US2854117A - Automatic stencil cutter - Google Patents

Description

P 1958 A. A. BERLINSKY ErAL AUTOMATIC STENCIL CUTTER 11 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 17, 1955 IOU- s 1 R e N mini 7 e 50 0 5.05 T n 5 0 .We 0 A @W Mf r o 9 umfib m V. neoe ALRLM Mina AGENT Sept. so, 1958 A. A. BERLINSKY ETAL Filed May 17, 1955 AUTOMATIC STENCIL CUTTER l1 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS Amhony A. Ber/015k Lesfer F Wilkinson Koberf [(26 Leroy 7. Wood M A TTOENEY M i. m

AGENT p 1953 A. A. BERLINSKY El AL 2,854,117

AUTOMATIC STENCIL CUTTER ll Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 1'7, 1955 INVENTORS v! E T N n am an o 6 mx #4 r.m d A k AWm m WE .1 f. OVFV/ v lw ok Z ALQAMM p 11958 A. A. BERLINSKY ETAL 2,854,117

AUTOMATIC STENCIL CUTTER Filed May 17 1955 11 Sheets-Sheet 4 FTE: 4

Dl TAPE INVENIORS Ami-hon ABer/msky Leszer Wilkinson fioberz lfee Leroy T. Wood MWATTORNQY AGNT p 3@, 3953 A. A. BERLINSKY ETAL 2,854,117

AUTOMATIC STENCIL CUTTER Filed May 17, 1955 11 Sheets-Sheet 5 9 INVENTORS Ami-hon dfiierlmsky Leszer Mlkinson Ruben kee BY Leroy Z Wood m WATTORNEY Miimu AGENT p 1958 A. A. BERLINSKY ET AL 2,854,117

AUTOMATIC STENCIL CUTTER l1 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed May 17, 1955 5 R v, M T n .K M mmw m e wmm d m mBwm w Awmw E L m ry.

P 3958 A. A. BERLKNSKY ETAL 2,854,111?

AUTOMATIC STENCIL CUTTER Filed May 17, 1955 1 11 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTORS Amhony A Berh'nsk Y Lesf-er F Wilkinson koberl- Kee BY Leroy Woad m ATTORNEY Sept- 3&1 153 A. A. BERLINSKY EI'AL 2,

AUTOMATIC STENCIL CUTTER Filed May 1''), 1955 11 Sheets-Sheet 8 m y m m w m MJNQO T wmW WF Z ff wmmw m w mm y P 1958 A. A. BERLINSKY ETAL 2,854,117

AUTOMATIC STENCIL CUTTER ll Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed ma 17, 1955 1958 A. A. BERLINSKY ET AL 2,854,117

AUTOMATIC STENCIL CUTTER Sept. 30,

ll Sheets-Sheet 10 Filed May 17, 1955 Sept. 30, 1958 A. A. BERLINSKY ET AUTOMATIC STENCIL CUTTER Filed May 17, 1955 ll Sheets-Sheet 11 (STOP CODE (CODE DELETE i s aocker FEED CARRIAGE RETURN 1 A a I I l i i i 9: CHANNEL${ oopoooogooooioo en/Q0 EJECT TIM/N6 D/A GRAM TIMIN6 C. B. SID

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IIl'lll lllllllllllllllll O IITI' United States Patent AUTOMATIC srnNcn. CUTTER Anthony A. Berlinsky, Washington, D. C., and Lester F. Wilkinson, Churchton, and Robert Kee, Forest Heights, Md, and Leroy T. Wood, Washington, D. C., assignors to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Commerce Application May 17, 1955, Serial No. 509,124

21 Claims. (Cl. 197-20) This invention relates to an automatic stencil cutter for inscribing intelligence in response to sensed coded information. The invention particularly relates to the inscribing of intelligence such as the particular identity of a subject on a perforated card such as is commonly employed in a data processing machine.

