US2645122A - Machine for verifying and checking perforated records - Google Patents

Description

July 14, 1953 D. R. PaA'rT Erm.

MACHINE FOR VERIFYING AND CHECKING PERORATED RECORDS 2 Sheets-Sheetl l Filed July 26, 1950 m 9 un M KUN ma w In n m n M m Dulux nu u 0l n. m KV uw m n n n .u um unnJ/. An. nl. 9

July 14A 1953 D. R. PIATT Erm.

MACHINE FOR VERIFYING AND CHECKING PERFORATED RECORDS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 2.6, 195o Patented July 14, 1953 QUNITEUSTATES PATENT vorifice MACHINE FOR VERIFYING AND CHECK-ING PERFORATED RECORDS Donald R; Piattand lFred B. Porterfeld, Endicott, and Carl D.-'Hicks, Vestal, N. Y., assignors to International Business Machines Corporation,

` New York, N. Y., a corporation ofvNew York Application July 26, 195o, seriai'No. 175,924

` 3 claims. (c1. 'z3-15e) This invention relates to card checking machines and especially to the type which are adapt-v Y 1-9 (the numerical group) and one hole at the 0, X, R position (the zone group). According to the present invention any double punching or extraneous punching in either the numerical or zone group would be detected when the present double punching-detecting means is conditioned to function in this manner. It isdesirable at times to permit double hole punching in one of the 'selected groups, and to enable the detection of any hole which is extraneous to said double hole punching -another condition or arrangement of the detecting means may be provided which will approve of the presence Vof double hole punching in one column but will immediately detect and signal if any additional hole punching is present. Such double hole punching may be either in the zone or numericalgroup, but is preferably in the zone group and herein holes at both X and R. A holel in anyv other index point position in this column, such as l-9 and 0 will be detected.

As one manner of illustrating the present invention the checking arrangement vshown herein is employed to detect the correctness of a completely punched card but if so desired it may be employed to'determine the correctness of card hole punching as the card is punched, as for example, by the operation of keys.V This will prevent improper punching as, for example, punching two holes by an alphabet key when in this-particular column a single digit representing hole should have been made.

It-is, therefore, the main object of the invention to provide a double hole punching detecting means which will, in the event of numerical punching, detect the presence of any extraneoushole; condition such means so that it will approve of double y-hole punching in separate zone and numerical groups when alphabetic code punching is to be effected but signal the presence of any extraneous hole in either group, and further'condition such means so that it will approve of double hole punching in one of the groups but illustrative record sensing machine associatedV signal the presence of an improper additional hole or punching in the same or other group.

Other'objects of the invention will be pointed out inthe following description and claims and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, which disclose, kby way of example, the principle of theinvention and the best mode, which has been contemplated, of applying that principle. In the drawings: 7 f `Fig.=1`jis a longitudinal sectionalr view of the with the presentinvention.

Fig.' 2 'is a viewin side elevation showing the`A magnetically operated escapement mechanism for the card carriage,`

Fig.' 3 is a plan viewof the recordvsensing machine. d l

Fig;` 4 is a fragmentary portion of 'a' conventional. record card showing the codes of holes or perforations whichare used. to represent the' letters of the alphabet, the digits and for a special controlv indication by both .X and R for a last column to be punched (column 49 ory 80,-

Control record The perforated record Which is adapted to be sensed in order to have its perforations checkedto 'determine if the characters they are to repre` sent aremade according to'a code comprises, as f shown in Fig. A, a well known form of record card Cr adapted to control electrical accounting printing machines. Diierentially positioned control designations, such as perforations 9, are used to represent the various alphabetical and nu merical characters representing the data to be enteredin'and printedby. such electrical account-lA ing machines.

The .perforations are variously. positioned one or more columns of the record card, the let' ters of the alphabet A-Z being designated by two perforations, one perforation in either of the zone groups 0, X, R. and one perforation in the numerical group l-9. The letters of the rst group-A-I are designated by a; perforation which is always atthey R zone index point position in combination -With one perforation at the 1 9 index point position. The letters of the secondgroup J-R are designated by one perforation which is always at-the X zone index point position in combination with a perforation atthe l- 9 index point position.

a perforation in the 2-9 vindex point position.

