US2101455A - Group selector for sorting machines - Google Patents

Description

8 Sheets-Sheet l SMQ/Wto@ @numana BPA/5677x7065 mfu? E. ROSE GEOUE SELECTOR EOE SOETING MACHINES Filed Dec. 20, 1934 Dec.l 7, 1937.

Dec. 7, 1937. E. ROSE GROUP SELECTOR FOR SORTING MACHINES 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 20, 1934 dT9/197- P0615, @54, f ma l l I I I l l I l l l I l l l JII Dec. 7, 1937.

E. ROSE 2,101,455

GROUP SELECTOR FOR SORTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 20, 1934 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 E. ROSE Dec. '7, 193 7.

AGROUP SELECTOR FOR SORTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 2o, 1954 8 sheets-sheet 4 Dec. 7, 1937. E, ROSE GROUP SELECTOR Foa SORTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 20, 19.34 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 l I /l l//l lll /l/ Il l 11.111 1 1 1 1 @N SN www -11h 11.11.; 1 11|1MIN1 A h. NN N wx N Naf@ MIJ N ww Dec. 7, 1937.

E. ROSE 2,101,455

GROUP SELECTOR FOR SORTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 20, 1934 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 I me/who@ @1PA/67- /ZPO se.

Dec. 7, 1937. E. RCSE GROUP SELECTOR FOR SORTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 20. 1954 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 EPA/6 7- 293065.

Dec. 7, 1937. E. ROSE 2,101,455

GROUP SELECTOR FOR SORTING MACHINES Filed Deo. 20, 1934 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 N g N i K \S\ Q I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GROUP SELECTOR `FOR SORTING MACHINES Ernest Rose, Washington, D. C., assigner to International Businss Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a, corporation of New York Application December zo, i934, serial No. 158,531

23 Claims.

This invention relates to a group selector for sorting machines, particularly of the well known Hollerith type, whereby documents of several classifications may be sorted by setting a single control member.

It is an object of the invention to provide means for accomplishing the sorting or selection of a group of cards or documents having indicia thereon adjacent to a desired indicia so as to take care of any errors in originally determining the value of the indicia upon the cards or documents. The invention aims to counteract and eliminate the errors due to the human factor in compiling the data subsequently transposed or punched upon the cards or documents.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a single instrumentality which may be set by one motion for the actual setting of the selecting means whereby errors in the actual setting of the sorting machine are also eliminated and making the actual setting simple and foolproof.

On machines at present in use it is necessary to set a plurality of means in order to accomplish a sorting of several classifications.

By providing in accordance with the present invention a unitary means, the setting of the sorting machine for sorting any group of contacts can be accomplished more quickly and surely and thereby the time required for classifying, searching and comparing master prints on le may be considerably shortened.

The invention is designed particularly for the sorting of finger print records but can be adapted for records of various types where the same factors are present.

It is a further object to provide means whereby the number of classifications selected are increased with the higher value of the data upon the documents wherebythe greater possibility of error is compensated by a wider selection.

The invention is designed to provide a selecting arrangement which can be used with a sorting machine with a minimum of alterations therein.

Various other objects and advantages of th'e.`

present invention will become apparent from the detailed description below and will be particularly pointed out in the following description and claims and shown in the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, in

kwhich Figure 1 is a diagrammatic viewfof a sorting machine and showst-he card feedingand conveying mechanism, the card guiding devices and f the brush (Cl. 20S-110) holder and special analyzing brush shown in Figure 1 and Viewed from the left in the latter figure,

Figure 3 is a detail view in elevation showing the driving connections between the selector device and the sorting machine,

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a battery of control blocks with Various details and the selector slides omitted for greater clearness illustrating the manner in which theyare assembled,

Figure 5 is a perspective View of a battery of stationary commutators to .cooperate with the control blocks shown in Figure 4,with certain details omitted for clarity and illustrating the manner in which said commutators may be assembled,

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of a single control block,

Figure 7 is a plan view of a single control block,

Figure 8 is a cross sectional view taken on the Asection line 8-8 of Figure 6 with the selector slideshown in dotted lines with part broken away,

Figure 9 is a partial cross sectional View taken on the section line 9 9 of Figure 8 with the selector slide outlined in dotted lines for greater clearness, looking in the direction of the arrows,

Figure 10 is a side elevation of a selector slide,

Figure 11 is an end- View of a selector slide looking from the right of Figure 10,

Figure 12 is a perspective view of the bars which are positioned in each control block illustrating the contacts thereon and the relationship between the same, y

Figure 13 is a side view of the stationary commutator controlling the shunting of the sorting magnet,

Figure 14 is a side view of a stationary commutator which cooperates with a selector block.

Figure 15 is a partial cross sectional view through the battery of stationary commutators, and

Figure 16 is a circuit diagram with certain of the commutator-control block circuits omitted for greater clarity showing the manner in which the invention is connected to the sorting machine.

The present` invention has been shown as applied to a sorting machine of a type now well known in the art. 'I'he construction and operationr of the cad selecting, conveying and guiding mechanism and the general arrangement of the circuits are fully shown and described in Letters Patent No. 1,741,985, granted December 31, 1929 to E. A. Ford, while the mechanism for feeding cards from the magazine and .the brush back to source I2.

holder-for the analyzingbrush are shown and described in Letters Patent No. 1,741,992, granted December 31, 1929 to/Harry Kleckler.

The foregoing mechanisms will be only briefly explained herein since said patents contain a full description of well known mechanisms of which the present invention is an improvement.

The motor I8 which drives the sorting mech- `anism is started by depressing a starting key I I which establishes a circuit from source I2, line I3, motor relays I4, card relay I5,- starting key II, now closed, stop key I 6, to the line I1 and Energization of relays I4 closes contacts I4a thereby starting the motor I8 while energization of relay I5 closes contacts I5a and connects the card lever contacts I8 in parallel with the starting key II.. The starting key II is held depressed until cards begin to pass thel analyzing brushes after which the card lever contacts I8 closethereby -establishing a holdingy circuit for the relays I4 and,Y I5. 'I'he starting key II may be released after the contacts I8 have established the holding circuit. When the last card has been fed from the card magazinei and has passed the analyzing brush the card lever contacts I8 open thereby breaking the holding centric pins 26 carried by a cross shaft (not shown) driven by the shaft I9. A link 21 connects each pin 26 to `a rock arm 28 journalled upon a cross shaft 29, each of the arms 28 having a slot at its upper end which engages al pivoted member carried by the frame 25. It will be clear therefore, that rotationl of shaft I9 will cause the frame 25 to reciprocate from right to left (Fig. 1) to feed a card 23 from the magazine.' The timing of the parts is such that a card 23 is fed from the magazine once during each revolution of the feed rollers 28. p

Extending crosswise of the machineabove and parallel with the shafts supporting the card feeding' rollers 28 is a bar 38 adapted to support and guide a carriage 3I carrying a detachable brush holder 32. The carriage 3l is adapted to beshifted manually and crosswise of the machine or front and rear, as viewed in Fig. 1, and'carries a post 33 which cooperateswith-a hole 34 in the brush holder 32 to hold the latter in place.

