US2550370A - Printing interpreter - Google Patents

Description

April 24, 1951 J. MUELLER 2,550,370

PRINTING INTERPRETER Filed Dec. 23, 1944 11 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I

mvnrroa JOHN WELLER 7 ATTORNEY April 24, 1951 Filed Dec. 23, 1944 J.MUELLER PRINTING INTERPRETER 11 Sheets-Sheet 2 IJOHN'MUELLER M Jmzh J. MUELLER PRINTING INTERPRETER April 24, 1951 11 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. :23, 1944 FIG. 3

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ATTOR NC! J. MUELLER PRINTING INTERPRETER April 24, 1951 Filed Dec. 23, 1944 ll Sheets-Sheet 4 i OC . I 9 5 on we? m 0 0N.

JOHN WELLER av 2,1. A ATTORNEY April 24, 1951 MUELLER PRINTING INTERPRETER Filed Dec 23 1944. 11 Sheets-Sheet 5 I BYkLL/Jfil? A'r-romn April 24, 195.1

Filed Dec. 23, 1944 FIG. 6

J. MUELLER PRINTING INTERPRETER 11 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR JOHN MUELLER BY )1 AAA-EL;

ATTORNEY Ap 19.51 J. MUELLER 2,550,370

I PRINTING INTERPRETER Filed Dec. 23, 1944 11'SheetsSheet 7 uvcm'oa JOHril MUELLER ATTORNEY April 24, 1951 I J. MUELLER PRINTING INTERPRETER ll Sheets-Sheet 9 E'iled Dec. 2?, 1944 mvm-ma JOHN MUELLER av J/L ATTORNEY April 24, 195"] v J. MUELLER PRINTING INTERPiRETER Q 11 Sheets-Sheet 10 Filed Dec. 23, 1944 mama I JQ'N MILLER av )X. 14

ATTORNEY Ap 24, 1951 J. MUELLER PRINTING INTERPRETER l1 Sheets-Sheet 11 Filed Dec. 23, 1944 33 3 .93 3 .3 .8m .3. um .8w .3.

mvzmon JOHN MUELLER Y "Ju umfr B m2; 02-02mm 02; man:

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ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 24, 19 51 OFFICE PRINTING INTERPRETER John Mueller, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Remington Rand 1nc., Buffalo, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application December 23, 1944, Serial No. 569,502

18 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a machine for interpreting the statistical data perforated in a card and printing the data on the same card in which it is punched, or on a separate card.

In the business use of statistical data two different types of punched cards are generally employed. The index data in one card is in the form of circular holes and in the other card in the form of slots. Difierent types of machines are necessary in the use of these differently perforated cards and the cards and the machines do not lend themselves to interchangeable use.

tained in the round hole cards, both the round hole card and the slotted hole card must be put through a printing interpreter. This interpreter in one use is adapted for sensing the round hole card and then printing on the face thereof the data sensed therein. For the use contemplated by the present invention it is desirable to punch in the round hole card, the data perforated in the slotted card, so that the related round hole and slotted cards can be passed through the interpreter in sequence for sensing the data of the round hole card and printing it on the slotted hole card. Thus it is possible, by punching a card that can be sensed in one type of machine with data corresponding to the data in a card that can not be sensed in the same machine, to print the data on the card that can not be sensed. The well known ninety-column Powers data card provides a code of punched data wherein all the digits and a'full alphabet may be accommodated.

A printing interpreter of the type described in Patent 2,311,471 issued to R. W. Ritzert on February 16, 1943, and the divisional application thereof and now Patent 2,426,951 issued September 2,1947, is used for the purpose of interpreting the data punched in a Powers data card and then printing the data at selected positions on the same card.

An object of the present invention is to apply to said printing interpreter a mechanism that 2 done directly upon the lead or data card itself, when the data perforations of cards of this type alone, are to be interpreted and printed on the same card.

, Another object of the invention is to position a lead data card, having data to be interpreted,

so that the perforations can be sensed and to sequentially position a trailer record card that may have data punched therein that is not to be interpreted, so that said trailer card can not be sensed, means being also provided for rendering the trailer card positioning means inefl'ective.

Still further objects of the invention are to provide for the shift of a unit of the mechanism so that either the upper or the lower zone of the data card may be sensed; to automatically control the printing stops so that the printing on either a data or a record card may be located with respect to the zone of the data card from which the interpreted data has been sensed; and to disable the printing mechanism so that the lead or data card from which the data has been sensed, will not be printed upon when used in conjunction with a trailer or record card to be printed upon.

