US2792892A - Card punching machines of the setup type - Google Patents

Description

6 Sheets-Sheer, 1

R. B. ,JOHN$ON ET AL CARD PUNCHING MACHINES OF THE SETUP TYPE May 21, 1957 Filed Dec. 9, 1954 May 21, 1957 R. B. JOHNSON Ei' AL INvENb. REYNOLD B. JOHNSON BY ROBER 44a!- 1k. GOODMAN ATTORNEY FIG..1c|

May 21, 1957 R. B. JOHNSON ETAL 2,792,892

CARD PUNCHING MACHINES OF THE: SETUP TYPE Filed Dec. 9, 1954 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 2

INVENTORS REYNOLD B. JOHNSON BY ROBERT C.GOODMAN ATTORNEY 1, 1957 R. B. JOHNSON ET AL CARD PUNCHING MACHINES OF THE SETUP TYPE 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 9, 1954 S m T m V m REYNOLD B. JOHNSON F I G 3 BY ROBERT C.G OODMAN ATTORNEY May 21, 1957 R. B. JOHNSON ET AL CARD PUNCHING MACHINES OF THE SETUP TYPE 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 9, 1954 FIG 4 EEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEE QEEQEEEEEEE mmmmm m gmm EEHEEEEEEEHE mmmmm m FIG.5

ATTORNEY May 2 l; 1957 R, B. JOHNSON ET AL 2, ,3

CARD PUNCHING MACHINES OF THE SETUP TYPE Filed Dec. 9, 1954 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 FIG.6

INVENTQRS REYNOLD B. JOHNSON ROB TC. GQODMAN ATTORNEY United States Patent "9 CARD PUNCHING MACHINES OF THE SETUP TYPE Reynold B. Johnson, Palo Alto, Calif., and Robert C.

Goodman, Binghamton, N. Y., assignors to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 9, 1954, Serial No. 474,119

12 Claims. (Cl. 164-115) This invention relates to card punching mechanisms and more particularly to the type which is adapted as a result of a preceding punch selection, to punch a card concurrently in a plurality of columns. Such forms of punches are known to punch a card in a relatively short time and have been known as gangpunches or instantaneous type.

While such forms of punch have with respect to their speed in card punching taken very little time the overall output has been relatively low because of the time taken to efifect a prior selection or setup of the desired punches.

It is, therefore, the main object of the invention to shorten relatively the time necessary to effect the punch selection so that the machine may, in reality, becalled a high speed punch. By high speed is meant punching of cards considerably above the present practice of 100- 150 cards per minute and attain a speed of 400 CPM, .and as high as 1500 CPM. The improvements are shown in a form of machine adapted to gang punch 80 columns, with twelve positions per column to punch a well known form of statistical card, although with obvious modifications other forms of cards, tape or records may be punched with equal advantages.

The main object of the present invention is to devise a high speed punch utilizing punch components requiring light and small movements for punch operations and embodying a novel device for selecting punches in the components which require a minimum of time and light action for punch selection.

A further object of the present invention is to devise a low cost high speed punch, obtained through novel design of constructions utilizing light weight components, and new methods of fabricating the die, punch components and punch selecting components.

An object of the invention is to devise a punch component or unit made up of like identical units in which each punch unit carries a plurality of punches and overlying interposers for punching a single row or column or" a card, and in which a plurality of such units form a unitary punch unit for punching a plurality of rows or columns of a card concurrently.

A still further object of the invention is to have a punch operating bail aside of each unit and so arranged that it will not cause the unit to exceed the limiting dimensions between adjacent rows or columns, and wherein said bail is adapted to actuate selected punches through the effective interpcsers and positively restore them in their related guide slots.

Another object related to the operation of the punches is to provide a reciprocable die receiving said actuated punches and which is initially raised to clamp the card to be punched against said punch unit when the punch bails actuate selected punches.

A still further object is to arrange in separate vertical channels of a strip a punch and an overlying interposer which latter is so formed and arranged in the channel 2,792,892 Patented May 21, 1957 that it may be rocked withoutthe use of a pin pivot to interpose an extension underneath a punch bail.