The third group of the. letters SZ is represented by a hole at the 0. zone index point position in combination with Hence, in the above described system of combinan tional arrangement of perforations any of the letters of thea-lphabet A-Z can be designated. It is obvious that each letter of the alphabet is represented by one hole in the zone group and one hole in the numerical group and that the'.

occurrence of more than one hole in either group .would provide an extraneous lhole which would probably select an alphabet type in the accounting machine which was notV intended.` By an arrangement to be presently described it is possible to sense whenever more than one hole appears in either group and produce a vsignal when such has been detected. More specifically, when the machine is conditioned for checking perforations in columns representing alphabetic characters the present checking arrangement detects the presence of more than one hole in the I dex point positions and X, R alone may also represent other numerical values. When thepresent checking arrangement is conditioned for determining whether numerical characters are properly represented the presence of more than one hole in any of the index point positions R through 9 will be indicatedas anincorrect punchmg. A

In some instances it is desirable to utilize a selected column for control purposes. in the accounting machine by punching holes at two index point positions of one group, such, as the R Iand X index point positions as shown in column 80 of the card shown in Fig. 4.. For checking this column the checking arrangement is conditioned to approve of thepresence of both of such holes and to also detect the presence of any other hole in the index point position l-9 and 0 and indicate such error.

Record sensing unit Referring to Fig. 3 the record cards C to be sensed or analyzed are placed in a magazine -designated I0, from which they are advanced singly from the bottom of the magazine by means of a picker II toward the left, to present the first column of the card to a card sensing position `above the sensing brushes I2 (Fig. l). In this position the card carriage comprising a pusher I3 (Fig. l) and a forward transverse guide I4 engages the card and advances it, step by step, under control of the escapementmechanism to be described later. Pusher I3 and transverse guide I4 are carried by an escapement rack I5 and the picker knife II is carried by arack bar I6. Teeth on the underside of rack I5 mesh with a gear I1 (see Fig. l) andrack teeth on bar I6 mesh with Va gear` I8, both gears being rigidly mounted on a cross shaft I9 (Fig. 3). Due to this connection between the elements, the movement of picker IIA toward the left, as viewed in Fig. 3, is accompanied by movement to the right of pusher I3 and forward guide I4. At the commencement of operations the picker and pusher are in the position shown in Fig. 3.

The rack I6 is' provided with a finger piece 20 at its right-hand extremity by means of which the rack I5 and the picker II may be moved toward the left to feed a card from the magazine I0. This movement is accompanied by movement of the pusher I3 in the opposite direction, the parts being so proportioned that, when the card has been advanced to present its first column to the sensing brushes I2, the pusher I3 will have moved toward the. rightsufiicientlyto engage the right-hand, or trailing edge of the card, and will now control the further advancement thereof in response to the operation of the escapement mechanism.

The operation of card feeding just outlined is fully explained in Patent No. 1,772,186, granted to F. L. Lee et al. for -a duplicating card punching machine.'

The escapement mechanism referred to is of the same general nature as that disclosed in the Schaaff patent, No. 1,426,223 and a brief descriptionA thereof will now be given.

When the card is in position above the sensing brushes I2 (Fig. 1),;-further advance is controlled by the escapement mechanism which, in turn, is responsive to the energization of escape magnet 40. Upon energization of magnet 40 its armature 4I will be rocked about a pivot in a clockwise direction and through a screw 42 secured to an arm 43a projecting from a rockably mounted rod 43, will rock therod 43 counterclockwise against the tension of a spring 44. The rod 43 is rocked as an incident to each spacing operation and fhas secured to one end thereof oppositely extending arms 45, 46. (see also Fig. 2). Arm 46 is provided with a laterally extending pin 46a for engagement with an enlarged opening in` a stepping dog 41v which is loosely piv- K oted on rod 43. Opposite arm is provided with a vpin 45a extending into a slot formed in the locking dog 48. When rod 43 is rocked arm 46 will, through its pin and slot connection with dog 41, lift the latter out of one of the notches of the rackv I5 and at the same time arm 45 will depress locking dog 48 into a notch between the rack teeth. At this time a spring 49 advances the loosely pivoted dog 41 a short distance just sufficient to permit this dog to move above the top of the next tooth. When the locking dog is again raised, stepping dog 41, due to the movement of rack I5, will ride down along the next tooth until it strikes the end thereof and the carriage is thereby arrested. The usual spring drum (not shown) is provided to bias the rack I5 toward the right, as viewed in Fig. 1. The detailed structure in this dog and escapement rack arrangement is well known and need not be further described, and it is sufficient to note that for each energization of the escape magnet 40 the rack I5 is advanced one step or tooth, carrying with it the pusher I3 and forward guide I4, so that the card is likewise advanced one step, each stepof advancement being coextensive with the spacing of the columns of the card.

Also in Fig. 2 are shown the well known floating cam contacts I49 and I5I, one blade of each of which is shifted by an arm I 50 which is loosely pivoted on the rod 43 and which has a lateral extension resting upon the upper edge of the stepping dog 41 so that during escapement from one column to another the incidenta1 raising of the stepping dog 41, through arm |50, will open the contacts |49 and I5I duringthe period that the dog is raised. Contacts I5I are adjusted to close slightly earlier than contacts |49 as the card carriage comes to rest at the next column position, for a purpose to be better understood later.