The use of perforated cards on which information data is stored by means of Hollerith coded perforations is well known. The information generally stored on such cards includes, in addition to specific technical data of any variety, coded perforations which identify the subject of the card, as, for example, a person or company, together with the address and serial numbers which give a ready indication of information which further identifies the person or company as to address, age, type of business etc. However, in order to discern such information, the perforated cards must be run through a data processing machine which sorts the cards according to predetermined desired subject categories and then reads and decodes the perforations and prints out the desired information in an automatic typewriter.

if, for example, the name and address of the cards subject is desired, such involved procedure must be performed for each card and the resulting information thereby made available must then be transferred toan envelope either by actuating an automatic typewriter or cutting stencils for subsequent transfer to an envelope.

To obviate the necessity for such involved procedure, the present invention provides a rapid and economical way of providing on each perforated card, in addition to the coded information already provided thereon, an integral stencil which directly indicates desired information such as the name and address of the particular subject corresponding to a card. Thus there is readily available on the card, without subsequent processing, a stencil for directly addressing communications to the subject.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an automatic stencil cutter which is singularly adapted to punch out on a conventional perforated card or other record medium the name and address and other identifying information concerning a subject.

it is a further object of this invention to provide an automatic stencil cutter which is automatically operated in accordance with coded information provided by apro gramming device.

his a still further object of this invention to provide an automatic stencil cutter which automatically handles stacked groups of cards in sequence and accurately positions and records desired information on a predetermined area of the card.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a sequence controlled stencil cutter which automatically responds to coded instructions provided in the form of programmed information which will perform the operations of (l) selecting a card from a stack, (2) positioning said card in operative position in the stencil cutter, (3) punching out groups of intelligence with automatic spac- 'ice ing between words, (4) automatically line-spacing the perforated information, and (5) ejecting the completed card into a collection hopper.

Other uses and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reference to the specification and drawings.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the automatic stencil cutter as seen from the front;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a portion of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the portion of the machine shown in Fig. 2, certain parts being omitted;

Fig. 4 is a top view of the machine shown partly in section and with certain parts omitted for purposes of clarity;

Fig. 5 is a rear view of the machine;

Fig. 6 is an isometric view showing the card carriage together with some of the pertinent control mechanism;

Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken on line 77 of 'Fig. 2 showing the card perforating mechanism;

Fig. 8 is an isometric view which details the card feed mechanism;

Fig. 9 is a mechanical schematic diagram showing-the operative relationship among the machine components;

Figs. 10A10B which form a single diagram with Fig. 10B arranged on top of Fig. 10A is a schematic wiring diagram illustrating the electrical circuitry;

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic illustration showing the arrangement of the character-punch selecting solenoids employed in the machine;

Fig. 12 details a portion of a preferred type of programming tape employed and further illustrates typical coded instructions and their meaning;

Fig. 13 is a timing diagram showing the operative periods of respective control elements employed;

Fig. 14 shows the type of stencil cutting produced in a typical perforated card, and

Fig. 15 is an isometric view of a special electromagnet construction employed to actuate various mechanisms of the invention.

The overall assembly of the automatic stencil cutter is shown in Fig. l. The machine includes a cabinet enclosure which houses a main machine frame 101 portions of which are contained within the cabinet in Fig. '1. The frame includes a machine base plate 102 which serves as the support for the card handling mechanism. Mounted on such base plate is the card feed control mechanism generally designated as 103, the tape reader and card feed drive motor 104, the card -feed hopper 105, and the tape reading mechanism 106. A relay type information translator 107 is shown occupying a portion of the interior of the cabinet 100. Fig. 1 further shows the card storage hopper 108, the card ejecting roller assembly 109, and the card perforating punch mechanism 110. There is also shown in Fig. 1 the shiftable card carriage 111 which is slidably mounted on a guide and is indexed by means of a carriage word spacing mechanism co-operably related with a carriage return solenoid R-24. The punch-cards C when inoperative position are supported on a platen 114 which extends up to the storage hopper 108.