The brush/holder 32 is locked in place by means of a rotatable pin 35 having a notch 36 near its mid-.point of about the same radius as the pin 33.whilbe the latter bhas a similar notch 31 near.

its endof a radius about equal to the radius of the-pin 35. When both notches 36, 31 are facing each other the brush holder 32 may' be easily removed but if la handle/38 carried by pin 35 is' turned about 90 the notch. 36 inpin 35 is rotated` tor` the positionshown in Fig. 1 and the solid part-of the pin 35 willbe brought into the notch 31 in pin 33 and thereby prevents removal ofthe brush holder` 32..

Ordinary sorting operations of the sorting machine `require a single brush which may beof the form disclosed in Patent 1,741,992 in which'` the brush holder is composed of two parts' which are insulated from each other, the lower part being of metal permanently fastened to the upper part and carries a card analyzing brush and still remain connected to the control circuits of the machine.

When itis desired to carry out the special sorting operation whereby several classifications may be sorted, the ordinary brush holder is removed and replaced by a special brush holder having twenty brushes adapted to analyze simultaneously twenty adjacent columns of the record card. The special brush holder is illustrated in Figs. l and 2 in which it is shown as comprising a substantially U-shaped frame 32, between the downwardly extending arms 48 of which are supported twenty brush retainers 4I insulated from each other and from the frame 32. The brush retainers 4I carry the brushes 42 which are held in place by set screws 43 the lower ends of the retainers being slotted, as at 44, to permit the brushes to flex under the pressure they exertV upon the card as it passes over the rotatable and insulated contact roll 45.

The brush retainers 4I are supported by pins 46 which pass through the arms 48 of holder 32 and are held in said arms by means of pins 41 which pass through the varms 48 andthe pins 46, suitable insulating bushings surrounding the pins, 48 and preventing the metal of the brush retainers from rtouching the pins 46. tainers 4I are insulated from each other and from the arms 48 by means of flat separators 48 of insulating material and eacli is provided with a connector lug 49 to Awhich are soldered or welded the individual wires 58 connecting the brushes 42 to the selector circuits. Interposed between the extreme 'right and left separators 48 (Fig. 2) and the arms 48 are platesV 5I cooperating with set screws 52 carried by the arms 48. It will be clear that the seit screws 52 may be turned in either direction to adjust the brushes slightly in a. direction axial with respect to the set screws 52 and, when said brushes have been once set properly, said screws 52 may be bothtightened to hold the brush retainers'rmly in place. The individual wires 58 may be cabled and of a sufficient length t-o' permit setting the carriage 3l to position the brushes in coincidence with any twenty columns of the record card as it passes over'the contact roll. Y

Before 'proceeding with a detailed description of the special selector mechanism a brief description will be given of the operation of the sorting 'I'he remachine when operated in the ,ordinary manner.

The single brush used for normal sorting operations is indicated by broken lines (Fig. 16) and bears the reference numeral 58. It will be understood that the special brush'holder 32 has been replaced by the ordinary brushholder having a single brush and that the special selector circuits, hereinafter to be more fully described,

have been disconnected by means of certain switches provided for that purpose. The brush 53 is positioned'to analyze the desired column on the record card as the card is fed from: the first set of feed rollers 28 (the right set, Fig. 1). The guide blades 54"rest upon the top oan armature 55 which is' controlled by aA sorting magnet 56,

the armature lying level with and between two iixedguide plates (not shown) over Awhich the the feed rollers 20. The ends of the guide blades 54 are so spaced relative to the analyzing brush that the brush will sense an index-point perforation at the instant the left vedge of the card underlies the end cf the guide blade 54 corresponding to that index point position. Each guide blade leads to a sorting pocket (not shown) which is designed to accumulate all of the record cards having a given index-point perforation in the column analyzed. l

There are thirteen such sorting pockets, the thirteenth pocket being for the reception of unperforated cards and commonly called the reject or R pocket. The other twelve pockets correspond to the twelve index-point positions of the record card and each has ar guide blade 54 leading thereto. The first blade on the righ-tJ (Fig. 1) corresponds to the 9 pocket, the next corresponds to the f8 pocket, and the others in order, from right to left. correspond to the '7. 46,7 4459!, 447 (377, ((2,7, 171 055 H1111, 4412!) pockets, respectively.

As the card passes beneath the brush 53, the left edge passes beneath each blade end and, if a perforation should be present in any of the index point positions named, said perforation will be sensed by the brush 53 at the same instant the left edge of the card underlies the end of the particular blade 54 corresponding to the sorting pocket adapted to accumulate cards perforated at that particular index-point.

When the perforation is sensed by the brush 53 contact will be made with the contact roll and a circuit established as fo1lows:.Source I2, line I3, sorting magnet 56, brush relay 51. line 58, contact rail 39, brush 53, contact roll 45, contact roll brush 59, commutator brush 60, through the commutator segment corresponding to the indexpoint perforation sensed, common brush 6I, line I1, back to source I2. Energlzation of the brush relay 51 closes contacts 51a and establishes a holding circuit forv the relay 51 through a commutator segment 62, brush 63 and the common brush 6I to the source I2. The segment 62 is 'of suiiicient circumferential length to hold the circuit until the last index-point position has passed beneath the brush, after which event occurs, the brush 63 passes out of contact with said segment 62, thereby breaking the holding circuit for relay 51. The energization of the sorting magnet 56 causes the armature to drop thereby lowering all of the blade ends 54 not resting upon the record card analyzed and, as a consequence thereof, a gap is made between the last blade on the left (Fig. 1) which is held up by the card and the next adjacent lowered blade into which the card is carried by the feeding rollers 2Il. The

card will thereafter be guided to the appropriate sorting pocket by rmeans of suitable feeding rollers similar to the rollers 20.