The card perforation sensing brushes I2 are shown in Fig.A l. Twelve of these brushes are provided and positioned side by side, there being onefor each of the usual twelve rows of index point positions of the card. The brushes 2 are mounted in a reciprocable insulating brush holder 90 so that `when elevated in a well known manner the brushes |2 make contact withv the card and eiect electrical connections through the perforations therein with a common contact roller 9|.

The machine shown herein is also provided with the well known form of card column readout.v

The details of construction of such card column readout are not shown or described herein and are shown only in the wiringdiagram of Fig. 5

and in adiagrammatic manner. As shown in thel Wiring diagram The improvement will be vbest understood `in connection with the wiring diagram of Fig. 5 wherein the current supply is provided by the line sides 34, 35. The means for setting up an individual representation of the hole sensed or analyzed comprises a series of relays designated Re, Rs, Ri, Rt, R5, R4, R3, R2, Rl, Ro, RX, RR,

corresponding to the index point positions or holes which may he made in a column. These relays are selectively energized under `control of the associated perforation or hole sensing means orbrushes l2, but if so desired they may be punch.

magnets energized either under control of the sensing means to punch another card, or keys which are operated to effect card hole punching. An illustrative energizing circuit for energizing relay R9 upon sensing a 9 hole is from line side 34, floating cam contacts |49, REZ relay contacts now closed, a brush making continuous contact with contact roller 9|, the 9 brush I2, connecting wire to the R9 relay, escapement magnet 40, to line side 35. Thus, if at the first column position a 9 hole was sensed R9 relay and escapement magnet are energized, and as the card escapes to column 2 floating cam contacts |49 open to deenergize the R9 relay and escapement magnet 48. Of course, the readout brush 30 moves Column by column for conditioning the machine for checking vhole punching according to the diierent codes. It will be assumed that the card is punched in the iirst column, or it could be in any selected column, to represent numerical information, which of course Ameans that for the present numeric code only one relay RR-R9 should be energized. If more than one relay RR-RS is energized in the numeric single hole code then an error has been made in punching the column. In checking punching according to a numeric code both R38 and R99 relays are deenergized, and their contacts RSS-I and RSS-I are in the position shown in Fig. 5.

1. Checking punching according to numeric code Each of the relays R9R|, Ril, RX, is adapted to close its l contacts; each of which connects these contacts with the line side 34 through escapement contacts |49, RE2 relay contacts, contact roll 9|, sensing brush |2, the wire to the energized relay, through its l contacts and then to a series circuit to test whether any other relay is concurrently energized. vThe R9| contacts, for

example, 'when closed due to thepresence of a"V 9 hole, continues a circuit by a wire 36 to thek R8-2 transfer contacts, and from the normally closed contacts of R8-2 the circuit extends by a wire 3l to the RS-I contacts. `If there is a supplemental or extra hole in the -8 index point the R8 relayis energized to transfer the R8-'| con tacts and the R8-2 contacts', and the circuit from contacts and wire 36 is now extended through the R8-2 .contacts now transferred, to the error line 38. This series circuit extends seri-1 ally further than the R8| contacts, or any other. l contacts, land serially through the remaining relay contacts in the same manner and ultimatelyl Since, as described, R98| contacts are closed for numeric code checking. R|| contacts and R02 contacts are connected through RSS-l, thus the error detecting circuit for numeric code is `also controlled by the Rl)l to the RR2 contacts.

relay. Further, the circuit from R02 and R0|` extendsl through RXZ relay contacts, the RXI contacts', R99| contacts now normal, to RRZ relay-contacts, thus 'also including the RX and RR relays and sensing of X and R holes for determination of extraneous hole punching for checkingthe numeric code. It is obvious that when anyv two or more relays R9-RI, R0, RX, RR are concurrently energized the 2 contacts of one relay in conjunction with the 1 contacts of vany other relay completes the error circuit wire same time a signal light S which is shunted across the H-coil is lighted and remains lighted until the key K is depressed.

The REZ contactsopen and thus even if the' "carriage escapes to the next column the energizing circuit for any of the R9-R|, R0, RX, RR relays and the escapement magnet 40 cannot be completed, and the sensing operation terminates.

summarizing, one condition of the checking larrangement enables the checking of numeric representing holes to determine whether more than one hole has been made in each column. The energization of `any two or more relays when two or more holes are present completes the Ierrorecircuit and accordingly a signal is given to indicate the error.