A still further object is to provide punch selecting components or units in the form of strips which are substantially the thickness of a column of a card and tearrange such strips transversely with respect to the punch units in order that selecting wires in grooves in a strip may be projected to select associated interposers for actuation.

Another object is to effect the projection of "said wires selectively adjacent said interposers and to'provide common bail means to rock said projected wires and associated interposers-tor engagement with the punch bail.

Another object is to devise a punch setup unit inthe form of a thin wafer or strip provided with guide channels in which liepunch selecting wires, said wires-terminating at one of their ends widely spaced to overly related interposers, and being relatively narrow-spaced at their other arcuate ends so that a sweep bail and selecting mechanism carried thereby need only effect a very short arcuate movement to select punch selecting wires for projection.

Another object of the invention is to provide 'a punch setup unit in the form of a narrow unit carrying wires wherein projected ends of said wires function as interposers between an interposer actuating bail and said inerposers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a restoring means for positively restoring each actuated interposer and projected punch-interposer selecting wire.

Another object of the invention is to devise a punch setup unit and a punch unit each made up of light weight symmetrical components, easily replaceable for purposes of service and repair.

Another object of the invention is to devise a punch setup unit consisting of a narrow strip co-extensive in width with the distance between index pointsof adjacent rows which carry in suitable guide channels projectable punch selecting wires, and to devise the channels so that at one end the wires converge, and diverge at the other end to correspond to the spacing of index point positions in a column of a card.

A still further object of the invention which may be regarded as solutions to the problem of high speed card punching operations is to devise an electromagnetic punch wire selecting and actuating device in the form of an oscillatable sweep bail carrying a magnet-projected wire adapted by energization of said magnet to project a selected wire and a wire in the setup unit, depending upon the time said magnet is operated in the oscillating sweep of said bail.

A still further object is to provide a sweep bailcarrying an actuating wire which is oscillatable about a pivot to cause said wire to follow a circular path above the arcuate ends of punch selecting wires, and to provide a magnet operable by timed impulses for displacing said wire and the selected punch selecting wire.

A still further object is to time the impulses so that deenergization of the magnet enables said actuating wire to he spring-returned to a non-extended position out of the way of the next punch selecting wire.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sweep bail having a minimum of movement to present a wire to be extended past a series of punch selecting wires, and to provide a magnet to extend said wire.

A still further object principally'concerned with accomplishment of high operational speeds is the provision of a modified form of sweep bail unit wherein said magnet does not displace the wire but conditions operating mechanism so that the latter actually displaces the wire.

A further object is to provide for a solenoid opera to a storage station.

tion ofv each of the features regarded as objects of the invention, it is to be understand that each of said features -may be utilized alone with the same advantages accuring from its novelty, and that the invention is not limited to a cardpunching machine having all of the above described features.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in -the accompanying 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 drawings: Figs. 1 and 1a when arranged with Fig. l on top are views taken on the line 1--1 of Fig. 3 and represent a longitudinal sectional view of the improved card punching machine.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. la and shows principally the cam operated operating means for the punch unit and the die unit. I

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1 and shows the relative transverse arrangement of- -the punch-interposer selecting strips and the punch-interposer strips, as well as the general arrangement of parts of the machine.

Fig. 4 ispa sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of i Fig. 1a showing the construction of the die unit.

Fig. 5 is a timing diagram.

, Fig. 6 is a preferred form of punch interposer selector.

Record feeding devices Any suitable feeding devices of a type which will feed 'the individual cards, records, etc. to the punching mechanism at a rate equal to its high speed punching capacity may be utilized. The leading edge of the card is received from such feeding devices by sets of frictionally driven feeding rollers 20 (Fig. 1a) which feed the card between a stationary punch unit PU and a reciprocable die unit DU and against a spring-urged pivoted card stop 21 (see Fig. 3 also) which aligns said card and 'holds it in punching position against the action of skid rollers 147 (Figs. 2 and 4).