Patent No. 1,741,985 gives a more detailed description of the construction and operation of the commutator 64 cooperating with the brushes 60, 6I and a reference to that patent will fully explain its purpose. Since the present invention does not directly involve the said commutator it will not be described in detail herein. It will be understood that each bar or spot 65 on the commutator has been made current conducting in each index point position as explained in detail in said patent.

The special group selector device is arranged to be attached to an existing sorting machine without any structural alteration in the machine and for that reason may be made a compact and self-contained unit or may be preferably divided ir-to two units as shown in Fig. l. in dotted lines at 66 and 66A. The casing 66 containing the battery of stationary commutators hereinafter described may be attached to the rear of the machine and near the right end of the machine and is shown particularly in Figs. 5, 13, 14, and 15. 'I'he casing 66A containing the battery of selector blocks and preferably flexibly electrically connected with the casing 66 ispreferably positioned at the front of the sorting machine so as to permit easy access thereto.

Journalled within the casing 66 is a shaft 61 which extends forwardly and exteriorly of the casing (to the left Fig. 3) and carries mounted thereon a gear 68 meshing with the gear 22 carried by shaft I9 and driving the lower right feeding roller 20 (Fig. 1). The gear 68 has a hub which extends through an outboard bearing 69 carried by a bracket 10 attached to the left side of the casing 66.

The shaft 61 has mounted thereon a series of brush holders 1 I, twenty in number, and a brush holder 12 cooperating with the commutator block 13 which shunts the sorting magnet 56. The brush holders 1I and 12 are insulated from the shaft 61 in any desired manner such as by the insulating rings 14.

Located within the casing 66 are preferably four supporting rods 15 for the commutator blocks 16 and the above mentioned block 13. The

blocks 16 and the block 13 are made of insulating material such as bakelite or the like and are spaced from one another by the spacers 11 carried by the rods 15 thereby providing spaces through which the leads to the contacts 18 upon the blocks 16 and to the contact 19 upon the ythe brush holder 12 are insulated from the shaft 61 by the rings 14. These insulating rings are xedly secured to the shaft 61 in any desired manner and the brush holders 1I and 12 are in turn xedly secured to the insulating rings 14 by means of the set .screws 80. This permits any circumferential and axial adjustment desired for the brush holders upon shaft 61. The brush holders are made of conducting material such as copper or the like and are provided with an annular groove 8| against which bears a exible lead 82 secured to a side of the blocks 16 and 13 as for example by the'screws 83.

Secured adjustably in the holders 1I by means of the set screws 84 are the brushes 1I and secured in holder 12 in like manner is brush 12.

The stationary commutafors have the contacts 18 therein which constitute the coinrnutator bars and are insulated from each other. There are twelve commutator bars numbered as shown in Fig. 14 from 0 to 9 and 11 and l2. As above mentioned, twenty commutator blocks 'I6 are provided although a greater or less number may be provided depending upon the special type of work or rather cards which are to be sorted. The present illustrated form of the invention is primarily designed for finger print card sortingQin which there are usually twenty-six tabulated positions upon the record card besides the all out position. In order to take care of these positions two commutators 16 are associated together and therefore a bank of twenty is provided which will analyze all ten fingers at once. The code used whereby this is done will be described in detail below.

The brush 1I' contacts the xed commutator bars in succession and each brush 1| is connected in series with the. brushes 42 previously described. As previously mentioned there are twenty brushes 42, but in Fig. 16 the connections to the first and second commutators are only shown although it is to be vunderstood that the remaining brushes and commutators are similarly connected.

It is to be noted that each circumferential row of commutator bars in each block 16 corresponds to a column on the record card to be analyzed and each bar 18 corresponds to an index-point position in such column with which it is adapted to cooperate. The rotation of the brushes 1| is so timed .that the bars corresponding to a given index-point position arerin contact with brushesv 1| at the instant the brushes 42 are reading the same index-point positions on the card.

The commutator block 13 cooperating with the brush 12' is adapted to shunt the sorting magnet 56 during special sorting operations. In order to permit normal sorting operations there is provided a switch which may be opened to prevent shunting of the sorting magnet. This switch may be mounted in the casing 66 or exterior thereto and may be of any desired type. The block 13 as above mentioned, is provided with a single contact 18 which extends along the greater part of the periphery of the cut-out portion of the block and cooperates with the brush 12 in a manner and for a purpose explained more in detail hereinafter.

The construction of a single control block will now be described, and since they are all alike, the description of one is suicient to understand all of them constituting the battery as 'shown in Fig. 4. The control block is shown particularly in Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, l1, and 12.

Preferably the control block is formed of three separate pieces 85, 86, and 81 of bakelite or other insulating material. The piece is of U-shape or channel shape and the sides are correspondingly stepped so as to form three different levels 88, 88, and 88, shown particularly in Fig. 6. Secured to one of the arms of U-shaped element 85 and complementally stepped is piece 86, while upon the other arm also complementally stepped is eiement 81. "The elements 85, 86, and 81 are secured together by screws 9| or any other desired securing means. Upon the top of element 81 is secured scale 82 for thev setting count.

The elements 86 and 81 are provided with inwardly directed shoulders 83 which cooperate withv the shoulders 84 provided upon the selector slide 85 of insulating material. Fixed to Aone side of the slide 85 is pointer 86 cooperating with scale 82. The slide 85 is of unique form as shown particularly in Figs. 10 and 11 for a purpose hereinafter described and is provided with three distinct levels, a., b, and c. Each slide is provided with a handle portion 91 which. may be of any desired configuration.

Each arm of U-shaped element 85 is provided with a series of slots 98 of three different lengths corresponding to the stepped portions therein, and in each slot there is disposed a guide rod 88 having a head |00 in contact with a transversely disposed rod `|0| preferably of circular cross section.

The supporting rodsv 88 are of sufcient length so that the lower ends thereof extend into the bores |02 provided in the member 85 from the bottom of the slot 88 to the bottom of the member 85 whereby said rods are guided in their reciprocating movement. Surrounding the rods 88 and abutting against the heads |00 'and the bottom of the slots 98 so as to urge the rods 88 upwardly and thereby the transverse rods |0 I, are the coil springs |03.

Due to the construction just described the rods |0| which are of conducting material are maintained at each end in contact with the contacts |04 whichV are mounted upon elements 86 and 81 adjacent each' of the slots 88. The contacts |04 are preferably of right angular construction as shown with portions extending inwardly into the slots 98. The contacts |84 are all insulated from-one another and are secured to the elements 86 and 81 and also to the leads |05 by screws |06.