In order to orient the various mechanisms involved .in the overall functioning of the machine, the general arrangement and operation of the machine will first be described with particular reference to the mechanical schematic diagram shown in Fig. '9.

The machine is automatically sequence-controlled by a perforated programming tape T bearing distinct rows of coded information patterns each containing a particular machine control instruction as shown in Fig. .12.

The programming tape T may be 'of the type prepared medium without limit.

3 on a standard Flexowriter coding machine such as is manufactured by the Commercial Controls Corporation, although any known preferred method of preparing programming material can also be employed. In preparing the programming tape the operator, working from known data, will rapidly encode the desired intelligence which is to appear on the punch-card or other record medium which the machine of this invention is adapted to handle, as well as the necessary instructions required by the machine to process the punch-card through various manipulative steps as will be described.

A typical example of the type of information to be cut on the card is illustrated in Fig. 14 which shows a typical commercial punch-card which has been stencil-cut by the mechanism of this invention as indicated by the area A. It willbe notedthat information in the form of the name and address of a particular addressee together-with other pertinent information appears in the form of distinct perforated lines each containing one or more spaced words or information groups. As will be evident from Fig. 12, each character and each particular instruction will be represented by a distinct row of coded perforations respectively on the tape. The correlation between each coded instruction and the particular intelligence or instruction represented thereby is indicated in Fig. 12. For example, a code indicating the alphabetical letter A will be represented in coded form by perforations appearing in channels 1 and 2 of the tape while perforations in channels 3, 5, and 6 indicate a carriage-return instruction.

The Flexowriter is sufliciently flexible to enable coding of instructions representing each of the 26 alphabetical characters, the various digit'numbers from 1 to 9, punctuation marks, special signs, and at least 7 special control functions. The operator, in preparing the program tape, therefore merely types out on the keyboard of the Flexowriter, word by Word, the desired information. When the space bar of the Flexowriter is operated, a code containing perforations inchannel 3 of the tape appears whereas a line-space code corresponding to perforations in channels 3 and is obtained when the carriagereturn key on the Flexowriter keyboard is operated. Similarly a special code occupying channels of the tape is perforated to signify that a card has been completed and will result in the ejection of a completed card.

In this manner an operator can,. with great rapidity, code a programming tape with information to be in- The card carriage 111 is indicated in Fig. 9 as being slidably mounted directly in front of the platen 114 and is guided for movement parallel to the platen by means of a guide bar and a rack 615 which is operatively connected to a carriage indexing and return mechanism 620. The latter mechanism includes a pinion 616 rotatably mounted on the carriage indexing shaft 635a. A clutch plate 620a is secured to the pinion and is adapted to rotate therewith. .The clutch plate includes a plurality of circumferentially arranged, equally spaced holes 6200 adapted to receive a connecting pin 621 secured to a shiftable sleeve 620. The sleeve 62012 is connected to a carriage return solenoid R-24. The sleeve 620b is normally biased so that the connecting pin 621 engages in the described peripheral holes 6200 in the clutch plate. The card carriage 111 is normally biased to the right as seen from the front in Fig. 9 by means of a flexible tape 631 one end of which is secured to the, card carriage, the other one. being connected to the spring biased carriage return drum 632. The carriage indexing shaft 635a carries an indexing ratchet 640 secured thereto which may be intermittently advanced by a pawl 636a. The pawl is adapted to be operated either by a rocker plate 636 secured to the indexing shaft or collaterally by the armature of an indexing solenoid .R-29 secured to the machine frame. It will be apparent from Fig. 9, that as the indexing shaft 635a is reciprocated by the indexing-shaft lever 6.35, the pawl 636a will intermittently engage with and step the ratchet wheel 640 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from the front in Fig. 9.

