US2209414A - Sorting machine - Google Patents

Description

July 30, 1940. M. MAU L SORTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 16, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 1

H ODQ 4Hu aGT zFs [ER Fmnnnm WVNNH O I 234 5S789'ABCDEFGH I J KLMNOPGR STUVWXYZ IEVENTOR W %-6 BY ATTORNEY I Filed Sept, 16, 1939 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR July 30, 1940. MAUL v 2,209,414

som'me momma:

Filed Sept. 16, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheetfi Fig. 7 5 I '10 JNVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented July 30, 1940 UNlT-ED s'rATEs rA'ra-NT OFFICE 2,209,414 son'rma mom Michael Maul, Berlin-Johannistha 1, Germany, as-

signor to the firm Dleutsche HoIlerith'Maschinen Gesellschaft in. Germany Application september 16, 1939, Serial In'Germany October 8, 1938' 3 Claims. This invention relates to sorting machines and particularly to the type in which perforated record cards are analyzed and selectively disposed into sorting 5 By such sorting operations each sortingpocket receives a series of records bearing the same control designation.

In one form of sorting machine the machine has been equipped with sorting pockets which are P commensurate in number to thecont-rol designations. In this form of machine the control desig nationsusually consist of digit representing perforationsrepresenting -9, 11, and 12 and for sorting records according to these designations 15v thirteen sorting pockets have been found to be desirable, one'of such pockets being a reject pocket.

In another type of sorting machine r'ecords bearing alphabetical designations as well as numerical designations are utilized to control sorting operations and instead of utilizing one sorting pocket for each control designation, sorting operations are effected in a plurality of sorting runs.

This type'of machine is exemplified in the'pat 25 'ent to Ford, No. 1,946,904. As described in this patent the control records to be sorted represent twenty-six letters and ten numerals and sorting operations for records so designated are eiiected in a plurality of sorting runs. In one sorting run 30 the records representing numerals are sorted, and

in successive sorting runs records representing the I} letters are sorted, divided into two runs by the letters A-M, andby the, letters N-Z.

Thesorting mechanism has, in such types of machines, been conditioned to be responsiveto the different sets of designations by a selector, settable to different positions. At the termination of each sorting run the pockets have received records bearing related designations, and obviously for 40 different sorting runs each pocket will receivea series of recordsdifierently designated.

It is at times desirable that the operator know for purposes of selection in which pocket records having particular designations are sorted during a sorting run, and this has, heretofore, been accomplished by labeling each pocket with all the designations of the records received therein.

Since each pocket has associated therewith a plu- 0 rality of characters, the operator will be required to determine the position of the selector and selecta. designation of the group pertaining to the sorting run. This interpretation has led to errors and it is the object of the present invention to 5 eliminate such errors by providingan improved form of indicating mechanism which will quickly give the operator the desired information.

The main object of the present invention is to provide an indicator which renders visible tothe operator only the characters or designations which pockets in accordance with the analysis.

11., Berlin-Dichteri'elde,

are to control sorting operations during each sorting run.

. 'A still further object of the invention is to provide such charactersadjacent the related pockets so that the characters or designations brought into view are intimately associated with the related pockets.

In the preferred embodiment the objectof the invention is attained by the provision of an indior indications, one group for each pocket and having a pointer, or window, associated. with each groupso that only one character or indication is visible at a time. Preferably, the indicator bar is movable and set by the adjustment of the selector. In each position of the selector, for each sorting run, the indicator bar is positioned to bring into cator'bar or plate carrying groups of characters,--

view a series of characters or indications, visible through the respective windows, and those brought into view being associated with the related pockets.

An indicator bar, or plate, is preferably utilized,

so that they'may be made up to represent the indications desired. The indications or characters may vary with the use of the machine, or the accounting system in which the sorting machine is utilized, and the provision of separate bars is preferable so that diflerent indicator bars may be on hand to meet the different uses or requirements of the machine. I Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in the accompanyin drawings which disclose, by way of example, the principle of the invention and the best mode, which has been contemplated, of applying that principle.