Located between the legs of the U-shaped element 85 and extending beneath all of the rods |0| are a series of three bars |01, `|08, and |08 of insulating material and shaped as shown in Figure .12 so as to accommodate the bars to the stepped levels'88, 88, and 80. 'Ihe bars are of a width so as to substantially fill the space between the legs of the member 85 thereby utilizing the interior sides of said legs as guides and the bars |01, |08, and |08 are urged upwardly into contact with the rods |0| by the coil springs ||0 -abutting the member 85.

As will be noted from Fig. l2, the bars end close to one another at their ends and the springs l0 are located at the non-stepped portions preferably two to each bar.

Each bar is provided with a recess ||2 extending substantially the non-stepped length and along a side of the bar. In recess ||2 of bar |81 are wiper contacts ||4 which are electrically connected by the metal strip ||5 While in the recesses 2 of bars |88 and |08 are similar wiper contacts ||6 and ||1 respectively, and similar connecting strips ||8 and ||9 respectively.

The wiper contacts H4, ||6, and ||1 cooperate with contacts |28 secured to member 85 by screws |2| adjacent openings |22 provided in member 85 leading to the longitudinally extending groove |23, through which openings and groove the leads to the contacts |28 may be conveniently carried.

The scale 92 as shown particularly in Fig. 7, is divided into twenty-six indices which correspond with the twenty-six tabulated positions upon a record card. They are numbered from 1 to 26. In addition to these there is provided the all out" position and this position is also furnished with the slots 98 in the member 85 and the supporting rods 88 and transverse rod 0| cooperating with contacts |84. Each position from 1 to 26 upon the scale 82 is positioned adjacent a rod |0| which corresponds with that position and the contacts |84 for each rod and the rod |0| therefore are connected in series with the commutator bars of the first and second commutator blocks. 'I'he third and fourth commutator blocks would have their bars connected in like manner to the second control block rods |0|.

When using the group selector the commutator-bars 18 corresponding to the index-point position 2 are not used in the circuits, as will be noted upon reference to Fig. 16. These bars are not needed since according to the code used, set forth below, sufcient combinations can be built up from those used to take care of all twenty-six tabulated positions as well as the all out position.

tend in a certain particular manner with respect to the rods |0| in the member 85. Bar |01 extends F from the 1 position to and including the 9 position. Bar |09 extends from and including the 10 position to and including the 19 position. Bar |08 extends from and including the 20 position to and including the 26 position;

Bar |01 has the strip |I5 and the contacts. ||4 thereon connected in series with the position or bar of the first commutator block, and bar |08 has the strip ||8 and the contacts ||6 thereon connected in series with the 11 position or bar of the first commutator block. Bar |09 has its strip ||9 and contacts ||1 connected in series with 11 .position or bar of the second commutator.

The detail construction of the special group selector mechanism and its connections with the sorting machine having been described, the operation of the device in selecting certain cards will now be described. The selector device depends for its operation upon the fact that an unperforated card passing the analyzing brush will not affect the sorting magnet. Not having a perforation in any index point position, the unperforated card will pass beneath the blade ends 54 of all of the guide blades leading to sorting pockets and will be guided eventually into the R or reject pocket which usually is the first pocket to the left of the analyzing brush as viewed in Fig. 1. It will be perceived that if it isdesired to separate certain specified cards from the others it is merely necessary to nullify the presence of the identifying perforations in the cards to be selected in order to permit said cards to be conveyed to the R pocket while the operation of the sorting magnet for the undesired cards willl not be interfered with. In other words, the present invention lcontemplates selection by rejecting. the desired cards and diversion of the undesired cards so that the former will be guided to the R pocket and the latter to some other pocket such as, in the present ease, the 12 pocket.

The group selector device is so arranged that the effect of each of the perforations representing the identifying number and those adjacent thereto upon each side of the identifying number in theY desired cards are neutralized by setting the.

selector slide with the pointer 96 adjacent the identifying number upon scale 92 so that an open circuit will occur when each of said perforations is sensed by an analyzing brush 42 while the perforations in undesired cards will affect the brush relay so as to set up a circuit which eventually will be effective to control the sorting magnet at' the 12 position to divert the undesired card to the 12 pocket.

In order to accomplish the foregoing result the selector slides are set so that no circuit can be established therethrough in any of the indexpoint positions and those positions adjacent the index-point positions representing the ,group number of the cards to be selected while the sorting magnet is shunted except at the l2 position and during the gap between successive cards. For this reason the gap |24 between the ends of thecon'tact 19, see Fig. 13, is of a length to permit the establishment of the shunt circuit for the sorting magnet from the'9 to the 11 position, the shunt being removed at the l2 position of one card and reestablished slightly before the 9 position of the card immediately following.

In order to understand how the rods |0| when operated upon by the selector slide select the required cards, it is necessary to set forth the special code -used in the punching of the data upon' therecord cards.v

The usual code for punching data upon the record cards is as follows: There are a series of columns upon the record cards having the characters from 0 to 9, 11 and 12 thereon. Two columns are utilized to form the tabulated position as follows:-1:01; 2:02; 3:03; 4:04); 52110511; GZNOGH; 7:H07,!; 8:00839; 9:09; 10:10; 11=1l; 12=12; 13=13; l4:14; 15:15; 16:16; 17="17; 18= 1118"; lgzulgn; 20:20n; 21:u21v;` 22:221; 23:23; 24=24; 25=25; 26:26.

This usual code is unsuitable for the group selection used in the present invention for the following reasons. If the usual code were followed in punching the tabulated position 9 and it was desired to secure two index point positions upon each side of 9 then in such case the selector switches would be set for 07, 08, 09, 10, and 11.

From these settings it will be noted that in the first column there will be 0 and l set while in the second column there will be 7, 8, 9, "0, and l set. Such a setting will cause the following tabulated positions to fall into the R or reject pocket, viz. 1, '7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 17, 18, 19, and 0. rlen tabulated positions would fall while only five were wanted.

It is for this reason that this code is impractical as far as group selection is concerned and the special code described below must be used in order to get exactly the classifications for which the selector slides are set. In this code the character 1l is shown as X and the character 12 as the? or unknown value.