The pinion 616 is directly coupled to clutch plate 620a and both such elements are adapted to be connected to v the index shaft 635a by sleeve 6201) and pin 621. When is perforated in the perforated card by the perforating scribed on a series of perforated cards or other record If the operator were to directly inscribe such intelligence directly on the punch-card by using a standard Elliott type of perforating machine the production efiiciency would be greatly. decreased because of the necessity of separately feeding a card into the machine and then operating on it in typewriter-like fashion.

The automatic stencil cutter comprising the present invention is designed to accomplish the stencilcutting operation automatically and at high speed. The combined advantages gained by employing the inherent high speed of operation of a tape. coding device such as the Flexowriter together with the automatic stencil cutter of this invention are such as to immeasurably increase the .productive efforts involved when a large amount of information must be handled. Moreover, the editing and correction of errors in the program tape minimizes the relatively high number of wasted punch-cards which have been inaccurately cut. I 'Fig. 9 shows the relationship among the principal mechanical components of the automatic stencil cutter comprising the present invention. Certain of the mechanisms involved including the electrical control elements have been omitted from the schematic illustration of Fig. 9 for purposes of clarity. The operative components are shown in their general orientation with respect to the centrally located ip'late'nperfo'rating station defined by the operating punch assembly 110.

mechanism of the stencil cutter, the indexing shaft will be reciprocated once by lever 635 and the card carriage 111 will consequently be indexed one letter space in conventional typewriter fashion. 'Word spacing is provided for by specially actuating the above-described carriage indexing mechanism by means of the word-space solenoid R29. The sequenced instructions provided in the programming tape T as described will transmit a word-space instruction signal each time a word space is required.

Such signal is manifested by energization of the wordspace solenoid R-29i shown in Fig. 9. As already described, such solenoid is operatively associated with the indexing pawl 636a and willtherefore act to index the carriage the requisite number of times to provide a word space.

Means are operativelyv provided in connection with the card carriage 111 to provide for line spacing when called for by an instruction in the programming tape. The card carriage 111 includes a pair of card gripping rollers 601, 602 which are normally in engagement so as to firmly grip therebetween a punch-card C. The lower roller 602 is provided at one end with a-roller indexing ratchet 612 adapted to he stepped by a pawl 613 slidably carried by the frame of the card carriage. As will be described, the roller advancing pawl 613 is adapted to be stepped by a line-space solenoid R-23 whenever the carriage is in its initial right-hand position as viewed from the front in Fig. 9. Thus when carriage return movement is accomplished the action of the line-space rocker 617 which is secured to a line-space solenoid R-23 will act to inde solenoid will be energized and will pivot the rocker 617 to'actuate the line spacing pawl 613 and a line space will thereby be performed. The rocker 617 is adapted to engage the lever of an end-of-line-space micro switch S-3 mounted on the machine frame adjacent the rocker lever 617. The purpose of this switch is to de-energize the line-spacing control circuit after a line spacing operation has been performed as will be described.

Carriage return movement is obtained by energization of the carriage return solenoid R-24 which will retract the sleeve 6201: and disconnect pin 621 from engagement with the clutch plate 620a. Since only the sleeve 62% is connected to index shaft 635a, clutch plate 620a and pinion 616 are thereby rendered freely rotatable on the indexing shaft 635a and the carriage return drum 632 will return the card carriage 111 to its initial right-hand position. An end-of-carriage-return microswitch S-5 is positioned to be intercepted by the carriage when it arrives at such initial position. The microswitch S-5 is operatively related to the carriage-return solenoid circuit to be described and acts to de-energize the solenoid R-24 upon completion of carriage return movement.

A normally closed card-position microswitch 8-4 is diagrammatically shown in Fig. 9 mounted over the card platen 114 so that it is held open by a punch-card when carried in the card carriage 111. Such switch is part of the card feed control circuit and functions to disenable a card feed operation so long as a card is held in the card carriage.