After the punching operation, which is effected in all columns and rows simultaneously, the card stop 21 is elevated by energization of magnets 12 (Figs. 1a and 3) so as to release the card for further feeding by skid rollers 1 57 (Figs. 2 and 4). The leading edge of the card now enters the bite of feeding rollers 22 which convey the card to an analyzing station, in the event that data on one card is to be transferred to a following card, or for checking purposes and as is customary, punched cards are then fed The gear drive for feeding rollers 20, 22 and skid rollers 147 will be described later.

Punch 0r interposer selecting units The latter are mounted above the punch units and select the interposers and therefore the associated punches to be operated and function during the time the card is being fed to the punch and piror to theupward move- .ment of the punch die. or interposer selecting devices are shown herein, each Two modifications of the punch a profile cam 33. Said cam first rocks bail in the arrow direction upwardly to the right in synchronism with the sensing of the holes punched in the columns of the record in the order R, X, 0, 1, 2 9, and then reversely rocks the bail 30 downwardly. Slidable in a bracket 34 carried by bail 30 is a sweep wire 35 having the upper end attached to the related armature 36 of a magnet 37. The free end of the sweep wire 35 projects slightly beyond the cross portion of bail 30 which is cut away at 38 so that flat spring 39 urges the sweep wire 35 against the portion 40. Hence, the oscillatory movement of sweep bail 30 will cause the lower end of sweep wire 35 to follow a circular path above the arcuately arranged extremities 41 of interposer selecting wires 42.

The interposer selecting wires 42 consist of a group of twelve wires fitting into grooves which guide the wires in their movement. The grooves are formed in wafer-like plates 43 and divergently space the lower ends to conform to the spacing of the interposers and converge the arcuate ends to a much closer spacing. There is one plate 43 for each of the eighty vertical card columns of the card and said plates 43 are assembled on rectangular support rods 44 (Figs. 3 and 6). Obviously, each plate 43 is the width of a card column, and the assembly of them may be clamped together on rods 44 by any suitable means.

It is evident that sweep wire blade 35 partakes of the same oscillatory movement as sweep bail 30 which is very short due to the close spacing of the ends 41. The armature 36 of magnet 37 is so pivoted that when attracted by the energized magnet 37 the bent end to which sweep wire blade 35 is attached will be moved downwardly or displaced so as to extend wire blade 35 to contact the extremity 41 of an interposer selecting wire 42, depending on the time said magnet 37 is energized. Continued upward movement of the sweep bail 30 and blade 35 then displaces the related wire 42 it just engaged within the wafer plate, and being guided by its associated groove the lowermost end will be projected downwardly to select a related interposer and punch in the associated card column. The time of displacement of the sweep blade 35 is controlled by the time (see Fig. 5) the impulse is transmitted to the related magnet 37 and circuit breakers in the circuit thereof, both of which limit the length of time the magnet 37 is energized. When magnet 37 is deenergized a spring 47 will restore the armature 36, and sweep blade 35; thus its extremity will now be out of the 'path of the ends 41 of the remaining unprojected interposer selecting wires 42. in both movements of bail 30.

It is intended that each sweep Wire 35 and armature 36 be restored by the energy stored in spring 47 when it has been tensioned but it, is preferred to do so by positive operated restoring means now to be described so that sweep wire 35 will be out of the path of the unprojected ends 41 of wires 42, if it has failed to return to its normal position. To this end a rock shaft 50 has secured thereto a knockoff blade 51 which cooperates with armature portions 36, and secured to said shaft 50 is a follower arm 52 operated by a cam 53, which has twelve lobes, one for each index point position of a card column. The follower arm 52 is actuated by a high point of a lobe of cam 53 to release an armature 36 just prior to the time the magnet 37 may be energized and if it was attracted,

- restoring blade 51 will be moved upwardly as follower described.