In the special code 1:01; 2:02; 3:03; 4:04;

-26:X6. The unknown value is l2 and 12. 1f

more than 26 tabulated positions are utilized, then the code is enlarged in the same manner since this number of tabulated positions is taken merely because this is the number used in finger print records. The code and group selector of the present invention can obviously be adapted to other fields.

The new code described above for punching the data upon the record cards will operate as follows, and in order to fully illustrate the distinction over the usual coderst described, the same tabulated position 9 will be chosen. When the slide in the control block is set with the pointer 96 at the 9 position on scale 92, then the following settings are made, viz., 07, 08, 09, 0X-and 1X.

In this casefrom these settings the following counts would fall into the R pocket, viz., 7, 8, 9, l0 and 1'1 which are coded on the card as set forthabove, viz., 07, 08, 09, 0X and 1X. As will be noted, the setting also includes the following three settings-17, 18 and 19,' but it will be understood from the new code set forth above that there are no such combinations therein and therefore these tabulated positions are not selected.

The operation of' the selector slide shown in Figs. 10 and 11 with relation to the control block will now be described. When the selector slide is placed with the pointer 96 at the l position of the scale 92 shown particularly in Fig. 7, then the level a thereof will contact rods |0| at positions 1, 2, and 3 and depress thesame so as to break the circuit between the rods depressed and their respective contacts |04. 'Ihe rods |0| 75 at positions 1, 2, and 3 when depressed will depress bar |01 directly thereunder and cause a break between contacts i4 carried by bar |01 and contacts |20. These circuit breaks corre- ASpond to code positions 01, 02, and 03 and Will therefore deenergize brushes 42 when analyzing these positions and thereby cause a record card having these positions punched to fall into the reject pocket, or in other words, be selected.

When the' selector slide is placed with its point- Aer at the 2 position on the scale then rods |0|` 10,:8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 11:9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 12:10, 11, 12,13 and 14 13:11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 14:12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 15:13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 16:14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 17:14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 18:15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 19:16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22 20:17, 18, 19, 20, 2l, 22and 23 21:18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24 22:19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25 23:20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26 24:21, 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26 25:22, 23, 24, 25 and 26 26:23, 24, 25 and 26 From the above chart it isseen that for positions 3 to 15 two rods |0| upon each side ofthe particular position are depressed, that for 16 two belowv and three above are depressed and that for 17 to 23 three positions upon each side are depressed. This is caused by the particular spacing of the rods in the control block and also by the stepping of the rods |0| and the levels a, b, and c of the slide itself.

'I'he bottom level a of the slide is wide enough to depress ve rods |0| at the left of the control block as shown in Fig. 6 upon the level 88. When the level 89 is encountered by the slide then the level b of the slide comes-into action with the level a and levels a plus b is wide enough to depress six rods I0 I. However, as will be noted upon Fig. 6 the rods |0| at the beginning of llevel 89 are somewhat further spaced apart and this results in the slide only depressing five vrods up to the 15 position even through levels'a and b are in action. However at the 16 position level c also comes into action which when added to levels a `and b renders the slide capable of depressing seven rods V|0|.- However, due to the spacing of ythe rods` |0| at the 16 position only six positionsY are depressed but thereafter beginning with 17 position three positions upon each side are` de- Pressed.

For the purpose of preventing excessive sparking at the brush 12 when the circuit is broken at the 12 position, there is provided a condenser |i3 connected in parallel with the sorting magnet and contained within the-casing 66 and a glass insert ||4' which is set Hush with the contact 19 where the brush 12 breaks the circuit through contact 19. The glass insert prevents the spark created ,by the break in the circuit from burning the insulating material of which block.

13 is constructed.

The circuits from the analyzing brushes 42 through the commutators and the selector block will now be brieiiy traced to the sorting connection 39. Reference is made to Fig.V 16 wherein the brushes 42 have opposite them the number of the column upon the record card which they analyze. Brush 42 at the rst column is connected in series with the brush 1| of rirst commutator 16, while brush 42 for the 2 column is connected in series with the brush 1 I of the second commutator and so forth. In Fig. 16 only the circuits for the rst and second commutators and the control block for these two commutators is shown. The other eighteen commutators and nine control blocks are similarly connected with the brushes 42 and the sorting connection 39. In nger print sorting the brushes 42 for 1 and 2 columns together with the rst and second commutators and control block associated therewith will analyze the data upon the-record card relating to one finger. The other eighteen brushes 42 with associated commutators and control blocks will'l take care of the data relative to the other nine fingers.

From brush 42 at the rst column or 1 position the circuit goes by wire to brush 1|' of.

the first commutator and from brush 42 at 2 position a wire |26 leads the circuit to brush 1|' of the second commutator by means of lead 82. From commutatorv bar 18 at 1 position on the second commutator a circuit |21 leads to one of the contacts |04 with which rod |0| at 1 position contacts. A circuit |28 leads from the other Contact |04 of rod |01 at 1 position to rod fol at 21 position and the by circuit |29 to rod |0| at All out position'and from there by lead |30 to the sorting connection 39.

From bar at 2" position on second commutator a lead 3| leads to rod |0| at 2 position, then by lead |32 to rod at 22 position, and then by lead |29, rod at All out position and lead |30 to 39.

From bar at 3 position on second commutator a lead |33 to rod at 3 position, then lead |34 to rod 23 then in same manner as above to sorting block through lead |29. v

From bar at 4 position on second commutator a lead |35 goes to 4 position 'in block and then lead |36 to 24 and thence |29 to 39,. From bar at 5 position circuitugoes by lead |31 to rodl at 5 position and then lead |38 to rod at 25 position and then by lead |29 to 39. From bar at 6 position circuit goes by lead |39 to rod at 65 |44 to lead |29 and thence to sorting connection.

From bar at 8 position a lead |45 goes to rod 8 in block and thence by lead |42 to 39. 'Also from bar 9 a lead |46 thence by |42 to 39.

With respect 'to the first commutator it will be goes to rod 9 and seen in Fig. 16 that similarlythe commutator.

bars nl, 21s, n311 H419 511' H6y u7u, u8, md U9" are connected to rods at positions 11, 12", 4413!), U14", (15, 61'61 H1732 (618)), |4199.) respectively in the selector block and the respective circuits go by leads |42, |43, |44, |29, All out rod and lead |30 to sorting .connection 39.

The 0 barof the second commutator is connected by lead |41 with the rod at 20 position in the block and thence by leads |43, |44, |29, and |30 to 39.