The card perforating and carriage indexing mechanism are both operated by a main drive motor M. As shown in Fig. 9, the motor drives a power shaft 717 through a conventional belt and pulley drive 713 and the power shaft is connected by bevel gears 718, 718a to a vertical drive shaft 703 which carries the character punch magazine 702 and character punch selecting mechanism, only portions of which are shown in Fig. 9 for purposes of clarity. The means for selecting a desired character is a modification of a conventional Elliott perforating machine and will be described in connection with the detailed description of the machine construction.

The character punch operating member 710 is reciprocated by a lever 724 and is driven by an eccentric 712 fixed to the power shaft 717 through a one-cycle clutch. When the clutch is engaged, .a vertical plunger 714 is reciprocated by the eccentric and causes a selected character punch to perforate the card. The plunger 714 also concurrently transmits reciprocative motion through link 714a to the indexing shaft operating lever 635 and, through link 7141: and ratchet drive 730, to the die tape feed rollers 731.

When stencil cutting of a card is completed, ejection of the card from carriage 111 into storage hopper 108 (Fig. 1) is obtained through energization of a card ejection mechanism generally designated at 109 comprising an ejection roller 628, a card ejection drive motor 627, a control solenoid R-12 and related linkage. The ejection roller 628 is carried in a normally suspended position above and out of contact with the platen 114 and is continuously driven by the ejection drive motor 627 through a belt drive. The roller 628 is mounted on a carrier arm 630 normally biased to a raised position and pivotally supported by the motor frame. A rocker arm 633 is adapted to engage the carrier arm when actuated by the card eject solenoid R-12 mounted adjacent the eject motor. The rocker arm is connected to the solenoid R-12 by a shaft rockably mounted on the machine frame in a manner to be described. When completion of a card is manifested by an instruction on the program tape, energization of the eject solenoid R-12 will cause the rocker arm 633 to depress the eject roller 628 into contact with the surface of a punch-card lying on the platen 114. At such point in the operation of the machine the rollerrelease solenoid R610 on the card carriage 111 will also be energized to separate the rollers in the card carriage and the punch-card is thereby rendered free to be pro-' jacent the front of the platen and directly in alignment with the referred to space between the rollers 601, 602 of the card carriage 111. A pair of reciprocating fingers a are provided in suitable guides at the bottom of the hopper. These fingers are machined so as to be engageable with the edge of a bottommost card only. The linkage 205-207 reciprocates'the fingers to feed a bottommost card from the stack into the space between the rollers. A card feed solenoid R-21 is provided which, when energized, initiates a one-cycle clutch arrangement to be described which causes the motor 104 to drive the card feed linkage through a card feed cycle. An extension of the shaft 200 also rotates four timing cams 220, 221, 222, 223 operatively associated with a like number of timing circuit breaker contacts S8, S-9, S-10, and S11 whose function in the control circuit will be sub sequently described. The timing shaft also energizes a standard Flexowriter tape reading mechanism 106 symbolically shown in Fig. 9.

The operation of the over-all mechanism diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 9 can now be outlined. The normally closed card position microswitch S-4 mounted on platen 114 is employed to trigger the card feed mechanism when the machine is first started. That is, assuming that there is no card in the card carriage 111, the card feed control circuit to be later detailed will be energized when the machine is started and cause the linkage 205207 to feed a card from the hopper 105 to the card carriage 111. As will be described the pressure roller solenoid R-610 will be energized at such time to separate the rollers 601, 602 and permit entry of the card therebetween. After a card has been positioned in the card carriage, a portion thereof will project on the platen 114 and will therefore engage the operating lever of the card position microswitch S-4 to open and de-energize the card feed control circuit. The card is in continuous engagement with such switch during all perforating and positioning operations and therefore the card feed mechanism is de-energized until a completed card is ejected from the platen. At such time, the switch S4 will be released to normally closed position and will re-energize the card-feed control circuit and thereby initiate another card-feed cycle.

After a card has been fed into the card carriage, the roller solenoid R-610 is de-energized and the card is firmly gripped by the rollers 601 and 602. Instructions trans mitted as signals from the tape reader 106 are then memorized by a translator mechanism (not shown in Fig. 9) which automatically causes the machine to execute any one of the following six control operations, namely stencilcutting of a character, word spacing, line spacing, card eject, code stop and code delete.