In the accompanying drawings capable of being sorted by the sorting machine and shows a record card divided into two card fields, or record decks. Theupper card field contains perforations representing a name and address, while the lower card field carries perfora= tions representing associated numerical data.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammaticview showing thirteen erably equipped. Vertically arranged above each sorting pocket are characters representing the designations on the records sorted in each pocket. The horizontal rows of characters represent the designationsof the records sorted in each sorting run.

all of the alphabetical characters.

Fig. .4 is a view in side elevation, on a reduced Fig. 1 is an illustration of a form of record card Fig. 3 is a representation of the code of perforations foirepresenting all of thedigits and scale, showing the general arrangement of the sorting pockets.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional I view of the sorting machine, showing the parts sorting pockets with which the machine is prefnecessary for an understanding of the present invention.

, accomplished in a manner The analyzing brushes are supported Fig. 6 is a representation of an indicator bar, or plate, showing the different groups of characters associated with each of the sorting pockets.

Fig. 7 is an electrical wiring diagram of the machine. v i

The selection of a card field or record deck is effected by means of a selector 63 shown in Fig. 4, the function of which will be subsequently described in detail. By the positioning of the selector 63- either of the card fields may be selected for sorting operations.

Upon the selection of .a particular card field for controlling sorting operations a certain col umn must be selected and this is preferably which is well known.

by a carrier 23 through which a worm screw 24 passes. The carrier 23 is adjustable transversely of the card by means of a crank handle 23, shown in Fig. 4, and which rotates the worm screw 24.

The analysis of, the selected card. field is efiected 'by the concurrent analysis of the perforations in a selected card column and in the present arrangement six analyzing brushes are provided for analyzing the alphabetical representing perforations in the upper card field, while for ana- Y lyzing the numerical representing perforations in the lower card field only four of the analyzing brushes are utilized.

'The power for'driving 'difierent parts of the sorting machine is derived from a motor 20, shown in Fig. 5. The cards to'be sorted are fed singly from a supply stack by means of a card latter being actuated by the motor 20 feeds .the card to. the first setof several setsof feeding rollers 22 also driven by motor 20.

When the record card to be sorted emerges from the supply stack it is received by the first set of rollers 22 which then convey the card to be sorted to the analyzing brushes 2. From theanalyzing brushes a set of card feed rollers 22 feed the record card for operative correlation is efiected by means of a .shown in Fig. 5,; t hree different positions. In the with a series of sorting blades 25 which are selec.- tively adjustedunder control of a magnet 27. The sorting mechanism is of a well known construction and details of its construction and operation need not be given herein. For a general understanding of the operation of the sorting.

mechanism it is explained that the records to be sorted are fed beneath the staggered ends of a series of sorting blades 26. At the time the record to be sorted certain designations will be sorted out and the remaining records will be-disposed into the reject pocket Rf, shown in Fig. 4. This adiustment knob 33 which has, as

the sorting mechanism s'tion shown in Fig. 5, po 1 the digits 0 to 9 is responsive to records bearing and upon the occurrence of such records they,

will be selectively disposed in the related sorting records bearing is in. operative relationship with certain sorting blades the magnet 21 is energized under control or the preceding analysis of pockets. In the next adjustment of the knob 33,

the alphabetical designations A-M will be sorted out and, in the third, or final adjustment of the sorting knob 33, records bearing the designation N-Z will be sorted out. As is best shown in Figs. 5 and 7, the knob 33 has securedthereto a double contact arm 34, one arm of which is in continuous electrical contact with a segment 35, and which arm may be brought selectively into contact with one of a series of contact elements 36, 31, and 38. The last named contact elements are selectively connected to the translator through the-associated impulse emitters in such a manner, as will be explained later, that different designations may control sorting operations during the difierent sorting runs.