The 11 or X position of the second commutator is connected by lead |43 to bar |09 and thence by lead |49 to |44 and thence to 39.

The 0 position of the rst commutator is connected by lead with bar |01 and thence by lead |5| to rod at l0 position and thence by lead |42 to 39.

The 11 or X position of the rst commutator is connected by lead |52 to `bar |08 and thence by leads |49, |44, etc. to 39.

The 12 or positions in the commutators are unconnected or dead.

To illustrate the manner in which the slide 95 controls the above circuits, several specific examples are given. As set forth above when a circuit is broken then a card is selected for the reject pocket.

We will assume that the slide is placed at the l position in the selector block. Then as described above, positions 2 and 3 will also be depressed and a break is made in the circuits |21, I3|, and |33. In addition, when the slide is placed at 1 position the bar |01 or the 0 bar is also depressed thereby breaking'circuit |50 leading to the 0 position in the rst commutator.

The circuits |21, I3|, and |33 go to the 1, 2 and 3 positions in the second commutators. ' I'ne 1, 2, and 3 tabulated positions however, when coded in the manner set forth above will appear in the rst two columns of the card as 01, O2 and 03. In order to select cards having these values, the O circuit in the first column cooperating with the first commutator must be broken and the1, 2, and 3 circuits in the second column cooperating with ,the second commutator must be broken and this is what takes place when the slide is set at position 1. Such a setting therefore immediately selectsv not only tabulated position 1 but also 2 and 3.

If we assume that the slide is placed with its pointer 96 at tabulated position 15 then according to the chart above tabulated positions 13, 14, 16, and 17 will also be depressed. These positions as will be noted from the special code above correspond to 3X, 4X", 5X, 6X, and 7X". As pointed out above X is the 11 position on the commutators. Therefore, to make a proper selection the circuits leading to the positions 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 in the first column must be broken and in the second column the circuit going to the X or 11 position.

From Fig. 16, when the rods at 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 positions are depressed, then the circuits going to positions 3, 4, 5", 6, and 7 of the rst commutator are broken. However, when the slide is placed at position 15 then the bar |09 is also depressed breaking circuit |48 going to 11" position in the second commutator.

If we place the slide at 8 then 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 positions are depressed. The code values are 06, 07, 08, 09, and 0X. In the first commutator 0 should be dead and in the sec- 611 (7,1 H8, 49!! (KXY).

From Fig. 16 when rods |0| at 6, 7, 8, and 9 aredepressed then the circuits |39, |4|, |45, and

|46 are broken leading to' positions f", 7, 8" and 9 of the second commutator. When rod |0| at 8 is depressed thenthe circuit going through bar |01 through lead |50 to 0 position in ilrst commutator is broken.

However, when the slide is at A8 the bars |01 .and |09 are both depressed. Bar |01 breaks lead |50 already broken while b ar |09 breaks the circuit to 11 or X position in the second com mutator through lead |48. Therefore the required circuits are broken and the required cards are selected.

It is believed that the operation of the selector slides is clear from the above.

Itis of course desirable that the various contacts and leads be easily accessible and also that normally they be fully protected. In order 'to accomplish'these objects a metal plate may be provided bridging the gap between each selector block. This metal plate may be secured to the blocks by screwsor the like or secured to the casing itself.

It will be assumed that it is desired to select a. given group of cards corresponding to the count given to each of the ten fing-ers. In such case as set forth above in order to eliminate errors in the count due to the human element the numbers on each side of the given count are Aautomatically selected by the slides.

If the given count for each of the ten fingers is 5, 4, 12, 17, 18, 11,2, 10, 9, and 8 then in addition to this count there will be chosen all combinations that will fall within:-

This is accomplished by merely setting each slide at the given count and then the requisite dead bars are set up in each of the twenty commutators to take care of the code values punched in the cards corresponding with the ccunt.

l The switch I|| is closed and the ordinal,Y brush holder carrying the brush 53 is removed and the brush holder 32 put in its place. If needed the carriage 3| may be shifted in well known manner to align the twenty brushes 42 with the twenty columns upon the record card. The selector slides are then set as above described and the machine is now ready to carry out the sorting operation after the cards have been placed in the magazine.

For the reasons above given any number falling within the combination of counts above will be non-conducting and a flow of current cannot be established through the commutator bars representing any number Within the combination or grouped classication when the brushes 42 encounter the perforations representing such number and any card having a number within the grouped classification will not effect the circuits in any way since the only way vin which the brush relay 51 can be energized is through a perforation in the card analyzed, a brush 42, circuit 50, brush 1| and a commutator bar 18 and associated circuit through a rod |0| to the sorting connection 39 and lead 5B.

When a card is analyzed having aperforation outside of the combination group above specified a circuit will be established as follows: Source I2, line I3, contact 19, brush 12', switch III; previously closed, brush relay 51, thereby closing contacts 51a, line 58, sorting connection 39, line ISU, then through the rods IUI or bars lll'l, l, and |09 to the commutator bars 18, then brush 1l', line 5D, brush 132, contact roll 5, contact roll brush 59, line i60, brush BIJ, commutator Eli, common brush 6l and line Il back to source.

The closing of contacts 51a by relayl sets up a holding circuit for the relay through brush 53, segment 62, common brush 6i and line l'l, to the source l2. However, the sorting magnet l56 is shunted by contact i9 of block '53 so that for the time being, nothing else happens. When thecard under the brushes d2 reaches the 12 position the gap IM breaks the shunt circuit andk transfers the holding circuit of relay 5l to the sorting magnet 55 thereby energizing said magnet and causing the card to go to the 12 pocket.

It may happen that none of the perforations in a card analyzed by the brushes l2 corresponds to theperforations representing a number within the group classiiication of the desired cards. When such is the case the first perforation encountered by one of the brushes l2 will set up the relay 5l and the perforations subsequently encountered Will have no eiect although circuits through rods i0! will be set up.

This invention has been so devised as to form a compact and self contained device which may be readily mounted upon an existing sorting machine without requiring any changes other than a slight reconnection and rearrangement of the circuits and the attachment of suitable supporting brackets to the frame of the machine. It may be readily connected and disconnected at the will of the operator and imposes no appreciable additional load on the driving motor.

The present invention is shown as used to select record cards with twenty columns. However, as is obvious this number may be either increased or diminished.