If a stencil-cutting operation is called for by the program tape, the machine will automatically position the character punch magazine 702 so that the desired character or symbol punch is aligned with the perforating punch 710. Concurrently, as will be described, the motor M will actuate the arm 724 to perforate the card with a selected character punch and the transmission of such power stroke through links 714a and 635 will reciprocate the carriage index shaft 635a to shift the card carriage one letter space. If one or more word space instruction sig nals are sensed on the program tape, the word-space sole.-

noid R-29 is energized the requisite number of times to i ass ar 17 leases the clutch finger 621 and allows the carriage returnv drum 632 to shift the card carriagelll to its initial (righthand) position. When the carriage is in such position, the line-space solenoid ft-23 is energized to cause the rocker 617 and pawl 613 to rotate the rollers 601, 602 one ormore line-space increments and thereby advance the portion of the card lying on platen 114 with respect to the perforating punch.

Upon completion of a card, both the card eject mechanism 109 and thecard feed mechanism 205-207 are energized in sequence. When a card is completed, a

' proper instruction signal will energize the card eject solenoid 12-12, the roller-pressure solenoid R610 will be energized to release the rollers 601 and 602 and the eject roller 623 will then engage with and propel the completed and freed card into'the collection hopper. Simultaneously, the card position microswitch S4 is released to closed position to activate the card feed solenoid R-21. The remaining sequenced control functions will be described in connection with the control circuit.

The above-described mechanisms are specifically implemented in the construction now to be described in connection with Figs. 2-8 and 11-14, the electrical controls for articulating the functions of such mechanisms being described in connection with Figs. 10A-10B.

. T he card handling mechanism The card handling mechanism comprises means for feeding a card from the storage hopper 105 into the card carriage 111, carriage control means for manipulating the card in various rectilinear positions with respect to a card perforating station, and means for removing the card from the carriage and ejecting it into the collecting hopper 108. The above operations are divided among (1) the card feed mechanism and (2) mechanisms controlled by the translator in response to instructions from the program tape. Referring to Figs. 3 and 6 the rollers 601, 602 on the card carriage 111 serve the dual purposes of (l) gripping the card to hold it while it is being punched and (2) displacing the card with respect to the carriage to perform line spacing functions. Once the punch-card is positioned be-' tween the rollers in the roller carriage it is firmly gripped thereby in a position such that a portion of the card is positioned on the platen 114 in proximity to the card perforating station defined by operating punch 710. The card carriage 111 is then indexed in typewriter-like fashion one letter-space consequent to a perforation action and, upon completion of a line, the carriage is returned to an initial position at which time the rollers 601, 602 are actuat d in a line-spaci11g operation to advance the card Upon completion of a perforating operation, the rollers are separated and the ejection 'roller 623 propels the completed card into the collector bin 108.

The card carriage 111 is shown in Figs. 3 and 6 as being slidably mounted directly to the rear of, the card feed magazine 105 adjacent the upper portion of frame member 101. The construction of the card carriage is more clearly explained in the isometric view of Fig. 6. As shown in this figure, the carriage comprises a U-shaped frame 600 in which a first lower roller 601 and a second upper roller 602 are rotatably mounted. The axis of rotation of the lower roller 601 is fixed, with respect to the frame 630, but the pintles forming the rotational. axis of the upper roller 602 are mounted in bearings provided in a pair of similar vertically shiftable carriers 603. Each of the carriers is suspended from the ends of a pair of lifting links 604, 605 which are fulcrumed to the frame 600 and pinned together and to the medial portion of an actuating link 606 at point 607. Link 606 is in turn.

fulcrumed to the frame 600 by means of a bracket 608.