Otherobjects and structural features of the invention will be apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figs. 1 and 2 when combined, form a View in sectional elevation looking at the right hand side of the interpreter, showing the sensing and printing mechanisms;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the printing mechanism shown in Fig. 2 illustrating part of the printing control means;

Fig. 4 is a view looking toward the left hand side of the interpreter showing the machine controlling mechanism;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the controlling mechanism illustrated in Fig. 4 with the parts in the position they occupy at a time when a lead or data card is in the sensing chamber;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a view in perspective of the mechanism shown in Figs. 4 and 5. parts being broken to illustrate the construction;

Fig. 8 is a view in side elevation of part of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 5 showing the parts in record card detaining position Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 showing the card stop open and the. print lockout pawl =in print position;

Fig. is an enlarged fragmentary portion of the sensing chamber showing a data card stopped in position to be sensed;

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 10 showing a record or trailer card stopped in a position where its data openings can not be sensed;

Fig. 12 is a four position diagrammatic illustration of the stop and latchingcontrols that govern the operation of the mechanism;

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the parts adjusted to print data on the same card from which it is interpreted;

Fig. 14 is a view in front elevation of a connection box, some parts being shown in section, illustrating the method of shifting the upper and lower interponents and changing the card stops;

Fig. 15 is a side view of the mechanism of Fig. 14 showing the operation of means for preventing shift of the interponents and controlling the card stops;

Fig. 16 is a view in perspective of the printing card stops and their control mechanism; and

Fig. 17 is a chart of the cycle of operation of the machine showing the relative functions of the main parts of the mechanism and the relation of the card movement with respect thereto.

The mechanism of the printing interpreter illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 is, in its general organization, shown and described in the patent to Ritzert No. 2,311,471 of February 16, 1943; in Patent 2,426,951 issued September 2, 1947, forming a division thereof and in the Powers tabulator patents to Lasker, 2,044,119 of June 16,1936, and 2,323,816 of July 6. 1943. Perforated cards are fed, one at a time, from a supply magazine l0 by a picker H and feed rolls l2 to an analyzing or sensing unit consisting of a lower sensing pin box |3 carrying sensing ,pins l4 and pin locking slides IS. The pin box is vertically reciprocated from a main shaft It so that the sensing pins I4 pass through the data index perforations of a card held in the card chamber H by a card stop l8 and cause the sensed data to be set up in an upper stationary pin box l9 provided with set pins 28, retract latch plates 2| and cam plates 22. The operations of the various parts are coordinated by suitable cams and fully described in the patents herein referred to.

As the data is set up in the upper pin box, the movements of the pins of the latter are transferred, through a removable connection box 23 (Fig. 14), to a decoding unit 24, whose stop bars 25 project to limit the upward travel of the printing wheel racks 26 that position the printing wheels 21 for printing impression on a card arrested therebeneath by an adjustable stop mechanism 28 and held by a clamp or pressure pad 29. The racks are released for rising movement under the influence of their springs 35, and restored by a vertically reciprocated rack bail 38.

After printing, the cards are passed by rolls 3| to an eject'pocket 32. As one card is in the sensing chamber, the preceding card is in the printing chamber, the cyclic operation of the machine being substantially the same as disclosed in Patent 2,311,471, in which patent, each card is sensed and printed to provide a record thereon of the data that is punched therein. The present invention contemplates mechanism that may be selectively adjusted to carry out the functions of the machine covered by said patent and in addition make it possible, without altering the feeding sequence of the cards, to sense and print them alternately so that the data punched in the lead or data card of a pair may be printed on the trailer or record card of said pair. To this end reference is made to Fig. 3 of Patent 2,323,816 wherein the card stop and pin retract mechanisms find their counterparts in Figs. 4 and 5 of the present disclosure, in which a stop cam 33 and a. retract cam 34 are each mounted on the main shaft |6 together with a picker operating cam 36. The latter causes the feed of one card at a time from the magazine ID to the sensing unit as fully explained in the patents referred to. The retract cam. near the completion of each rotation of the main shaft l6 momentarily lifts a roller lever 31 and a vertical push rod 38, the upper end of the latter of which raises one end of a lift or retract finger 39 loosely pivoted on a retract shaft 4| journalled in suitable brackets on the frame of the machine. Adjacent the lift finger 39, the retract shaft 4| has keyed thereto spaced retract arms 42 in the outer ends of which is journalled a retract control pawl shaft 43 carrying retract control pawls 44 and 45. Manually controlled retract pawl 45 is loosely pivoted on shaft 43 while the card controlled retract pawl 44 is fixed thereto, both pawls presenting (Fig. 7) toe portions 46 and shoulders 41, the latter of which engages a limit pin 48 secured in the adjacent arm 42. Pawl 45 has a pin and slot connection 50 in a vertical extension 49 thereof, with a pawl setting link 5| (Figs. 4, 5, and 7) which is notched as at 52 (Fig. 7) for adjustable relation with a slotted detent plate 53 mounted on the front face of the machine. The link is adjusted endwise by manipulation of the finger knob 54 against the resistance of a spring 55 (Fig. 13) to bring the toe 46 or pawl 45 over a lift lug 56 (Fig. 5) formed on top of the lift finger 39.