Punch unit The punch unit PU is characterized by a construction especially-'devisedfor simplification to reduce the cost of manufacture. The punch unit is made up of twelve rectangular Wafer strips (Fig. 3), one for each of the twelve rows,of index points, R, X, 0, l, 2, 3,4,6, 6, 7, 8 and 9, and therefore each strip carries eighty interposers and punches adapted to punch the same index point in ditterentcolumns. If so desired the strip 60.1nay carry twelve punches and interposers and be parallel to strips 43. As is evident inFig. 3,.these. twelve strips are at right angles to the eighty strips 43. They are suitably held between side plates 61,;62 of a framework fastened by bolts 63 (Fig. la) to side frame plates 119. Each wafer 60 is formed of a plastic or any suitable moldable material and by a suitable molding operation is formed with eighty slots at right angles to thelength of the strip in which are assembled at the bottom the punches 65 and interposers-j66 above, each of which overlies its respective punch 65. Oneside of each'strip lengthwise is cut inwardly soas to receive a bail plate 59 .(Fig. 2) having three portions 67, 68, 69 (Figs. 1a and 2). Bail portion 69engages slots in the punches and normallyholds up all .thepunches 65 and interposers in a strip and after having gone down with the punches restores them asportion 69 goes up; bail portion 68 depresses an interposer66 rocked to engage it, and its punch, and hail portion 67 retains .and confines the interposers 66 in their slots, although portion 68 also does this to a certain extent.

.As will be seen in Fig. 1a, each interposer 66 tapers upwardly from. its midpoint to extend beyond the top of the related strip and its top is positioned just below the related ,end 54.0f wire .42, and to the right thereof (see Fig. 6). Each interposer '66 (Fig. la) also tapers downwardly from its midpoint and is provided with a latch shoulder 70 overlying the related punch 65, and normally out of engagement with the bail portion 68. The central part ofeach interposer 66 is widened so as to occupy not .quite thefull width of the slot to provide a loose pivot .forthe inter-poser 66 withoutthe use of pins,

studs, rods, or the like. While each wafer strip may all be formed ofplastic it may have a strengthening backing plate 71 of metal and bonded thereto. The total width of each strip 60 and backing plate 71 is equivalent to the distance between rows of index points, thus properly positioning the punches 65.

.Punch operation Afterthe end 54 (Fig. 6) of an interposer selecting wire 42 has been depressed to be on the left side of .the

upper end of the related interposer 66, setup bail plate 55 is cammed to the right, pivoting the interposer 66 clockwise to placeits latch shoulder 70 beneath the punch bail portion 68.

-Bail plate55, as best shown in Fig. '3, is a single plate apertured to receive all of the lower ends 54 of the inter- .poser selectingwires 42 and is hung at one sideby springs 75 (Fig. 6) and is connectedat the other end to a pair of=arms v76 secured to a rock shaft 77, said shaft 77 being actuated by a follower arm 78 secured to shaft 77 and actuated by -a cam 79. rockedby cam 79 it shiftsbail plate 55 to the right and When cam follower arm 78 is thus all flexiblewire ends 54, and those which have been lowered now rock their related interposers 66 before the punch operation (see Fig. 5). The interposer setup plate t .5518 restored by springs 75 under influence of cam 79.

:66 .andpunches-650f the associated strip 60 downward to punch .the card and punch restoring bail portion 69 by a respective cam 105 (Fig. 1). .enable the free clockwise rocking of all interposers but movement totheleft of said plate .100 restores counterrestgres the-depressedpunches 65and interposers 66 (Fig. .la). The means for reciprocating the punchbail portions 67, 68, 69. of bailplates 59 will now be described.

This reciprocation is effected by a pairyof punch cam bail follower slides 80 (Figs. 1a, 2 and 3), said slides having an elongated slot 81 in which fits extensions 82 (see Fig. 2) ofreach of the punch bail plates 59. Each .ofslides 80 slidein slots 83 (Fig. 1a of the respective operating means, as best shown in Fig. .2.