A roller release solenoid R610 is fixed to one sidev of the frame .600 as shown in Fig. 6 and the solenoidis provided with an armature 611 which is pivotally engaged with one end of link 606. In the position shown in Fig. 6, the rollers 601, 602 are normally in engagement, the proximity between the two being sufficient to firmlyf engage a perforated card which has been .positioned therebetween' as will become apparent. Energization of the roller-release solenoid R-610 will result in a downward displacement of the armature 611 and the resulting fulcrurning of links 606, 605, and 607 will produce elevation of both the carrierplates 603 to separate the upper roller 602 from the lower roller, thereby providing a clearance space to accommodate a card.

The lower roller 601 is provided with a ratchet wheel.

612 cooperably related with a ratchet pawl 613 pivotally mounted on the carriage frame 600by means of a slide 614. it will be apparentthat vertical displacement of the slide will cause pawl 613 to engage with and ad ably mounted in suitable guides 615a fixed to the main machine frame 101. A portion of the lower edge of the guidebar is machined to provide a toothedrack 61517 which is engaged by a pinion 616 forming part of the carriage indexing mechanism to be described.

As is conventional, the initial position of the card-carriage is to the right as viewed from the front in Fig. 6, and, as each letter is perforated in the punch-card by the perforating mechanism, the carriage is indexed space by space to the left until a selected line is completed. Line spacing of a card carried between the rollers 601 and 602 is accomplished in a manner similar to the action of a typewriter by shifting the card carriage bodily back to its initial right-hand position. Upon completion of such carriage displacement, the lower portion ofthe slide 614 will be in position to engage against the nose of a pivoted rocker 617. pivotally secured to the main machine frame by means of a pintle 6176:. The slide 614 is'slidably mounted on the frame 600 of the card carriage and will be displaced upwardly when engaged by the rocker 617. i

A line space solenoid R-23 is mounted on the main machine frame below the card carriage (see Fig. 2) and its armature 618 is connected to the bell crank 617. When a line space is called for by a coded representation of the program tape T, the solenoid R23 willbe energized to pivot the rocker 617 which will raise the slide or pawl carrier 614, thus causing the pawl 613 to advance the ratchet 612 and roller 601 one line space. Should a line space not be called for, however, the solenoid R-23 will not be energized so that no line spacing will occur upon return movement of the card carriage.

An end-of-line space microswitch S3 is disposed adjacent the rocker 617 as shown in Fig. 6 and is adapted I to be actuated by an extension ledge 617k. As willbe later made apparent, the microswitch S3 is articulated with the line-space solenoid energization circuit to as to 'de-energize the'circuit upon completion of a linespac'e operation. by the programming tape, the line-space solenoid R23 will be'repeatedly energized while the card carriage is in its initial right-hand position and the consequent pivot-- special clutch comprisingsleeve 62012, and clutch plate If repeated line spacings are called for 9 620a which cooperates with the pinion 616 and a further related control linkage to regulate the indexing of the card carriage. A carriage-return tape 631 is provided which connects the slidable card carriage 111 to a carriage-return reel 632 mounted on the machine frame.

The carriage indexing mechanism is constructed to permit indexing of the card carriage 111 (1) following a card perforating operation, (2) upon receipt of a programmed (word space) instruction from the program tape and (3) to permit carriage return movement to its initial right-hand position upon receipt of a line space or other special control function instructional signal from the program tape. To permit such mode of operation, the indexing shaft 635a is made in two sections; a rear section to which the reciprocating lever 635 and the pawl driver 636 are secured, and a forward portion on which the sleeve 62% is slidably but nonrotatably mounted and to which the ratchet wheel 640 is secured.

The carriage indexing pinion 616 and clutch plate 620a comprise a unitary assembly which is rotatably mounted on the forward part of indexing shaft 63512. It will be apparent that, as the rear portion of the shaft 635a is reciprocated by lever 635, the pawl driver and pawl 636:: will step the ratchet wheel 640 and transmit stepwise motion in a counterclockwise direction to the forward portion of the shaft. Assuming that the sleeve 62012 is in a position wherein the clutch pin is in engagement with a hole 62% in clutch plate 620a, such step by step motion will be transmitted to the pinion 616 which, in turn will index the card carriage 111 the distance of one letter space at a time in conventional typewriter-like fashion.