Heretofore, in the operation of the interpreter, the set-pin latch plates 2| were actuated in each cycle of machine operation by movement of the lift finger which was secured directly to and rocked the retractshaft 4| to cause unlatchinsz; movement of the plates 2|. In the present instance, it is necessary that the machine also operate in like manner but, in addition, be conditioned by adjustment of thepawl setting link 5| to place control of the retract mechanism in the data card that is being sensed, so that the data set up in the upper pin box l9 can be retained while the trailer or record card of a pair of cards passes through the sensing mechanism. To this end, the card controlled retract pawl 44 fixed to shaft 43 is arranged alongside pawl 45 so that its toe 46 may be swung to a position over the lug 56 on lift finger 39when shaft 43 is rocked at its opposite end by a retract link 51 (Figs. 4 and 7).

When the interpreter is to be used to sense a data card and then print the data punched therein directly on said data card, the pawl setting link 5| is pushed inwardly to throw the toe of pawl 45 over the lift lug 56 (Fig. 13) so that on each cycle of machine operation when the retract cam lifts push rod 38, the latter will, through finger 39 and pawl 45, raise the shaft 43 and, through the retract arms 42, rock the retract shaft 4|.

When the data card itself is to control the retract mechanism (Fig. 7) the link 5| is released from plate 53 and moves outwardly, and a control arm 58 attached thereto and having a free end 59, is moved to withdraw said end from contact with the edge of the retract link 57 to permit the spring 6| to move the lower end of said link into operating relation with the pawl shaft 49. Th'elowerendofthelinkllisprovided with a bayonet slot 92 in whose lateral shouldered join the link 91 with the pawl shaft 49 through an arm 99 secured to said shaft and on which .arm said pin 94 is mounted. .When the link ii is pushed in to enable pawl to cause the retract shaft 4i to be operated once in each cycle, as explained, the free end 59 of arm 50 pushes the lower end of link 91 to disengage the-pin 04 from the lateral slot extension 63 and align it with the vertical portion of the slot so that 'ver- I tical movement of link 51 will be ineffective influence the pawl shaft 49. Thus, while a con- P ed through the machine without the ,record cards.

. It is deemed desirable describe theoperation and control of the retract means before proceeding with a description of the coordinated action of the cards, the-stop and the-printing I ammo .tobesense'dandthe'datathereofprintedona trailer card. adjustment for the latter of which extension 09 a pin 94 .then seats'to operatively ismade by moving link II out to allow spring 9| to operatively associate link "with pawl shaft 49 through arm 99 (Figs. 5 and 7). Whenthe lead card goes into the card. chamber it is stopped I.

against the stop strip 12 which is moved down to card arresting position by the stop. link 11. The

card is sensed and a control hole therein causes operation through one of the sensing pins I4 and a set pin 20, of a controlxpin 09 (Figs. land 7) j -in the connection box 29 which rocks a control controls, which are conditioned by the pawl setting means. When a card-is fed into the card chamber I1' (Fig. 2), which consists of a passage formedin the upper pin box I9-by spacing an upper pin plate 61 and a lower pin plate 00 (Figs. 10 and 4) through the medium of plate separators 99, the card is arrested in either a sensing or anon-sensing; position by the card stop I8. The latter comprises a frame 1I carrying a stopstrip I2 on-which is mounted the spaced stop blocks 19. Theirame H is motable vertically to bring the stop strip 12 into card stopping position so that the data index positions of a lead card will be in register with the sensing pins I4. .The frame 1I (Fig. ll) is also movable to bring the stop blocks 19 into card arresting position so that the data index positions of a trailer card do-not register with the sensing pins. Hence. around holeicard can abut the stop strip 12 to be sensed-but a slotted type card which cannot be sensed by round sensing pins will abut the stop blocks 13 and the solid zones v of the card between the-horizontal rows of data index positions will register with the sensing pins and damage to the slots will be prevented as the slotted type card passes through the card sensing chamber. I

When the interpreter is operating to print the data on the same card from which 'it'has been interpreted, Fig. 13, the adjusting link- 51 is at its inwardly set position, the toe of pawl 40 overlies the lift lug 96 and the card controlled retract link 51 is heldinefl'ective by arm 50. The card stop cam 93 on the main shaft I6 (Pig. 4),

shaft 99 journalled in suitable brackets'on the frame of the decoding unit 24 and carrying both the arm n which Is engaged by the control pin, and the arm 99 which moves the link 51 vertically. The set pin 20 corresponding to the control hole of the card is not latched up due to -the absence of a lower extrusion thereon ;for .20

latching eng gement with the adiacent retract latch plate 2i and the arm 01 is wide enough to be engaged by pin 89 in'any'adJu'sted position of i a sliding frame. which will be hereinafter referred to in connection-with the description of a card-stop-changing. rneans'shown in Figs. 3, l4,

.When the ens pulled up by arm as a I rocks shaft 49 counter-clockwise through pin 04 and arm, and positions the toe 46 of pawl 44 over the lug 59 of the lift or retract finger 39.