Obviously, in the present arrangement, the knob 33 is adapted toefiect a change in the control of the sorting mechanism by a different set of designations. It should be understood, however, that this arrangement is merely illustrative and other arrangements may be provided so that in other types of sorting machines the sorting mechanism will be responsive to different sets of apparent that each sorting pocket will receive records of diiferent designations during difierent sorting runs. It is at times desirable that the operator be informed of the particular pockets receivingthe differently designated records and which are sorted into the differentv sorting pockets during the sorting runs, and the arrangement now to be described is preferably utilized to efiect this result. As best shown in Fig. 5, it will be seen that for two of the sorting pockets and in proximity thereto there is represented a plurality of characters. For example, in Fig. 5, one of the sorting pockets has the associated characters 9M2. This indicates that this particular pocket receives records bearing similar -designa-tions during three different sorting runs. The remaining sorting pockets also have associated therewith other characters and'these are arranged in accordance with the vertical groups of characters shown in Fig. 2, associated with each sorting pocket. 4

In order that the operator may know where the record bearing a particular designation is plate carries as shown in Fig. 6, gro'upsof characters, preferably engraved thereon. Obviously,

in accordance with the different adjustments of the indicator plate characters associated with each pocket will be visible through each aperture, or window 40.

To eifect the desired adjustment of theindicator bar or plate 3| by means of the knob 33 there is provided a pin tween the .lower arm of the arm 34 and the indicator plate 3|- A spring pressed plate 32 is provided to align plate 3i in its adjusted position. With the knob 33 in the position shown in Fig. 5, it will be evident that the machine will 3i, only one of a group ofand slot connection bebe conditioned for a sorting run in which records bearing-all of the digits 0-9 will be sorted out, and there. will be visibile to the operator, as shown in Fig. 4, the digits 0 to 9 on the indicator plate 3|, eachadjacent the pocket receiving a record similarly designated. The operator may, therefore, quickly perceive into which sorting pocket each of the difierently designated records 2,209,414 are'receivedQ Whenthe knob 33 is adjusted for the next sorting run, or for sorting out records bearing designations A-M, the corresponding letters on the indicator plate 3| will be visible through the apertures 40 and such characters will be associated with the respective sorting pockets.

. in accordance with the card-field which is to-control sorting operations. It will be seen that the switch 63 may be positioned so as to selectively connect cam controlled contacts 64a or 64b in circuit connection with a'contact plate 6|, the cir cuit to the contact plate 6| being closed through the usual card lever contacts 62. The cam con-; trolled contacts 64a are timed so as to close one line side 10 to the contact plate 6| when the lower card field iscoordinated with the analyzing brushes 26 while the cam controlled contacts 64b are timed to close at the time the analyzing brushes 24 are operatively associated with the lower card field. This will'cause the concurrent analysis of the perforations" of the selected card field in a selected card column and by suitable wire connections from the brushes Mto translator magnets 50, which are connected to the other line side 80, these magnets will be energized in combination depending upon the combinational arrangement of the perforations analyzed in the selected card column. The magnets 50 are individually designated by Roman numerals in Fig. 7 and referring to Fig. 3 it will be seen that the combinations of perforations are also designated by Roman numerals, it being clear that magnets 50 will be energized under spending perforations.

In the. present embodiment-sorting operations are preferably carried out in a manner which is control of the correwell known and fully shown and described in'the U. S. patent to Michael Maul No. 2,025,602, to which reference may be had for a more complete description of the operation and construction of the machine. In order to more clearly understand the present invention, it is pointed out that the machine is provided with two sets of storing devices; one set being adjusted under control of the perforations, while in thesame machine cycle a second set of storing devices controls the sorting mechanism in accordance with the analysis of the previous record. Between successive sorting cycles'there is a'transfer of the setting from the first named set of storing devices to the second named set of storing devices and after this transfer has been efiected, the first set of storing devices is cleared out so as to be capable of being subsequently set under control of the next record analyzed. Obviously, after the second set of' storing devices has controlled the operation of the sorting mechanism this set is cleared out so as to receive a subsequent transfer.