Nor is the invention limited to use in connection with a sorting machine alone, since it may be b uilt in the form of an attachment to a tabulating machine to select the card to be operated upon by said machine.' This may be readily accomplished by delivering the desired cards directly to either the card magazine or the feeding rollers of the tabulating machine instead of accumulating the cards in the reject sorting pocket.

I claimz- 1. In a record controlled machine, a machine control element, a circuit therefor; a pair of commutators associated with said circuit, each commutator associated with one of a pair of co1- umns in the controlling records in which pair of columns a classification number comprising one or more digits is recorded; and a unitary control device cooperating with said circuit and said commutators and including a single setting member settable in accordance withv a predetermined classification number which may comprise one or more digits and controlling said device to cause the control element to be operated in accordance with both the records having the predetermined classification Anumber and a predetermined number 'of other classications according to a predetermined system.

2. In a machine controlled by records identied by classication numbers which may consist of several digits recorded in the index-point positions of a iield comprising several columns, a

machine control element, a circuit for controlling said element, a plurality of series of contact elements each corresponding to an index point in atomes' one of the columns of a iielvd, and a unitary control device cooperating with said circuit and said contact elements and including a single setting number positionable to a predetermined classification number and controlling said device whereby the control circuit is identically controlled inA accordance With the predetermined classiiication number and a plurality of others according to a pre-arranged system.

3. In a machine controlled by records identified by classification numbers recorded in the indexpoint positions of a field comprising several coltrolled in accordance with both records havingl the predetermined classification and records having a plurality of other classifications according to the predetermined plan.

4. In a machine controlled by records identified by classification numbers recorded in the index-point positions of a eld comprising several columns which classification numbers may include several digits, a machine control element, a control circuit therefor, a plurality of contact elements each associated with an index-point position; a series of switching elements connecting said contact elements to said circuit, some of said switching elements corresponding to classification numbers; and a single member settable in accordance with a predetermined classication number and operating the switching elements in combinations according to a predetermined plan whereby the control element is controlled in accordance with both records having the predetermined classliication and records having a plurality of others according to the predetermined plan.

5. In a machine controlled by records identied by classification numbers which may comprise several digits recorded in a eld including several columns of each record, sorting mechanism, a. circuit for controlling the operation of said mechanism, contact elements each corresponding to .one of the index-point positions of one of the columns in which the classification number is recorded, a series of switching devices connecting said elements with said circuit, and a manually settable member adapted to operate said switching devices in groups in which the number of switches operated varies according to the setting of said number, said switching devices when operated controlling the circuit to segregate both the records bearing a predetermined classification number and the records having a predetermined number of other classification numbers from the other records of a batch.

6. In a device of the character described, sorting mechanism, a plurality of circuits for controlling said sorting mechanism, a plurality of commutator devices, a plurality of commutator bars in each commutator device, one for each circuit, a control block for each pair of commutator devices, a plurality of spaced contacts in said control block connected to each circuit of the commutator bars of the associated commutator devices, a plurality of contact rods resiliently urged against said contacts and means cooperating with said control block to move a group comprising a variable number of rods away from said contacts.

7. In a device of the character described, sorting mechanism, a plurality of circuits for controlling said sorting mechanism, a plurality of commutator devices, a plurality of commutator bars in each commutator device, one for each circuit, a control block for each pair of commutator devices, a plurality of spaced contacts in said control block connected to each circuit of the com mutator bars of the associated commutator devices, a plurality of contact rods resiliently urged against said contacts and a selector slide cooperating with said control block to move a group comprising a variable number of rods away from said contacts.

8. In a device of the character described, sorting mechanism, a plurality of circuits for controlling said sorting mechanism, a plurality of coml mutator devices, a plurality di' commutator bars in each commutator device, one for each circuit, a control block for each pair of commutator devices, a plurality of spaced contacts in said control block connected to each circuit of the commutator bars of the associated commutator devices, a plurality of contact rods resiliently urged against said contacts, means cooperating with said control block to move-a group comprising a variable number of rods away from said contacts and circuit breaking means for certain of said circuits located in association with said contact rods.

9. In a ydevice of the character described,y sorting mechanism, a plurality of circuits for controlling said sorting mechanism, a plurality'of commutator devices, a plurality of commutator bars in each commutatordev/ice, one for each circuit, a control block for each pair of commutator devices, a plurality of spaced contacts in said control block connected to each circuit of the commutator bars of `.the associated commutator devices, a plurality of contact rods resilient1y` urged against said contacts, means cooperating with said control block to move certain rods away from said contacts, bars extending transversely of said contact rods having circuit breaking meansfor certain of said circuits associated therewith and said bars being operated conjointly with said rods by said control block cooperating means to effect a selectivefsorting of a plurality of classiiications.

10. A control block for a sorting mechanism having a. plurality of circuits comprising a member having a channel extending longitudinally thereof and a series of transverse aligned slots Yin each of the opposed walls of the channel, contacts located in said slots, transverse contact rods slidably 4mounted in said slots so as to span the channel and normally held in contact with said contacts and means for. selectively moving said rods away from said contacts in group, comprising a variable number of rods to secure a predetermined sorting of a plurality of classifications by said sorting mechanism.

il. In a device of the character described, in

combination with means to sort records having,

designations thereon, -settable means adapted to be positioned to designate the selection of a designation of certainvalue, a plurality of control means, selecting means controlled by the settable means, to select a predetermined number of 'the control means upon a single positioning ofthe settable means, means associated with thesaid selecting means-whereby. the number of control means selected by the said positioning of the settable means increases with the higher value of the designation selected by the settable means and means controlled by the selected control means to render the sorting means effective to sort the records having the selected designation and in addition thereto those records having other designations bearing a predetermined relationship tothe selected designation, the predetermined relationship oi.' the designations varying in accordance with the value of the designation selected. s

12. In a record controlled machine, an element for controlling machine operation, a plurality of record sensing means, each for sensing one column of a field in the controlling records comprising a plurality of columns in which iield classification numbers comprising one or more digits are recorded by means of designations disposed in said columns, a group of devices connected to the record sensing means for operating the machine controlling element; and means to control the effect of the group of devices on the machine controlling element including a series of linger pieces each common to a plurality of said columns and selectively settable to correspond to any classification number appearing in said columns, said linger pieces controlling the group oi. devices to cause the machine controlling element to eiect a given machine operation with respect to records having the selected classication numbers and records having at least one other predetermined classiiication number in said columns and .to effect a diierent machine operation with respect to records lacking either the selected classification or the predetermined classification. f