At the same time (Figs. 5, 6, and '7), another arm 9I fixed to the shaft 43, operating through a slotted push link 92, rocks a hook lever 93, pivoted to an auxiliary frame 94, to push a hook link 99 to the left against the resistance of a spring 91 until a latch 98 pivoted at 99 to said link, rides over the edge of a keeper plate IOI far enough for a shouldered portion I02 of said latch 98 to through a cam arm 19 pulls astop link 11 down at about l94degreesof each cycle of main shaft rotation. The upper end of the link 11 is slotted as at 18 (Figs. 5 and 13) to receive a pin 00 pro- Jecting from the end of astop shaft arm 19, through the latter of which a stop shaft ii is rocked and rocks, through an arm 92 and a link 89, stop frame actuating levers 04 to raise and lower the frame H in accordance with the degree of rocking movement given to the stop shaft. This degree of rocking movement is theme in each cycle of machine operation when the interpreter is sensing and printing the same card, but

have latching engagement with the plate under the influence of a spring I03. The movement of I the hook link tensionsa hook spring I04. The latter connects the link 90 with a hook stud' I05 protruding through a slot I06 in link 96 from a hook 101, which latter is pivotally suspended as at I00 from the stop shaft arm 19. When the control pin 00 operates, the stop link 11 is in its lowered position and the card stop 12 is closed, and when the spring I04 is tensioned, it causes the catch end I 09 (Figs. 5 and 12) of the hook I01 to press against the inside of a vertical flange III formed at one. side edge of a stop link extension II2, which is adjustably secured to the link 11 by the screws I I9 and an eccentric adjusting stud II4.

When the link 11 rises to open the card stop and release the data or lead card, its vertical movement will be greater than the vertical movement of the hook due to the diflerent radial distances they are connected to arm 19 from the center of the stop shaft 9|, and flange III will ride off the catch end I09 of the hook I 01 and the latter will immediately snap beneath the flange I I I under the influence of spring I 04 (Figs. 8 and 12). When the next card, which is the trailer, comes into the card chamber it will be stopped in a diflerent'position than its predecessor because the stop closing drop of link 11 will, through extension H2, pull the hook .I01 down a distance equal to the drop of said link and the shorterradius arm of the hook will rotate the stop shaft 9i a sufliciently increased amount to bring the card stop blocks 13 into card arresting position. When the hook I01 is pulled down it causes the pin 90 in shaft arm 19 (Fig. 8) to have is varied in alternate cycles when a lead card is 76 a relatively greater movement downwardly than the lowering movement of the link 11, which greater movement is permitted by the slot 18 in the link. The pin thus moves further down when the hook I01 pulls on arm 19 than when thelink 11 pulls on the pin directly and this difference in downward movement of the pin 80 is sufllcient to press down the ledge end I I6 of latch 98 to disengage the shouldered portion I02 of the latch from its keeper plate WI, and allow the spring 91 to pull the hook link 96 to the right, a distance permitted by the length of the slot I06. to move the latch 98 to a free position atop plate IOI (Figs. 8 and 12). The extension II2, however, is engaging the hook I01 with sumcient pressure to prevent the hook link 96 from disen gaging the hook I01 from plate II2 by its pull on the stud I05. When the stop link 11 starts to rise on its next stop opening movement (Figs. 9 and 12), the pressure of extension II2 on the hook I01 will be relieved and the. hook link 96,

under influence of spring 91, applying pressure to stud I05 through slot I06, will swing the hook from beneath the flange III of member II2, so that on the next downward stroke of stop link 11 the stop frame II will be given its short closing movement (Fig. 5) to place strip 12 in position to arrest'the next lead or data card.

The auxiliary frame 94 (Figs. 6 and 7) is suitably secured to a part of the frame of the machine adjacent the left end of the card sensing mechanism and provides a bearing for the shafts 4|, 43 and BI as' well as a support for the latch plate I01 and a spring plate II1 to which an end of spring 6| is attached. The frame 94 also has secured thereto a block I I 8 into which is threaded a stud screw II9 positioned beneath one of the retract arms 42 to provide an adjustable rest therefor. The frame of the machine supports a guide plate II5 (Fig. 4) through suitable slots in which pass the push rod 38, stop link I1 and hook I01.

