US2205446A - Means for arranging cards in overlapping spaced relation - Google Patents

Description

June 25, 1940. TOWNSEND 2,205,445

MEANS FOR ARRANGING CARDS IN OVERLAPPING SPACE!) RELATION Filed llay 25, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet i FIG. I

INVENTOR LEONARD G. TOWNSEND ATTORNEY June 25, 1940. 1.. e. TOWNSEND IIEANS ,FOR ARB AKGING CARDS IN OVERLAPPING SPA CED RELATION Filsdlay 25, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR LEONARD G. TOWNSEND ATTORNEY Patented June 25, 1940 UNITED STATES MEANS FOR ARRANGING oAnns rN oven- LAPPING sPAoEn RELATION Leonard G. Townsend, Washington, D. C.

Application May 25, 1938, Serial No. 211,281

9 Claims.

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) This invention relates to spreading or spacing cards in overlapping relation to leave an indicia bearing margin of each card exposed. In compiling statistical data, for example, records may be made by punching certain digits in selected columns on cards provided for this purpose. After these cards have been punched and verified, it is advantageous to arrange a suitable number of them in overlapping relation so as to expose only the margin of each card along which information to identify the card may appear. With the cards arranged in this manner, a photostatic or similar record may be made of a comparatively large number of cards. It will be apparent that a number of such photostatic or like records will provide a convenient index. The use of these cards in making these records is well adapted for demonstrating the features and advantages of this invention, and therefore this particular use has been selected for the purposes of illustration herein.

The purposes of this invention are to provide for arranging cards in overlapping relation with only an indicia bearing margin of each card exposed.

The invention provides for progressing from one end of a stack of cards toward the other, as from the bottom toward the top, and successively engaging the card edges on one side of the stack with different obstructing edges which may be so arranged in series that each of these obstructing edges engages the edge of only one card. The invention provides for relative movement between the stack of cards and the obstructing edges in a direction transversely of the latter, so that each. card is first displaced from the stack a distance suflicient only to expose the indicia bearing margin of that card, and as succeeding cards are similarly displaced from the stack, the previously displaced card or cards are also displaced in like increments so that the requisite number of cards move out of the stack and are deposited in the desired overlapping relation. These cards may then be covered with a glass or other substantially transparent plate and recorded by photostating or the like.

The features of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a bed having a series of obstructing edges and ways for movably sup porting aholder for a stack of cards, the transparent cover plate for the bed being thrown back and broken away;

Fig. 2 is a section along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation ofthe device shown in Fig. 1, with the holder for the stacked cards movably mounted on the ways;

Fig.4 is a frontelevation of the holder, showing a stack of cards disposed therein;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing the holder with the cards removed and parts broken awayto show the rear side wall, the discharge opening therein and a yieldable card engaging member; and

Fig. 6 is section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1, illustrating to an enlarged scale the arrangement of' the obstructing edges at progressively increasing heights.

The illustrated device comprises a bed I, 15 which may be made of metal or otherv suitable material, and-a magazine or holder 25 for a stack of cards. Extending longitudinally of the bed are raised rails 3, l1, I8, 24 and 20. This is a duplex type of bed and therefore rail l8 which extends'along the center line is merely a sepa- 20 rating rail. Along each side of rails 20 and 24, the bed is cut away in the form of grooves 'l9, 2! and 22 and 23 which constitute ways for movably supporting the holder. Similarly, grooves l5 and I5 disposed along the sides of rail l1 and grooves 2 and 4 which extend along the sides of rail 3, also constitute ways for movably supporting the holder on this side of the machine. Obstructing edges 5 extend preferably across the bed from and between grooves 2| and 23 on one side of the device and similar obstructing edges 5 also extend preferably from and between grooves 4 and IE on the other side of the device. These two groups of obstructing edges 5 and 5' are identical in construction and arrangement and, therefore, only the edges 5 will, be described further in detail and it will be understood that the same description also applies to obstructing edges 5. A substantially transparent plate l, preferably of glass, is mounted in a frame 6 (Figs. 1 and 3), which has a hinge connection with the bed at one end thereof. This connection comprises a hinge pin 9 extending through lugs Ill, H, l2, l3 and M of the frame and also through lugs l0, l2 and I3 of the bed. It will be understood that this hinge pin may be rotatably mounted in the frame lugs and fixed in lugs l0, l2 and I3 of the bed, or it may be rotatable in the latter lugs and fixed in the frame lugs, or the pin may be rotatablev in both sets of lugs. This glass plate is adapted to be swung in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3, to a position beyond that illustrated in this figure so that the frame 34 may rest on any convenient support. This frame is also adapted to swing in a '55 counter clockwise direction to a position where it rests on the obstructing edges 5 and 5.

