the eighth and ninth positions is being proved the operator must depress both the eighth and ninth position keys 37 because in these positions the associated relay. armature blades 54a were shifted in an already familiar manner to break the series circuit 51, 59 and the two contacts 43 in these posi tions must be closed to bridge these breaks.

In cases where the variety of combinations of perforations are comparatively few the operator will have little difilculty in remembering the positions of the keys which it is necessary to depress to prove or verify a certain coded character. But in cases where the making of cards for directory work involves the practice of coding the alphabet and utilizing multiple punchings to denote letter characters it requires a considerable amount of skill to perform the coding operation mentally and then to strike the proper combination of keys of the characters is effected automatically by the machine to select the proper keys for depression. A plurality of magnets may be provided to actuate the keys thus performing the direct labor of verifying. t

In Fig. 6 each of the keys 3! and also the space or column skip key have connection with the free end of an armature lever ill] pivoted at ti. A magnet 62 upon energization is adapted to attract the armature lever Bil to depress the key ll in the same manner as though the key were manually depressed.

Key Board Referring now to the key board associated with the machine (see Fig. 7) keys 63 are suitably pivoted as in a typewriter. Each key 6t has connected to it a pull rod 64 connected to a bell crank it provided with an insulated roller on its free end. The depression of any key 63 is adapted to close pairs of contacts Ni, H which are disposed directly above the insulating roller. Each contact combination Ni, ii is made up of a lower blade 66, an intermediate blade M and an upper blade 68. In the operation, closing of contacts ii is followed by closing of contacts ill. Referring now to the circuit diagram (Fig. 8) each upper blade 68 is connected through common line $9 to line 53a. Each intermediate blade til is connected by a suitable wire to a bus bar l2. Each lower blade 66 is connected to a corresponding bus bar 120:.

Bus bars l2 and 12a of which there are a pair for each key and contact combination extend transversely across a series of conductor bars 113 which are individually connected in series with selector magnets 62. Screws it connect bars l2 and Ma with the bars 173, being located in accordance with the particular combination or coding it is desired to establish. 4:0

It will be understood that current flows from line 53a, wire 69, through the selected contacts it, ill thence to the associated bars 12, lid, to cross bars lit, magnets 62, wire it to line 56a. This circuit is effected upon depression of any 5 key 63 and if the card column under the analyzing balls has perforations in accord, the circuit through escape magnet 30 becomes efiecti-ve to advance the card to the next adjacent column.

The verifier may be provided with the usual 50 Space key for effecting spacing which key can be arranged to close a pair of contacts Ila to the space magnet life. A form of such space key may be as shown in the patent to H. Welland, et al. 1,682,451, issued August 28, 1929.

In Fig. 5 a. modified form of verifying circuit is shown in which the relay magnets 54 are shunted by resistances R, the midpoints of which are connected to line 56 by wire 80. The midpoint referred to divides the resistance R into sec- 60 tions of equal value. The terminals of the relays are connected to contact ballsl3 and contacts 63 which may be connected to the line 53; the balls 03 through roller l4, ball Mia and switch 52; the contacts 43 through wire St.

The magnets 54 attract, when energized, their related armature blades 54a to open contacts 540. These contacts are normally closed to establish a circuit from line 56, wire 80, wire 82, con tacts 54c, blades Ma, wire 83, contact 89 closed upon depression of any key, magnet 30 to line 53.

When a perforation in the card does not agree with the depressed key or in the event of any other non-verification as premised in the principal form of the invention explained above, 75

there will be established a difference in potential at the relay magnet terminals and the energization of the magnet will consequently attract its related armature 54a to interrupt the escape magnet circuit. To illustrate: assume a key depressed in a position in which no perforation has been made. A circuit will then follow from line 53, wire ll, closed contact 43, relay magnet 54, left half of resistance R, wire 84, wire to line 56.

Again, where a hole occurs and the corresponding key is not depressed the circuit will follow from line 53, switch 52, ball i3a, roller I4, the hole in the card, ball i3, through the relay magnet 54, the right half of resistance R wires 84 and 80 to line 50.