In more detail, each magnet 56, when energized, will attract its armature thereby releasing a related pawl 59 which thereupon is rocked in a clockwise direction so as to bring a shoulder ;hereof beneath one arm of a bell crank 52.- The rocking of a bell crank 52 will, through the pawl 59, depress a bar 53 so asto rock anv associated ever whereupon the latter is latched by means which are represented by letters.

.' a bar 66 to sary. :The plurality of contact elements 36,

,35, a relay magnet when depressed, closes certain contacts and opens other contacts. As is well known, the depression of certain of the bars 60 under control of the energization of related magnets 50 will effect the closure of contacts represented in Fig.

The selection of one of these lines will effect the sorting of a record card having a similar designation, as is well known in the art. j I

- The rocking of the bell cranks 52 to cause the rocking of the levers 54 through bars 53 and pawls 59 is performed by means of a bar 51 which is rocked by its associated cam to the left, as shown in Fig. 7, and which cam is timed so as to eifect 1 the transfer from the first set of storing devices to the second set time. The clearing out of the setting on the first set of storing devices at the desired of storing devices is performed by the rocking 'of I the right (Fig. 7) under control of its associated cam. This will unlatch the pawls 59 from the bell cranks 52. The clearing of the setting on the second named set of storing devices is effected by the rocking of a bar 58'to the right, as shown in Fig. 7, and'the movement of the bar 58 in this direction is efi'ected by the related cam and rocks the pawls 55 to -unlatch the levers ,54.

As previously described the closure of contacts incombination will select one of a plurality of impulse transmitting lines and a line which corresponds to the designation on the card analyzed in the preceding sorting cycle. Since in the present instance, the designations on the record cards comprise a complete set of alphabetical characters, or 26 letters, as well as the ten digits, 36 impulse trahsmitting lines are necesimpulse transmitting lines are divided into three sets; one set for the digits 0 to 9; another set for the letters A-N; and the third set for the letters NZ, and coordinated with these three sets of lines are related impulse emitters designated 66, 61 and 68 in Fig. 7. By means of suitable wire connections between the 31V and 38 and impulse emitters 66, til and 68, the positioning of the knob 33 will cause the electrical selection of one of these emitters. The emitters are of the usual form, that is, it includes a plurality of contact points with which a-brush makes successive electrical contact at the is successively coordinated with'the sorting blades 26, Fig. 5. Obviously, since each impulse emitter will permit the sorting mechanism to be conrolled by the related set of designations all of the records which bear other designations will be passed into the reject pocket Fig. 5. In Fig. 7, the complete wiring connections between the impulse transmitting lines leading from the translator contacts to the contact point of the time the record to be sorted t 3 of a latching lever 55. Each lever 54 has con- I nected thereto a contact" operating bar 50 which,

in combination so as to select an impulse transmitting line, some of which arev 7 by numerals and others of respective emitters are not shown. However, the I corresponding lines are similarly designated so as to make the connection of related lines apparent.

The transmission of an electricaljmpulse to 'lllthrough selected closed translator contacts to the selected impulse transmitting line, the related contact point of the associated emitter, to a contact element 35, 37 and 38, depending upon contact arin 36, to the segment 39, the sorting control magnet the position of the energization of the relay magnet 39 effects the closure of a stick circuit for the sortingimagnet 21 through stick contacts M and cam controlled contacts 69.

To recapitulate, it will be seen that if the knob 33 is adjusted to effect the sorting of records bearing the numeral designations 0 to 9, and which position is shown in Fig. 7, it"will be apparent that the emitter 66 will be selected.