Each of the slides 80 has clearance slots (Figs. 1a and 2) to preventinterference with the shafts 19 and 18 which drive the sets of feeding rollers 20, 22, andalso a slot 91 (Fig. la) toprevent interference with shafts 146 which drive theskid rolls 1,47

Restoration of interposer selecting wires 42 The interposerselecting Wires--t2 are preferably restored ,after thepunching operation (see Fig. 5) by a series of wire restoring :bails 92 (Fig. 6) now to be described. A restoring bail 92 is provided 'for each series of punch ends 54 of all interposer selecting wires 42 of the same index point. For example, the left-hand bail. 92 cooperates with. the .ends 54 of all 12 or R interposer selecting wires .42, the next to the right with all X ones, etc. The twelve bails 92 are interfitted in slots .93 (Fig. 6) in a pair of side plates 94 having their ends guided in slots 95 formed in stationary side frame plates 96. The upper ends of side plates 94 extend upwardly to form follower portions 97 cooperating with cams 98. These cams raise the slides 94 upwardly and all restoring bails 92 after the punching operation. The projected end 54 of each latch control wire 54 having previously been brought down over a respective bail 92, the elevation of the latter will positively restore each projected wire 42.

Restoration of rocked interposers 66 other end by a pair .of arms 102 secured to a rock shaft l03 to which shaft 103a follower arm 104 is operated The slots in plate clockwise all rocked-interposers .66 after the punching operation disengages their shoulders 70 from the related punch bailportion 68.

Die unit Any suitable form of die unit may be provided and as herein shown die unit DU consists of a rectangular die support (Fig. 4) having four sides, similar to a box with anopenbottom. Thedie holes for the punches are providedby a'series of thin rectangular strips 111 and somewhat thicker transversely arranged strips 112.

115 which project through four holes in the die plate 114,

each pairof levers being urged by a spring 116 (Fig. 1a)

interconnected between a pair of levers 115 so as to maintain:thedie;plate 114 in tension and in the proper place. This arrangement enables quick replacement of-worn-out die plates 114.

' to the frames 120 by loosely fitting pins 124.

The die support 110 has ears 117 (Fig. 1a) provided with guide holes receiving guide pins 118 secured to the side frame plates 119 which carry the stationary punch unit PU. These guide pins insure proper movement of the die unit DU relative to the punch unit PU.

Two sides of the die support 110 extend downwardly to provide two die plate connecting plates 120 (Fig. 2). The slides for operating the die unit consist of a pair of U-shaped frames 121, each of which carries follower rollers 122 cooperating with complementary cams 123 also driven by shaft 88. The plates 120 are connected If a tight connection was made between these parts and a punched card did not feed out of the punch and die units, forcing of the die unit DU upwardly to clamp the card in position might, because of the extra card thickness, break parts. For this reason the plates 120 carry pre-stressed pins 130 which fit in rectangular slots 131 (Fig. 1a) in the side plates of frames 121. In the condition mentioned the overload will be taken care of by flexing of pins 130. Each of the frames 120 slides in blocks 132 carried by the side frames 84.

The cams 123 are designed so as to move die unit DU upwardly and have the card to be punched clamped between the die unit DU and punch unit PU when the punch bail portion 68 is moved downwardly to depress the selected interposers and punches to effect the card punching operation (see Fig. After the card punching operation the die unit DU is then lowered to free the card for feeding by skid rollers 147, the card gate 21 having in the meantime been moved to-a non-card stopping position by energization of magnet 12. The punched card is now ejected by feed rollers 22.

Driving mechanism The main drive shaft 88 is clutched into operation for each cycle of card punching operation and from this shaft drive gear connections are made to drive other parts of the machine. A gear 135 on the end of shaft 88 (Fig. 2) drives through an idler gear 136 a gear 137 (Figs. la and 2). Said gear 137 (Fig. 1) meshes with gears 138 and 139 secured to respective cam shafts 140 and 141. Only the pitch lines are shown in Figs. 1, 1a and 2, while some of the gears are shown in Fig. 3. The drive shafts 19 of feed rollers 20 are inter-geared by gears 143 (Fig. 1a) and drive shafts 18 of feed rollers 22 are inter-geared by gears 144. The ends of each of the lower shafts 18 and 1.9 carry gears 145 (Fig. 3) meshing with a smaller gear 149 (Fig. la) rotatable with gear 136. Gear 151 (Fig. 3) secured to the lower feed roller driving shaft 19 meshes with an idler gear 142 which meshes with a gear 148 secured to a shaft 146 which carries the skid or frictional drive rollers 147. The arrangement is duplicated so as to drive the two shafts 146 (Fig. 4) carrying the skid rollers 147.