Immediately upon sensing a perforation, a circuit will be completed through the magnet 54 corresponding to the location of the perforation, and the right half of resistance R as traced above. This will cause opening of related contacts 0, thus effecting a break in the circuit of magnet 30. If the corresponding key contacts 43 are subsequently closed, the right terminal of magnet 54 will also be connected to line 53 and there will be no potential difference between the terminals of the magnet. It will accordingly become deenergized, permitting the spring of contact blade 54a to overcome whatever slight residual magnetism may be present and reclose contacts 540.

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 understood that various omissions and substitutions 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. It is the intention therefore to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In an electric perforated card verifying machine, a card carrier, an escapement mechanism therefor, a magnet to operate the same, a circuit for causing operation of said magnet, a second circuit adapted to be completed through a perforation in a card, means controlled thereby to partially complete said operating circuit aiid key controlled means for completing said operating circuit.

2. In an electric perforated card verifying machine, a card carrier, an escapement mechanism therefor, means for operating said mechanism to cause the same to shift the card intermittently to successively verify perforations in the card column, analyzing devices adapted to sense the perforations in the card, column by column, settable elements adapted to be independently set under control of the analyzing devices alone in accordance with the perforations in a column of the card, a manually operated set up device, a circuit having a path jointly completed by said elements and said manually operated set up device when said elements and set up device are correspondingly set up.

3. A perforated record verifying machine comprising record analyzing means, record feeding mechanism, and a space key, means jointly controlled by said analyzing means and said key for preventing operation of said feeding mechanism, and means for causing said space key to operate said feeding mechanism independently of said analyzing means.

4. In an electric verifying machine, a plurality of contact devices adapted to sense the columns of a record card, a plurality of relays controlled thereby, a circuit comprising a plurality of pairs of contacts serially included therein, and adapted to be controlled by said relays to initially break said circuit at various points in accordance with the arrangement of perforations in a column of the card, a plurality of keys and means controlled thereby to cause completion of said circuit when the keys depressed correspond to the perforations sensed.

5. In a verifying machine, the combination of means including a plurality of separate sensing devices for separately analyzing the several index point positions of a column of a record card, keys for testing a plurality of said positions, a circuit completed when all the keys operated concurrently correspond to positions containing perforations and means controlled by said keys for preventing completion of said circuit upon the absence of a perforation in any key tested position.

6. In an electric perforated card verifying machine, a card carrier, an escapement mechanism therefor, a magnet to operate the same, a circuit for causing operation of said magnet, a second circuit adapted to be completed through a perforation in a card, a relay magnet included in said second circuit, contacts controlled by said relay magnet, to partially complete said operating 30 circuit and key controlled means for completing said operating circuit.

7. In an electric perforated card verifying machine, a card carrier, an escapement mechanism therefor, a magnet to operate the same, a circuit for causing operation of said magnet, a plurality of analyzing devices for sensing perforations in the index point positions of a column of a card, a plurality of keys, each corresponding to one of said analyzing devices, a second circuit adapted to be completed by one of said analyzing devices through a perforation in a card, means controlled thereby to partially complete said operating circuit and means controllable only by the key corresponding to the device which completed said second circuit for completing said operating circuit.

8. In an electric perforated card verifying machine, a card carrier for receiving a record card having columns of index point positions, an escapement mechanism therefor, a magnet to operate the same, a circuit having a plurality of paths, for causing operation of said magnet, a plurality of further circuits each adapted to be completed through a differently located perforation in a card column, means controlled thereby in accordance with the columnar location of said perforation to select one of said paths and partially complete said operating circuit through the selected path and key controlled means for completing said operating circuit.

9. In an electric perforated card verifying machine, a card carrier, an escapement mechanism therefor, a magnet to operate the same, a circuit for causing operation of said magnet, a plurality of analyzing devices for sensing perforations in the index point positions of a column of circuit and means controllable only by the concurrent operation oi. the keys corresponding to the plurality of analyzing devices which completed said similar circuits for completing said operating circuit.

10. In an electric perforated card veriiying machine, a card carrier, an escapement mechanism therefor, a magnet to operate the same, a circuit for causing operation of said magnet, an-

10 alyzing means for sensing perforations in. a card column, a second circuit adapted to be completed by said analyzing means through a perforation in a card, means controlled thereby to partially complete said operating circuit, key controlled means for completing said operating circuit, a switch for disabling said analyzing means to prevent their efiective operation and means for causing operation of said magnet after said analyzing means is disabled.

JS W. BRYCE.

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