2. Checking holes punched according to k alphabetic code ftioned hereinafter) beforeany of the R|-R9,l

R9, RX. RR. relays. The multiple plug-connections 5| re-energize R98 relay for each subsequent column of a field to be checked. Energization of R98 relay opens contacts RSS-l, thus splitting ithe relays into two groups, one the numeric group f RS-RI, and one the zone group R9, RX and RR. Anlenergization'rof one relay R9-Rl in the numerio group and one relay R0, RX and RR in the zone group will be accepted as correct since the subdivision of the circuit and relays requires'the 7. energization of two relays in either 'of the two groups to complete the error circuit. If the RI relay should be the second relay energized in the numeric group its Rl-2 contacts complete the error circuit. The subdivision of the relays to a group of R0, RX, RR relays enables the circuit to approve of the energization of a single relay but if two of the relays RD, RX, RR are energized the error circuit is completed. The series error circuit for the zone group is open if R is energized alone and is through the transferred R0! contacts (if R0 is energized), through the RX2V contacts now normal, RXI contacts now normal, RSS-I contacts now normal, wire 52, RRZ contacts now open. Obviously, if either RX2 or RRZ contacts are transferred when. RR or RX are energized as a result of an extra hole at R or X, the error circuit willv be completed through either of these contacts RX2 or RRZ. Also RXI and RR2 contacts in combination complete the error circuit through RSS-l contacts if both X and R holes are sensed and both RX and RR relays are energized. However, as analphabetical eld is being dealt with, a single hole of the zone group or a single hole of the numeric group will be approved as correct in that obviously only one relay will be energized. Thus, numerical (single hole) punching can be intermixed with alphabetic code punching.

Summarizing, when the circuit is conditioned in this manner one or more columns can be checked for determination of correct alphabetic codev punching, and double holes in either the numeric or group zone will be detected and signalled. By provision of a plurality of sockets 50, R98 relay can be picked up at various columns and one or more fields of alphabetic punching can be veried as the carriage moves step by step, and the circuit is accordingly conditioned for this code checking.

3. Checking X, R, joint control indications As premised hereinbefore, a special column, the last column to be dealt with which may or may not be column 80, is perforated at both X and R and the machine is. conditioned for this checking by picking up R99 relay by the plug connection 53. The RSS-I contacts are now opened. If R0 relay is picked up, and in fact any relay of the numerical group RB-Rl, then the series circuit from line side 34 will be extended through, as explained before, to wire 60 and since RX relay is now energized the RX2 contacts complete the error circuit. It is unnecessary to have the circuit go beyond RX2 contacts to detect the extraneous hole because R, X holes always appear together, and checking the superfluous or extra hole against the X hole will suffice. In this instance R and X are energized and bothtransfer their 2 contacts to connect to the error wire 38 but the opened RSS-I contacts prevent completion of the error circuit, and hence a concurrent energization of R and X relays in thiscode checking is approved and accepted.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention, it will be understood that variout 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.

8 `=2What is: claimed is:

Y1. In a. machine for determining whether punched holes or the like have been improperly made at indexA pointlpositions according to two different codes, the combination of means for sensing said card holes, a plurality of relays, one for each index point position, means for energizing said relays according to the sensed holes, an error indicating circuit, contacts operated by each of said relays, means for interconnecting said contacts in such manner that contacts operated by a pair of relays which are energized when two holes are sensed in a column are jointly effective to complete said error indicating circuit to indicate a non-conformity to one code, and means for dividing said relays and associated contacts into two independently functioning groups for preventing the contacts operated by the energization of one relay in one group and one relay in the other group from being effective to complete said error indicating circuit, and for causing the contacts operated by two relays in either of said groups to be jointly effective to complete said error detecting circuit to indicate a nonconformity with another code.

2.. An electrical circuit arrangement devised for the purpose of detecting the improper presence of more than one hole in a card column comprising means for simultaneously sensing the card 4column for determination of the presence of a hole or holes, a plurality of relays, one for each possible hole in a column, means under control of the sensing means for energizing the relays according to hole or holes in the card column, an error indicating circuit, contacts operated by each associated relay, and a circuit network connecting said contacts and error indicating circuit in such manner that upon the energization of one relay and operation of its contacts said contacts are ineffective to complete said error indicating circuit, and that upon the energization of two relays and operation of their contacts said latter contacts are jointly effective to complete said error indicating circuit.

3. In a machine for determining whether holes are properly or improperly punched at index point positions in a card column, the combination of a plurality of relays, one relay for each index point position, means for sensing said holes, means under control of said sensing means for energizing said plurality of relays selectively, according to the hole or holes sensed, an error indicating circuit, contacts operated by each of said relays, and means for dividing said relays and associated contacts into two independently functioning groups and for interconnecting said contacts and said error indicating circuit in such manner that contacts operated by one relay in one group and contacts operated by one relay in the other group are ineffective to complete said` error indicating circuit, but a plurality of contacts in either group operated by the energization of more than one relay in either group are effective to complete said error indicating circuit.

DONALD R. PIAT'I. FRED B. PORTERFIELD. CARL D. HICKS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,031,569 Maul Feb. 18, 1936 2,475,315 Doty July 5, 1949

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