The holder 25 (Figs. 3, 4 and 5) comprises a rear side wall 41, end walls 48 and 49, and front side walls 5i and 52 which are arranged adjacent the end walls to leave a central opening preferably substantially corresponding in width to the length of the obstructing edges. A base block 43 is disposed across the bottom of the holder at one end thereof and a similar base block 44 is arranged across the other end of the holder. The base block 43 has a slot 33 adapted to fit slidably over any one of rails 3 and 24 of the bed and the lugs 32 and 34 adjacent this slot are adapted to ride freely in groves 2, 4, and 22 and 23 of the bed. Likewise the other base block 44 has a slot 30 adapted to fit freely over rails H and 2D, and the lugs 29 and 3| of this base block are adapted to ride freely in grooves l5, l6 and l 9 and 2! of the bed. The upper surfaces of these base blocks constitute the bottom 36 of the holder upon which a stack of cards 26 may be supported. A lateral discharge opening 54 (Fig. 5) is formed in the rear side wall 41 of the holder adjacent the upper surfaces of the base blocks. A flexible, elastic rubber strip 35 (Fig. 5) is secured to rear side wall 41, as by means of attaching elements 31, 38, and depends across the lateral discharge opening to constitute a yieldable means for preventing cards from emerging from this opening prematurely. A weighted cover plate 28 may also be placed on top of the stack of cards in the holder. This plate is provided with a hand grip 21. It will be evident from the foregoing that the holder for stacked cards is adapted to be mounted on the rails 20 and 24 or .3 and H to travel along the ways with a stack of cards disposed above the obstructing edges.

From Figs. 1 and 3 it will be seen that at the end of the device adjacent the hinge connection, the portions59 and BI of the bed between the ways are flat and free from obstructing edges for a distance representing at least the width of the cards to be used. From this point on toward the opposite end of the bed, the obstructing edges are spaced at distances substantially corresponding to the widths of the indicia bearing margins to be exposed. Preferably these obstructing edges are substantially equally spaced along the bed, although of course the spacing may be variable if this is desired. The

obstructing edges 5 constitute a series beginning at space 6!. These obstructing edges are arranged from this space toward the opposite end of the bed (shown only in Fig. 6) at elevations or heights increasing progressively in increments so determined as to cause the first obstructing edge to engage the edge of only the bottom card in the holder and the following edges to engage individually the edges of the superposed cards in succession. In this way each obstructing edge engages only one card.

The holder with a stack of cards therein, may be mounted on rails 26 and 24 with the bottom card directly over space 6!, for example. As the holder is advanced toward the opposite end of the bed, the leading edge of the bottom card is engaged through the opening between front walls 5| and 52 (Fig. 4) by the first obstructing edge of this series. This engagement effectively arrests the progress of this bottom card so that .it never passes beyond the space 6! provided therefor. It will also be evident from Fig. 6 that as the following obstructing edges of this series engage the leading edges of the superposed cards, each card on being so engaged is displaced from the stack a distance corresponding to the space between adjacent obstructing edges before the card next above it is similarly displaced. As the obstructing edges are spaced along the bed substantially to correspond with the widths of the indicia bearing margins of the cards, it will be seen that the initial displacement of each card produced by engagement of its leading edge with an obstructing edge, serves to expose the indicia bearing margin of that card and that remaining displacements thereof serve to discharge the card from the stack and deposit it upon the table in the desired overlapping relation with respect to other cards. During these operations the rubber strip 35 depending across the discharge opening 54 serves to retain the cards in the stack until each card engages one of the obstructing edges, whereupon this strip 35 yields or flexes to permit the card so engaged to elmerge and pass out through this discharge opening. Preferably the cards are spread or spaced in this manner by advancing the holder over-the obstructing edges with a single substantially continuous movement.

After the holder has beeen advanced along the ways until the last obstructing edge 5 of this series has engaged and completely displaced a card from the stack, the holder may be transferred to rails 3 and I i above the space 59 and the procedure just described may be repeated. This will leave a row of cards above each series of obstructing edges and the cards in each row will be arranged in overlapping relation with only the indicia bearing margin of each card exposed. The holder 25 is then removed from the bed, and frame 5 may be swung around to bring glass plate 1 against the cards to hold them in place while their indicia bearing margins are photostated or similarly recorded.

While the preferred form of the invention, and the principle thereof and the best known mode of applying that principle have been illustrated and described herein, various modifications will occur to those skilled in the art when informed by this specification, but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited except as indicated by the appended claims.

The invention described herein, if patented, may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. In a device for spreading cards in overlapping relation to leave an indicia bearing margin of each card exposed, the combination of a series of obstructing edges spaced in a substantially fixed relation to each other substantially corresponding to the widths of the indicia bearing margins to be exposed, a holder for a stack of cards, and means for supporting said holder and said obstructing edges for relative movement transversely of the latter to bring successively a different obstructing edge into individual engagement with the edge of only one card in the holder, said holder having an opening through which an edge of each card therein may be engaged by an obstructing edge, said holder also having an opening through which cards engaged by said obstructing edges may pass from said holder.