The printing mechanism of the patent to Ritzert 2,311,471 is employed herein and varies in such details as are necessary to adapt the present invention thereto. A cam shaft I20 (Figs. 2 and 3) carrying a number of control cams including a printing wheel firing cam I2I, a printing wheel restoring cam I22, a depressor cam H5 and a pressure pad cam 2I0, is driven in synchronism with the main shaft I6 through the worm gear and wheel combination shown in Fig. 13 of the Ritzert patent referred to and wherein the shafts I2I and I12 have their counterparts in the present shafts I6 and I20, respectively. Through suitable pitmans operated from the shaft I6 to raise and lower the rack bail (Fig. 1), the racks 26 are permitted to rise under influence of their springs to position the printing wheels 21 for printing, said racks being restored by downward movement of the ball. The racks straddle a fixed cross bar I23, beneath an end of which is disposed a print lockout pawl I24 (Figs. 3 and 7) pivoted with the upper end ofa connecting rod I26, as at I21, to one arm of a bell crank I28. The other arm is connected by a restoring link I29 witha bail rocker I30, the restoring bail rod I3I of which moves out of the path of spring plunger operated firing fingers I35 which force the print wheels 21 with their support arms I32 down to effect printing action when said fingers are released by a firing bail I33. The firing bail is actuated through a release arm I34, bell crank I36, draw link I31, cam arm I38 andcam I 2I while the restoring ball fully retracted position after printing occurs, is operated by a cam lever I40 connected to rod I26 and actuated by cam I22. I

The bell crank I28 and lockout pawl I24 are connected by a spring I42 which tends to keep the upward of the pawl I24 beneath the bar I23 so that, as rod I26 is permitted to rise by the low part of its controlling cam I22, it is prevented from having such full rising movement as would withdraw the bail I3I completely out of the path of the firing fingers I35. Hence, when the upper end of the print lockout pawl I24 is in position to engage the under side of bar I23,printing cannot occur.

When the machine is sensing a card, thecam plates 22 in the upper pin box will be displaced laterally by the engagement of the set pin extrusions I43 with cam openings I44 in said cam plates and movement of the latter will rock a bail arm I46 (Fig. .4) through bail I41 and shaft I48 to place a spring I49 under tension. The upper end of the arm I46 has a pin and slot connection I50 with a print control link I5I, the pin being connected with one end of the link by the spring I49, the tension of which will yieldably push link I5I endwise, the latter being supported at one end on aparallel link I52 pivoted loosely on shaft 8| (Fig. 7). The end of the print control link ISI carries the oppositely projecting pins I55 and I56 which engage the dependinglends I51 and I58 of the print control arm I59 and lockout pawl I24, respectively. The endwise pressure of link I5I acting on the print lockout pawl I20, through" pin I56, will swing the pawl from beneath bar I23 and hold it so, as long as the cam pl ates 22 are in displaced position, so that printing can occur on the cards, successively.

When the adjusting link 5| however, is adjusted preparatory to sensing lead .data cards and printing the data thereof on trailer record cards it becomes necessary tocontrol the printing so that it will occur only on the trailer cards. This is accomplished through the medium of a nonprint link I6I (Fig. '1) pivotally connecting the upper end of the hook lever 93 with a rock arm I62 secured to a sleeve rock shaft I63 to which is fixed the print control arm I 59.

When sensing of the lead card occurs (Fig. 5) the hook lever 93 is latched in its swung position, through hook link 96, by the latch 98. The hook lever 93 has pulled on non-print link I6I to rock the sleeve shaft I63 through rock arm I62, and also the print control arm I59 so that the latter will restrain print control link I5I from having endwise movement and the print lockout function of pawl I24 will be maintained by spring I42 until the hook link 96 has its full release movement. When the lead card is sensed, spring I49 (Fig. 4) is placed under tension as previously described, but the positive action of the control arm I59 in engagement with pin I55 will negative the movement of the control link I5I that was momentarily caused by the displace- 'ment of the cam plates 22 acting on arm I46.

When the lead card passes into the printing chamber the trailer card comes into the sensing chamber (Fig. 8) and when the card stop block 13 is fully down the latch 98 is released by pin 80 and permits a slight release movement of hook link 96, under influence of spring 91, but not enough to rock hook lever 93 to cause the lockout pawl I24 to be completely forced from beneath bar I23. However, when the stop link 11 starts to rise to open the stop and let the rod I3I which restores the printing .wheels to trailer card pass into the printing chamber, the

assasvo through link I" will rock the print control arm Ill out of theway of pin Illso that spring I49 will cause the pin III on print control link III to swing the lockout pawl I24 so that its upper endmovesfrombeneathbarl (Fig.3). Therefore, when the connecting rod I24 rises it can have a full stroke which will rock bail I2I entirely out of the way of the printing wheel firing lingers Illso that printing occurs on the trailer card when the firingbail m is released.

When the trailer card passes through the sensing means, it is not-sensed (Fig. 11) and the pin set-up from the preceding lead card is retained because the control pin 85 (Hg. '1) is not operated to swing control pawl 44 into position to cause retract, and through the cam plates 22 and ball arm I45 the tension on spring I49 (Fig. 4) is maintained. When the lead card ofthe next pair of cards is sensed, the print control'arm I59 through the action of control pin 25 is again moved to restrain print control link iii and allow spring I42 to keep the print lockout'pawl I24 in place beneath the bar I22, so that red I29 cannot have a full rising movement and the lead card will not be printed upon when it through the printing chamber.