Chip chute Chips which pass or fall through the die openings are removed from the die by a high velocity air stream which pulls the chips through the air chute 150 (Fig. 2) to a chip box external to the die unit. The air stream is supplied by a vacuum type fan which draws air through the die openings into the attached chip chute.

Modification of punch selecting unit Figs. 1 and 6 and differs only in the means employed for projecting wires 42.

For operating speeds from 4004,000 punched cards V 8 per minute the solenoid operated setup means shown in Fig. 1 is used. A short pickup and dropout time as well as a large clutching force to shift an interposer selecting wire 42 from a small initial force are advantages of this form of unit.

The principal differences between the setup unit of Fig. 6 and Fig. 1 is the provision in the latter of a solenoid 170 which replaces the magnet 37 of Fig. 6, and the use of a flat steel tape to transmit and magnify the small force exerted by the solenoid coil.

The sweep arm 30 in Fig. 1 is caused to move in an oscillating are by the same means as in Fig. 6 and guides sweep bail 152, causing it to pivot at 153 on a plate 154 as bail 152 is elevated. The sweep bail 152 is reciprocated vertically by means of a steel tape 155 which is a flat blade .040 wide by .005 thickness, suspended by a spring 156 on a bracket 157 of a reciprocable plate 158. The combinational arcuate and vertical movement of the sweep bail 152 by the sweep arm 30 and tape 155 gives the sweep bail 152 the required pivotal and reciprocal movement to project an interposer latch control wire 42.

The tape 155 is suspended between the plate 154 which is guided in a bracket extension 169 of plate 158 and a plate 159 guided in a plate 160 secured to the bracket 157, and being carried by plate 158 partakes of a reciprocating movement given to the plate 158 by means now to be described.

Plate 158 carries rollers 161 rolling between spaced tracks 162, 163 and supplemental rollers 164 also rolling between a pair of tracks 163, only one being shown in Fig. 1. Loosely pivoted on the rock shaft 165 to which sweep arm 30 is connected is a double follower arm 166 carrying a roller cooperating with a cam 167 secured to shaft 141 and having its free arm underlying a roller 168 carried by plate 158.

Sweep arm 30 and double arm 166 operate synchronously so that sweep bail 152 passes in front of each of the extremities 41 of interposer selecting wires 42, and successively as the index points of the punched card are analyzed, and contemporaneous with the energization of a control solenoid 170.

The purpose of solenoid 170 is to stop temporarily the elevation of the tape 155 while permitting a slight elevation of the plate 158 and in so doing extend the spring 156. This slight elevation of tape 155 causes sweep bail to pivot about pin 153 as sweep bail 152 rocks about shaft 166 and this combined movement causes the sweep bail 152 to be shifted to displace a selected interposer selecting Wire 42. e

To stop the tape 155 there is provided a stationary shoe block 171 and a movable clamp block 172 between which tape 155 passes and reciprocates freely. A wedgeshaped interposer 173 pivoting on a pin 175'acts on a slidable clamp rod 176 and said interposer 173 is connected to the solenoid core 176.

When solenoid 170 is energized it attracts its core 176, rocking interposer 173 counterclockwise about pivot pin 175 and against the action of a spring 177 to shift clamp rod 176 to the right and clamp shoe 172 in the same direction, thus clamping tape 155 against shoe block 171, thus stopping elevation of tape 155. As previously de scribed, this causes an extension of thesweep bail 152 to displace a selected wire 42.

The solenoid 170 is energized for a very short time, like magnet 37 (Fig. 6) and the sweep bail 152 will be displaced from its normal sweep path just long enough to displace the wire 42 and still be able to restore it to a position which will allow the next and successive wires 42 to be passed by. As soon as the solenoid 170 is deenergized, spring 156 withdraws the sweep bail 152, using the energy stored in the spring to accelerate the sweep bail 152 to the velocity of drive plate 158.