Therefore, sorting operation will be effected for records bearing such designations provided, of

course, the card field selector switch 53 is set to the position-shown in Fig. 7. In the event that cards are imperforated in the lower card field such cards will be disposed in the reject pocket When the selector switch 63 is positioned so as to make contact with the lower contact point, cam operated contacts 641) (Fig. 7) will be operative so as to cause an operative relationship between the upper card field.

the analyzing brushes 24 and It will be understood that the upper card field may contain perforations representing 26 alphabetical characters, and since the machine is equipped with only 13 sorting pockets it is necessary to pass such records through the machine in two sorting runs. When the knob 33 is adjusted so that thecontact 34 makes contact with the contact element 31 the impulse emiter 61 is selected for operation so that records bearing the designationsA-M will be sorted out, and records bearing other alphabetical designations will be disposed in the reject pocket. From what has been previously described it will be noted that the positioning of the knob 33 to eiiect sorting operations for designations A-M will cause the positioning of the indicator plate 3i so that the corresponding designations will be simultaneously brought into view; and each associated with the related sorting pocket. By bringing such designations into view, the operator will be able to quickly percieve into which sorting pockets records having certain designations are selectively disposed. Y t

For sorting operations to sort records containing the designations N-Z the knob 33 is adjusted so that the contact arm 34 makes contact with the contact element 38 thereby selecting the impulse emitter 68 for sorting operations. The indicator plate 3i will, accordingly, receive an adjustment so as to bring the designations N-Z simultaneously into view so that the operator will know into which sorting pockets records having such designations will be disposed. While the invention nection with a sortingmachine for sorting numerically and alphabetically designated records in three sorting runs, it is obvious that if amachine of this capacity is not required changes can easily be made so as to sort records by fewer sorting runs. For example, if it is desirable to sortrecords bearing only alphabetical designations in two sorting runs, only two impulse emitters 61 and 68 are necessary. In another form of has been illustrated in conmachine having 26-sorting pockets all of the recordsbearing alphabetical designations will be sorted during a single run and if certain of these records contain numerical designations the machine may be equipped with an impulse emitter 66 so as to effect the sorting of records in accordance with the numerical data in another sorting run. Each of the above types of machine may by suitable alterations be equipped with the indicating device herein shown and described.

While there has been shown and described an 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. What is claimed is:

1. In a machine for sorting records provided with designations capable of being analyzed for controlling sorting of the records selectively in a plurality of sorting pockets, and including a setets comprising means provided with indications corresponding to designations ofrecords sorted in the related pockets and means at each sorting pocket associated with the related group of indications for selectively by diflerent positions of the settable means rendering a particular indication 3o visible, and means for causing said settable means to control the indicating means to render visible for each position of the settable means indications corresponding totheparticular designations of the records received by the sorting pockets in the sorting run selected by the settable means.

2. The combination according to claim ,1 in which the indicating means comprises av fixed cover plate for a bar connected to said settable longitudinally along the means and extending sorting pockets, said bar carrying groups of characters associated with the sorting pockets, one of which characters is visible adjacent each sorting pocket through a window of said fixed cover plate depending upon the adjustment of the settable'means.

3. In a machine fo sorting records provided with designations capable of being analyzed for controlling sorting of the records selectively in a table means which in its differently set position causes the sorting mechanism to be responsive to only a certain set of designations analyzed during each sorting run, whereby each pocket may receive in difierent sorting runs records bearing different designations, the combination of anindicator comprising a bar extending longitudinally of the sorting machine and provided adjacent each sorting pocket with a plurality of characters plurality of sorting pockets and including a setrepresenting the designations of records sorted therein in the different sorting runs, a fixed cover plate extending over the bar and provided with a series of windows each window enabling only .one character to be visible and dependent upon the position of the settable means, and means for cperatively connecting "said bar to said settable means to cause by each setting of the settable means the adjustment of said indicator bar to bring simultaneously into view a.- series of characters adjacent the plurality of pockets to desig- 7i mate the designations on the records sorted in the pockets in the sorting run selected by the settable means,

MICHAEL MAUL.

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