When the adjusting link 5| is pushed in, the timed relation of the operating parts of'the mech- .anismissubstantiallythesameasshowninthe timing oi Figs. 29 and 30 oi. the Ritzert Patent 2,311,471. When the link Si is moved out, the timed operating relation of the parts of the machine is as shown in Fig. 17 of the drawings herein, and, as in the Ritzert patent, the beginning of a cycle of operation finds the fully raised sensing pins ready to start down and the sensing ,m card stop closed (Fig. 4). The lead or data cards and the trailer or record cards, relatively indicated in outline on the time chart are arranged in the magazine It in alternate sequence and at 30 degrees of main shaft rotation, a lead card is engaged by the picker and advanced by the feed rolls to the card chamber to engage the data card stop I2 which closes at about 200 degrees, the card stop link 'I'I having completed the first downward movement of its two stroke cycle. The lead card is sensed at about 240 degrees and the control pin 85 causes shirt of the hook link 95 to its latched position and simultaneous movement of print control arm I59 to assure movement of lock out pawl I24 beneath the bar I23 under tension of spring I42. The card controlled pawl 44 transmits movement to the retract shaft H at about 347 degrees butthe continued rise of the sensing pins results in the new set-up of the set pins which are fully latched up at 358'. At this time the permutation plates are in decoding position. At 30 degrees of the next cycle the trailer card is engaged by the picker for feeding, the sensing pins are going down and the control pin is dropped and control pawl 44 (Fig. 7) is released from retract position and is aligned with pawl 45 (Fig. 5) at about degrees. At about the same time, the printing racks 25 and hail 30 are completely down and the stop bars 25 of the decoding unit are moving out to stop the racks in their upward movement which is permitted by the rising movement of the bail 39 which starts at about 65 degrees. The card stop i2 opens and releases the lead card at 125 degrees and at this time the hook III! will snap degrees and tion of the printing control bails I3I and about 262 degrees and beneath the extension plate II2 of At about 165 degrees the card stops in ingchamber (Fig.3) risetoarrestthe at about 220 degrees and detain it until it is engaged by the clamp 29 at 234 degrees and held beneath the printing wheels 21. The card stop in the chamber has closed from 194 to 212 through movement of the hook III, the stop shaft arm 19 and its pin 99 have their maximum movement to cause stop blocks I2 (Fig. 8) toarrestthetrailercardatabout229 in non-sensing position, and the pin it releases hook arm as through the latch es. No

sensing can occur and the pin set-up is not disturbed. The control pin 95 and pawl 49 are not moved and the push rod 25 lifts the finger 55 without operating the retract shaft 4|. Opera- Ill occurs between 220 and 250 degreesbut printing on the lead card which would normally occur at about 245 degrees, is prevented by the lockout pawl I 24 which bars full release movement of bail III. Theleadcardisreleasedbyapressurepadat leaves the printing chamber and is deposited in the eject pocket 32. The trailer card is held in the sensing chamber until the card stop opens in the following cycle at 132 degrees. The opening or the stop (Fig. 9) releases the hook I01 and hook link 95 has a full movement under influence of its spring 91 and swings print control arm I59 away from pin I55 so that pin I58 of print control link I5I can swing the upper end of the print lockout pawl I 24 from beneath bar I23 against the resistance of spring I42. A new lead card comes into the sensing chamber, after the preceding trailer card leaves at about 192 degrees, and is detained against stop I2 for sensing. The trailer card is detained in the printing chamber and clamped for printing which occurs at 245 degrees. In the rest of the cycle the sensing of the new lead card retracts the set-up of the preceding lead card and the operation of the control pin again conditions the mechanism to prevent printing on the lead card, prevent sensing of the trailer card and permit printing on said trailer card. At the end of the run of cards, a last card is used which will have only a control hole so that retract will occur and the machine will be cleared. In one pad and controls therefor illustrated in Figs. 7,.

14, 27, 28, and 31 of Ritzert Patent 2,311,471 are employed in the present machine with but slight variation and find their counterparts in the present Figs. 3, i4, 15, and 16. The printing chamber I64 presents a card supporting platen I65 having seven slots in which only two card stops I56 and I61 are shown in this particular instance. The stops are are elevated in accordance with the zone of the card being sensed andv halt the card,

for printing, at two different places by engagement with the leading edge thereof. Stop, I66.