An added feature of the construction of the Fig. 1 arrangement is an automatic compensation for wear. The

to continuously maintain thelproper space between the shoe block 171 and clamp shoe 172.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention, it will be understood that various ornissipns and substitutions and changes in,theform and details of the device illustrated and initsoperationmay be made by those skilled in theart, without ,departingfrom the spirit of the invention. It is thedntention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated bythe scope of the following claims.

What is claimedis:

1. In a machine for punching a plurality of rows of record material, a die, a row of punches, a punch plate, an interposer for each punchmovable from an inactive to an active position to engage said punch plate, a plurality of interposer operating wires, one for each interposer and actuable for moving an interposer to said active position, a support plate equivalent in thickness to the spacing of successive rows oftrecord material and having guide channels for said Wires, said guide channels divergently spacingone of the ends of saidwires over said interposers and for converging the other ends of said wires to a much closer spacing, an actuatingmeans for said wires, a bail adapted to sweep said means over the converging ends of said wires, electrical means energizable by timed impulses, means controlled by said electrical means when energized for causing the operation of said actuating means to actuate a selected interposer opoperate the associated punch.

2. In a machine for punching a row of record material, a die, a row of punches, a punch plate, an interposer for each punch overlying the associated punch and movable to engage said punch plate, a plurality of wires, one for each interposer and actuable for causing the movement of an interposed to engage said punch plate, an operating plate for said wires, means for guiding and divergently spacing one of the ends of said wires over said interposers and to engage said operating plate and for converging the other ends of said wires to a much closer spacing, an actuating means for said wires, a bail adapted to sweep said actuating means over the converging ends of said wires, an electromagnet energizable by timed impulses for operating said actuating means to actuate a selected interposer operating wire, means for moving the operating plate to shift all of said one ends of said wires to cause the actuated wire to move a related interposer to engage the punch plate, means for operating said punch plate to cause the interposer which was moved to engage the punch plate to operate the associated punch, and separate means for positively restoring the actuated wire and the operated punch and associated interposer.

3. In a machine for punching a plurality of rows of record material, a die, a row of punches, a punch plate, an interposer for each punch movable from an inactive to an active position to engage said punch plate, a plurality of interposer operating wires, one for each interposer and actuable for moving an interposer to said active position, a support plate equivalent in thickness to the spacing of successive rows of record material and having guide channels for said wires, said guide channels divergently spacing one of the ends of said wires over said interposer-s and for converging the other ends of said wires to a much closer spacing, an actuating means for said wires, a bail adapted to sweep said means over the converging ends of said wires, an electromagnet energizableby tirned impulses for -operating said actuating means when energized to actuatea selected interposer operating wire, and means tor operating said punch plate to cause the interposermoved in active position to operate the associatedtpune'h.

4. 'In a machine for punching .a row of record m-aiterial a row of punches, an interposer for each punch movable from an inactive ,toan active position toselect a punch for operation, a plurality of interposer operating wires, one for each interposer and .actuable for moving an interposer to, said active positiommeans for guiding and divergently spacing one ofthe ,ends of said wires over said interposers .and ,for convergingthewother ends of said wires to ,a much closerspacing, means for actuat- 1ing sa-id wires, means to sweeplsai-dactua-ting meansover the converging ends of said wires, and electromagnetic means operative by tirn'ed impulses for causing said actuating means to actuate aselected interposer operating wire to cause the latterj to move the related interposer to an active positionto select theassoeiated punch.

5. ;In a machine for punching a plurality of rows of record material, aidie, a row of punches, a punch plate, an interposer for each punch movable froman inactive to an active position to engage said punch plate, a plurality of interposer operating wires, one for ,each ,inter poser and each actuable to engage an associated interposer, a support plate equivalent in thickness to the spacing of successive rows of record material and having guide channels ,for said Wires, said guide channels diver-gently spacing one of the ends of said wires adjacent said interposers for engagement therewith when projected and for gonvepging the other ends of said wires t m h clcsc s a "Is an ctua n m n for s i i es a b i a a t d WQQPfl-i ac a me over the converging ends of said" wires, an electromagnet enisr v zt b by imed impul e ,f ope h n v n rgized id e fiuaw mean actuate e e t d inte poser operating wire to engage an associated interposer, means for moving said one ends of said wires to cause the actuated interposer ope-rating wire to move the related interposer to an active position engaging said punch plate, and means for operating said punch plate to cause the interposer moved in active position to operate the associated punch.