13. In a sorting machine for perforated records identified by classification numbers each number being recorded by means of designations placed in a iield comprising several columns of a record; a series of record sensing devices, each associated with a column of a record; sorting mechanism, means to control the sorting mechanism; a series of control devices for the sorting control means, each control device being associated with one of the devices sensing a column of a record; and selector means for said series of devices for controlling the effect of said series of devices on the, sorting control means, said selector means ing cluding a series of setting members, each controlvrnore digits are recorded by means of designations disposed in said columns, machine control means for controlling the operation of the machine, a plurality of rotary switching elements each connected to the sensing meansso asto be associated with one column of the field in which the classification designations appear, selector means for connecting the rotary switching elements to the machine controlling means, said selector means including a series of switch members each common to la plurality of the rotary. switching elements, each of said switch members being manually selectively settable to correspond to any classification number appearing in the columns with which the rotary'switching elements controlled by said member are associated, each switch member when set to correspond to any selected classification number causing the rotary switch elements to operate the machine control means in accordance with not only said selected classification number but at least one other classification number in said columns.

.with the wiping elements, said wiping elements being operative to close circuits from the sensing devices through the contact means in a predetermined order according to the disposition of the designations in the columns of the records, ma-

. chine operation control means including a magnet in circuit with the sensing devices and contact wiping elements, and a plurality of manual members for controlling the circuits through the wiping elements and contact elements, each manual member operating the contact means to control `the circuits through a plurality of the wiping elements and ymanually selectively settable to correspond to any classification number appearing in the columns associated with said plurality of wiping elements and when so set causing the magnet to be controlled in accordance with not only the selected classification number but also in accordance with at least' one other classification number. l

16. In a machine controlled by records identified by means of groups of classification numbers each recorded by means of designations placed in 'the columns of a plurality of classification fields each of which iields consists of at leasttwo columns, means for sensing all the columns, sorting mechanism, means Lto control the operation of the sorting mechanism; and a selector device for rendering the sorting control means responsive to designations in the records, including a series of manually settable members, one -for each classication field, said members being each manually selectivelysettable to correspond with any classification number in the columns of the field with which said member is associated, and means controlled by each member for causing the sorting control means to control the sorting mechanism in accordance with not only the selected classification numberappearing in the associated field but also in accordance with at least one other classification number in said field.

17. In a machine controlled by records' having a classification number field consisting of a plurality of columns in which classification numbers comprising one or more digits are recorded by means of designations disposed in said columns, a plurality of record sensing devices, each for sensing one column of said field; a manual selector device common to a plurality of the sensing means and manually selectively settable to correspond to any classification number ap'- pearing in the columns sensed by the associated sensing means, a 4machine controlling element, and operating means jointly controlled by the selector device and sensing means for operating the machine control element, said operating means v mined number of others.

being rendered operative by the selector device, when the latter is set to correspond with aselected classification number appearing in said field, to control the machine control element in accordance with not only the selected classification but another classification number in said field.

l 18. In a record controlled machine, electric means to senseclassification data designations in a field comprising at least two columns, a,

machine. operation controlling element; rotary switching devices, each corresponding to one of said columns and connected to the analyzing means; and a manual switching device connecting the rotary switching devicesto the machine controlling element and including a` single selectively sefttable manual member for controlling the effect of aplurality of the rotary switching devices on the machine controlling element, said manual member when selectively set in accordance with a given classication number setting the manual switching device to cause rotary switching devices to operate the machine controlling element in accordance with not only the given classification number but also a predetermined number of other classification numbers.

19. In a record controlled machine, an element for controlling machine operations, a pluralityl of record sensing devices each for exploring one column of a field in which classification data is recorded in the controlling records, a group of devices connected to the record sensing devices forv operating the machine controlling element; and means to control the effect of the group of devices on the machine controlling element including a member common to at least two of thel sensing devices and the devices of said group associated therewith, said member being selectively settable to correspond to any single classification sorting mechanism, a group of rotary switches,

each switch corresponding to one of said columns and connected with the analyzing means, and amanually operable switching device connecting. all the rotary switches with the control means4 for the sorting mechanism, said switching device having a manually selectively settable member for controlling the eil'ect of data. designations in said field on the control means for the sorting' mechanism through said groupv of rotary switches, said manualn switching device controlling the group of rotary switches to cause the sorting mechanism control means tovbe operated in accordance with both a predetermined classification number in said field and a predeter- 21. A selector for record controlled machines comprising a` pluralityof rotary contact devices one for each column of afield in which vclassification numbers are recorded in the controlling records; and a switching device common to said plurality of contact devices, said switching-device including a scale of classifications-a. longitudinally movable switch bar selectively settable l in accordance'with one of theclassifications on said scale, means operated byl-,the switch bar for` *controlling the number of effective contacts made by said plurality of contact devices, and manual means for selectively setting the switch bar in vaccordance with the scale of classicatlons.

22. In a sorting machine, sorting mechanism including sorting control means to control the distribution of records by the sorting mechanism; a plurality of record sensing devices, each device for exploring a column oi' a eld in the controlling records comprising a plurality of columns in which eld classification numbers which may consist of one or more digits are recorded; a group of devices connected to the sensing devices for operating the sorting control means in accordance with the classification number designations in said record field, and classification control means to control the effect of said group of devices on the sorting control means including a member common to at least two columns of the iield, said member being manually selectively settable to correspond to any classication number within said columns and when set conditioning the classification control means to control the sorting control means through said group of devices in accordance with both the selected classification and at least one other predetermined classification whereby records bearing either the selected or the predetermined classications will be segregatedI from records not bearing either the selected or the predetermined classiiications.

23. In a machine controlled by records identilied by a plurality of classification numbers which may consist of more than one digit each number being represented by designations in a classiilcation field comprising a plurality of columns, machine operation controlling means, means to sense the designations in said field, means cooperating with the sensing means for operating the machine operation controlling means in accordance with all the classification designations, and a series of variably settable members for controlling the eiect of the operating means on the operation controlling means, each member being common to at least two of the columns of said field and settable to correspond to a predetermined single classiiication number appearing in said fields andx adapted to set the operating means to cause the machine operation controlling means to be operated in accordance with not only the predetermined classification number but also in accordance with a group of classication numbers in said iield in which each classification bears a predetermined relation to the predetermined classification, all of said members conjointly controlling the operating means whereby the machine operation controlling means is operated in accordance with a plurality of groups of classifications.

ERNEST RGSE.

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