will arrest the card so that printing of the data in the upper zone of the card will occur. close. to the top edge of the card and stop I61 will arrest the cardso that printing of the data of the lower zone will take place adjacent said lower zone. The control of stop selection is through the adjustment of a sliding frame I59 (see Fig. 14) which shifts the interponents i6! ll of the connection box 23 to transfer the motion of the set-up pins 28 corresponding to the upper and lower zones of the card data to the decoding unit 24. Movement of the bell crank and handle combination I18 pivoted to box 23 shifts frame I68 relatively to said box and raises or lowers a vertical plate I'll. The plate. at its lower end. carries a stud I12 and an ear I18 to the latter of which is pivoted a lever I14 secured to a pivoted sleeve I15 to which is also attached an arm I18. When the data of the upper zone of the cards has been printed in one run, the handle I18 i moved to simultaneously shift the lide frame I88 for printing the data of the lower zone of the cards, on arerun, and to select the corresponding stop in the print chamber by actuation of a cross shaft I11 through the medium of said arm I18,'a link I18, and an arm I19. The

shaft I11 carries a stop arm I8I whose pin and slot connection to a key link I82 permits adjust ment of the latter to align notches I83 therein with either stop I88 or I81 depending upon the position of the frame I88. The stops are retracted by a depressor arm I88 operated through a shaft I88 and cam lever combination I81 from a. stop cam I88 (Figs. 2 and 3) on the shaft I28 in proper timed relation with the mechanism as shown in the cycle chart of Fig. 1'1, and any shifting of the key link I82 (Fig. 16) can occur when the stops are depressed and only when the sensing chamber is devoid of a card. This is so that injury to the interponent pins by a shift of the frame I88 is guarded against, when the sensing and interponent pins are raised, and to this end a locking means is embodied in the mechanism to prevent zone shifting except at the end of a run of cards. The stud I12 on plate "I is engaged by a hook I89 when the machine is running because the pin I9I, of a sleeved arm I92 connected to'said hook I89, is resting atop a lever I93 which is moved to the position shown in Fig. 15 by the action ofa no-card pin I94 (Fig. 14) and a series of linkages working in conjunction with the standard start-stop mechanism commonly employed in Powers tabulators and found in the Ritzert patent referred to herein as well as in the Powers Patent 2,044,119. The main shaft I8 carries a cam I98 for raising a vertical bar I91 to release the hook I89 through lever I93 When'the sensing chamber is devoid of a card, so that the frame I68 can be shifted to select the zone of the card from which the perthe influence of cam 2I8, the springs 288, that forated data is to be printed without damaging the interponents I89.

The printing of the data characters for the upper zone is done near the top edge of the card and as stop H8 in raised position might interfere with the type wheels, a pressure pad 29 is employed to mechanically clamp the card to the printing platen I65 before the stop is withdrawn preparatory to printing. The pressure pad, Figs. 2 and 3, comprises a float bar I99 extending across the platen between the support arms 28I and having suitable bosses on its underside for card holding engagement. Each end of the bar beyond the edge of the platen carries a stud 282 which is engaged by a plunger 283 forced upwardly against the action of a spring 288 when the roller of a cam lever 285 rides in the depression of a cam 2 I8 on shaft I28. Downward-pressure on each plunger by stud 282 is maintained by a spring 288 connecting the end of each support arm 28I with the adjacent wall of the print unit frame 281, so that when the plunger at each side of the platen lowers under said arms 28I to drop down about their pivotal points 289 to cause the pad to engage and hold the card, at which time the arms 288 pivoted to .28I at 289, also drop. These arms 288,, carry the printing ribbon guides 2I I.

A mechanism, Fig. 3, is employed for engaging each of the printing wheel racks 26 and includes a pawl 2 I2 for each rack, supported within guide combs 2 I3 carried on the bar 2 I4 whose arms 2I5 are secured to a suitable rock shaft 2I8. The latter is rocked by adepressor link 2I1 and bell crank lever 2I8 under influence of a depressor cam II5 on the shaft I28. The depressor mechanism provides a convenient and accurate means for aligning the type wheels 21 by counteracting lost motion between the parts and it also lowers or depresses the racks slightly and permits the withdrawal of the stop bars 25 without friction or jamming.

While I have describedwhat I consider to be a desirable embodiment of my invention, it is obvious that changes in form could be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I, therefore, do not limit myself to the exact form herein shown and described, nor to anything less than the whole of my invention as hereinbefore set forth, and as hereinafter claimed.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a card interpreting and printing machine, means for feeding alternately arranged data and record cards, means for interpreting perforations in the data cards including a movable control pin, means for printing on the cards the data represented by said perforations, and means controlled by the movement of said control pin for preventing operation of the means for printing on the data cards.

2. In a card interpreting and printing machme, means for feeding alternately arranged perforated data and record cards, means for sensing perforations in the data cards, movable stop means for holding the data cards so that the perforations thereof are in register with said sensing means, means for printing on the succeeding record cards the data represented by said perforations, and means controlled by the data cards for adjusting the movement of the stop means for holding the record cards so that the perforations thereof are out of register with said sensing means.

3. In a card interpreting and printing machine, means for feeding alternately arranged perforated data and record cards, means for reading perforations in a leading data card, means for printing on the following record card the data represented by the perforations in said leading data card, means for preventing the printing means from printing on the data card,

means for preventing the sensing of the perforations of said record card, and control pin means influenced by a perforation in the data card for controlling the operation of said printing and sensing preventing means.