6. In a machine for punching a plurality of rows of recordmaterial, a die, a row of punches, a punch plate, an interposer for each punch movable from an inactive to an active position to engage said punch plate, a plurality of interposer selecting wires, one for each interposer and setta-ble to a position for moving an inter-poser to said active position, means for divergently spacing one of the ends of said wires for operative association with said interposer-s and for converging the other ends of said wires to a much closer spacing, an actuating means for said wires, a bail adapted to sweep said means over the converging ends of said wires, an electromagnet energizable by timed impulses for operating when energized said actuating means to actuate a selected interposer selecting wire, means engaging said one ends of all interposer selecting wires to shift said ends to cause the interposer selecting wire set to said position to move the associated interposer to active position to engage said punch plate, and means for operating said punch plate to cause the interposer moved in active position to operate the associated punch.

7. In a machine for punching a row of record material, a row of punches, an interposer for each punch movable to an active position to select a punch, a plurality of interposer selecting wires each adapted to be actuated to select a related interposer, one of the ends or said wires converging to a narrow arcuate spacing, means to actuate a selected wire, means for sweeping said means in an arcuate path successively over said arcuate ends of the wires, other means movable in a timed relationship with said sweeping means engaging said actuating v 11 V means for causing when arrested a movement resulting from the arresting of said other means and said arcuate movement which efieots the operation of said actuating means to actuate an interposer wire, and electromagnetic means energizable by timed impulses to efiect the arresting of said other means.

8. A punch mechanism comprising for each row of punches a strip having a series of channels therein and open at one side, a punch at the bottom of each channel, a punch plate co-extensive with the length of said strip and at said one side for partly closing the open sides of said channels for operating selected punches, and an interposer in each channel overlying the associated punch and having a portion arranged to be shifted out of its channel to be interposed between said punch plate and the related punch.

9. A punch mechanism for record material comprising for each row of punches a strip having a series of channels therein at right angles to its length and open at one side, a punch at the bottom of each channel, a punch plate for operating selected punches co-extensive with the length of said strip and at said open side for partly closing the open sides of said channels, an interposer in each channel overlying the associated punch and arranged to be shifted out of its channel to be interposed between said punch plate and the related punch, a metal backing plate attached to the closed side of said strip, said strip being recessed at the open side, whereby the combined width of the punch plate, strip and backing plate does not exceed the spacing between successive rows of the record material.

10. A punch mechanism comprising for each row of punches a strip of moldable material having a series of channels molded therein and open at one side, a punch at the bottom of each channel, a punch plate co-extensive with the length of said strip having three portions at the open side of the strip, one portion partly closing said channels to confine the punches in the channels, and an 12 interposer in each channel overlying the associated punch and having a projection to be shifted in the channel to underlie a second portion of said punch plate, each of said punches having a projection overlying the third portion of said punch plate for positively restoring depressed v punches.

11. A selector for a plurality of punch interposers for "punches spaced to conform to the punch spacing comprising a plurality of interposer selecting wires, a strip of material having guide means for said wires, said guide means at one side of said strip spacing the wires to conform to the spacing of the interposers to overlie said interposers, and converging the other ends of said wires at another side of said strip arcuately and to a relatively much narrower spacing, means for actuating said wires, means to sweep said actuating means over the converging arcuately arranged ends of said wires, and electromagnetinterposers to overlie the interposers, and converging the other ends of the wires to terminate in an arcuate line at another side of said strip to a relatively much narrower spacing, means for actuating said wires, means to sweep said actuating means over the converging arcuately arranged ends of said wires, and electromagnetic means operative by timed impulses for causing said actuating means to actuate a selected wire to select a related interposer.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,078,470 Thomas Apr. 27, 1937

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