2. In a device for spreading cards in overlapping relation to leave an indicia bearing margin of each card exposed, the combination of a series of obstructing edges spaced in a substantially fixed relation to each other substantially corresponding to the widths of the indicia bear-.

ing margins to be exposed, a holder for a stack of cards, and means for supporting said holder and said obstructing edges for relative movement transversely of the latter to bring successively a different obstructing edge into individual engagement with the edge of only one card in the holder, said holder having an opening through which an edge of each card therein may be engaged by an obstructing edge, said holder also having an opening through which cards engaged by said obstructing edges may pass from said holder, and yieldable means disposed across the latter opening and tending to retain cards in said holder.

3. In a device for spreading cards in overlapping relation to leave an indicia bearing margin of each card exposed, the combination of a series of obstructing edges spaced in a substantially fixed relation to each other substantially corresponding to the widths of the indicia bearing margins to be exposed, a holder for a stack of cards, and means for supporting said holder and said obstructing edges for relative movement transversely of the latter, said obstructing edges also being disposed at elevations increasing progressively in increments to cause successive engagement of the card edges individually by different obstructing edges of said series, said holder having an opening through which an edge of each card therein may be engaged by an obstructing edge, said holder also having an opening through which cards engaged by said obstructing edges may pass from said holder.

4. In a device for spreading cards in overlapping relation to leave an indicia bearing margin of each card exposed, the combination of a series of obstructing edges spaced in a substantially fixed relation to each other substantially corresponding to the widths of the indicia bearing margins to be exposed, a holder for a stack of cards, and means for supporting said holder and said obstructing edges for relative movement transversely of the latter, said obstructing edges also being disposed at elevations increasing progressively in increments to cause successive engagement of the card edges individually by different obstructing edges of said series, said holder having an opening through which an edge of each card therein may be engaged by an obstructing edge, said holder also having an opening through which cards engaged by said obstructing edges may pass from saidholder and flexible means associated withthe latter opening for tending to retain cards in said holder.

5. In a device for spreading cards in overlapping relation to leave an indicia bearing margin of each card exposed, the combination a series of obstructing edges spaced in a substantially fixed relation to each other substantially corresponding to the widths of the indicia bearing margins to be exposed, a holder for a stack of cards, and means for Supporting said holder and said obstructing edges for relative movement transversely of the latter, said holder having an opening on one side thereof through which an edge of each card may be engaged individually by a different obstructing edge of said series of obstructing edges, said holder also having an opening on the other side thereof through which cards engaged by Said obstructing edges may pass from said holder.

6. In a device for spreading cards in overlapping relation to leave an indicia bearing margin of each card exposed, the combination of a series of obstructing edges spaced in a substantially fixed relation to each other substantially corresponding to the widths of the indicia bearing margins to be exposed, a holder for a stack of cards, and means for successively effecting individual engagement between a different 0bstructing edge and only one card in the holder for displacing said card from the stack to expose the indicia bearing margin of said card.

7. In a device for spreading cards in overlapping relation to leave an indicia bearing margin of each card exposed, the combination of a series of obstructing edges spaced in a substantially fixed relation to each other substantially corresponding to the widths of the indicia bearing margins to be exposed, a holder for a stack transversely of the latter, and means cooperating with said obstructing edges and with said holder and operative during said relative movement for successively effecting individual engagement between a different obstructing edge and only one card in the holder fordisplacing said card from the stack to expose the indicia bearing margin of the latter card, whereby a number of cards may be successively displaced from the stack and deposited in the desired overlapping relation with their indicia bearing margins exposed.

8. In a device for spreading cards in overlapping relation to leave an indicia bearing margin of each card exposed, the combination of a bed, a series of obstructing edges formed on the bed and spaced substantiallycorresponding to the Widths of the indicia bearing margins to be exposed, a holder for a stack of cards, means for supporting said holder and said bed for relative movement transversely of said obstructing edges, and means cooperating with said holder and with said bed and operative during said relative move ment for successively effecting individual engagement between a diiferent obstructing edge and only one card in the holder for displacing said card from the stack to expose the" indicia bearing margin of the latter card, whereby a number of cards may be successively displaced from the stack in such increments and deposited on the bed in the desired overlapping relation with their indicia bearing margins exposed.

9. In a device for spreading cards in overlapping relation. to leave an indicia bearing margin of each card exposed, the combination of a bed, a series of obstructing edges on the bed and spaced substantially corresponding to the widths of the indicia bearing margins to be exposed, ways extending along the bed transversely of said obstructing edges, a holder for a stack of cards, said holder being adapted to travel along said ways, said obstructing edges being disposed at elevations increasing progressively along said ways so as to be effective during travel of said holder for individually engaging the edges of the cards in succession and thereby displacing each card from the stack to expose the indicia bearing margin thereof, whereby a number of cards may be successively displaced from the stack in such increments and deposited on the bed in the desired overlapping relation with their indicia bearing margins exposed.

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