4. In card printing apparatus, means for successively feeding cards, means for sensing data in alternate cards, control pin means operated by said sensing means, means for printing the sensed data of said alternate cards on the cards intermediate said alternatecards, and means actuated by said control pin means for auto- 'assasvo.

matically disabling the printing means to prevent printing on said alternatc cards 5. In a record controlled machine, record I sensing means including data set-up pins, latches for retaining said pins in set-up position, retract member operable in each cycle of machine action,

means for operatively connecting said retract means and said actuating member, and record controlled means for adjusting said connecting means to vary the operation "or said retract means.

7.'In ,a record controlled machine, record sensing means including data set-up pins, latches for retaining said pins in set-up position, retract means for unlatching said pins, an actua member operable in each cycle of machine action,

means for operatively connecting said retract means and said actuating member, record controlled means, for adjusting said connecting means to vary the operation of 'said retract means, and means for manually adjusting said connecting means to provide unvarying operation of said retract means. I

8. In a record controlled machine, record sensing means including data set-up pins, latches for retaining said pins in set-up position, retract means for unlatching said pins, an actuating member operable in each cycle of machine action, means for operatively connecting said retract means and said actuating member, record controlled means for adjusting said connecting meansto vary the operation of said retract means, means for manually adjusting said connecting means to provide unvarying operation of said retract means, and means operable by the manual adjusting means for disabling said record controlled means.

9. In a record interpreting machine, record sensing means, record printing means, means for disabling the printing means. a stop for arresting a record in the sensing means, means for moving the stop to hold a record in one position at which it may be sensed, means for con- I to enable the stop to hold another record in a din'erent position at which it cannot be sensed,-

disabling the printing means, a stop for arresting records in the sensing means, means for moving the stop to hold a record in-one position at which it may be sensed, means for transferring the sensed record to said printing means. means for conditioning the stop moving means and record controlledmeans for operating the stop conditioning means and the print disabling means for preventing the sensing of one record and the printing 0'! another record.

ditioning the stop moving means to enable the stop to hold a record in another position at which it cannot be sensed, and means controlled by the record for operating the stop conditioning means and said print disabling means.

10. In a record interpreting machine, record sensing means, record printing means, means for disabling the printing means, a stop for arresting records in the sensing means, means for moving the stop to hold a first record in one position at which it may be sensed, means for transferring the sensed record to said printing means, means for conditioning the stop moving means to enable the stop to hold a second record in a different position at which it cannot be sensed, and means controlled by the first record for operating the stop conditioning means and the print disabling means for preventing the sensing of said second record and theprinting or said first record.

11. In a record interpreting machine, record, sensing means, record printing means, means for 16 ing the hook with said link means, and record 12. In a record controlled machine having record sensing means including data set-up pins and means for releasably retaining the pins in set up position, an actuating member operable in each cycle or machine action, means operable in response to operation of said actuating member for actuating the second named means to release said pins, and means for adjusting the third namedmeans for controlling the operationv thereof.

13. In a record controlled machine having record sensing means including data set-up pins and means for releasably retaining the pins in set up position, an actuating member operable in each cycle of machine action, means operable in response to operation of said actuating member for actuating the second named means to release said pins, and record controlled means for adjusting the third named means for controlling the operation thereoi'.

14. In a record controlled machine having record sensing means including data set-up pins and means for releasably retaining the pins in set up position, an actuating member operable in each cycle or machine action, means operable in response to operation of said actuating member for actuating the second named means to release said pins, and record controlled means for adjusting the third named means for controlling one manner of operation thereof, and means for manually adjusting said third named means for arranging the latter for another manner of operation thereof. v

15. In a record controlled machine having record sensing means including data set-uppins and means for releasably retaining the pins in set up pomtion, an actuating member operable in each cycle of machine action, means operable in response to operation of said actuating member for actuating the second named means to release said pins, and record controlled means for adjusting the third named means for controlling one manner of operation thereof, means for manually adjusting said third named means for arranging the latter for another manner of operation thereof, and means operable by the manual adjusting means for disabling the record controlled means.

16. In a record controlled. machine, record sensing means, a stop for arresting records at diiterent positions in the sensing means, means for moving the stop including a pivoted arm and a link connected to the arm for moving the latter a predetermined arcuate distance to cause the stop to arrest records at one position, a hook on said arm and means on said link engageable by the hook for moving said arm a diflerent arcuate distance to cause the stop to arrest records at controlled means for actuating said latching means.

18. In a record controlled machine as set forth in claim 16 including latching means for engaging the hook with said link means, record controlled means for actuating said latch means, and manually controlled means for disabling said record controlled means.

JOI-IN MUELLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record insthe file of this patent:

- Number 16 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Lasker June 16, 1936 Lasker June 16, 1936 Mills Oct. 4, 1938 Daubmeyer May 9, 1939 Cox Sept. 10, 1940 Thomas June 21, 1942 Ritzert Feb. 16, 1943 Thomas July 13, 1945

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