It will be noted from Fig. 6 that the indexing pawl is co-laterally connected to the space solenoid R-29. Because of such connection, energization of such solenoid will actuate pawl 636a independently of the driver 636 and lever 635. As will be described, the word-space solenoid is energized by an instruction signal from the program tape and imparts suflicient motion to pawl 636a and ratchet 640 to index the carriage the equivalent of a word space.

The sleeve 62012 is normally urged in a direction in which the connecting pin 621 is engaged with the holes 6200 in the clutch plate 620a and the sleeve, pinion 616, ratchet 640 and the tape are thereby operated in unison as the carriage is indexed. Upon completion of a line of perforations, the carriage-return solenoid R-24 is energized under instruction of the program tape, displacing the sleeve 62% and pin 621 from operative engagement with clutch plate 620a. Since the pinion 616 and clutch plate 620a are now freely rotatable on shaft 6350, the carriage-return spring drum 632 will then retract the card carriage to its initial, right-hand position at which time de-energization of the carriage-return solenoid R-24 will release the connecting pin into engagement with clutch plate 620a.

When a perforated card is positioned between the rollers 601, 602 in the card carriage 111, the portion of the card which projects over the platen 114 is adapted to engage and open the normally closed card-position microswitch 8-4 (see Fig. 9) which is mounted directly over the platen. The operating arm of the switch is continuously engaged by a card so long as it is held in such position. One function of microswitch 8-4 is to deenergize the card-feed control circuit so long as a card is positioned in the card carriage and thus prevent multiple feeding. After a completed card is ejected from the card carriage, the microswitch S-4 is closed and thus permits subsequent energization of the card-feed control circuit which then functions to automatically feed a card into the card carriage.

When a card is held in the card carriage, a portion thereof extends over the platen 114 as described. A portion of the platen is provided with a slot 624 (Fig. 6) which gives access to an idler roller 625, the periphery of which is substantially flush with the upper surface of the platen.

A card-ejection roller 628 is suspended immediately above the slot 624 shown in Fig. 6. The ejecting roller is continuously driven by card ejecting motor 627 secured to the main machine frame 101. Referring also to Fig. 3, the ejecting roller is shown rotatably mounted on a spindle 628a which is eccentrically mounted with respect to the motor shaft 629. Such eccentric mount comprises a radius arm 630 which is pivotally secured to the motor concentrically with the motor axis by a bracket 631. A drive pulley 629a is also affixed to the shaft of eject motor 627 and is drivingly associated with the eject roller 628 by a belt 632. The radius arm 630 is normally suspended in an elevated position with respect to platen 114 by a spring (not shown) and is adapted to be pivoted downward by means of a shifter 633 (see Fig. 6) which is pivoted to the frame and connected to a control shaft 634.

A card-eject solenoid R-12 is secured to the rear of the motor 627 as shown in Figs. 3 and 6. The armature of the solenoid R12 is connected to a crank arm 634b (see Fig. 5) which is keyed to the shaft 634. The shaft 634 is rotatably mounted in bearings 634a (Fig. 6) fixed to the machine frame and is therefore subject to rotation when the card-eject solenoid R-12 is energized. Rotation of such shaft will obviously cause the shifter 633 to depress the radius arm 630 and ejection roller 628 into contact with the guide roller 625 mounted below the platen. As is apparent, when the card carriage has been shifted to its initial right-hand position, and upon receipt of a completion signal from the program tape, energization of the card eject solenoid R-12 will cause the roller 628 to engage the surface of the card and propel the completed card along the platen 114 and into the collection bin 108.

The carriage indexing shaft 635a also has secured thereto a pair of circuit breaker operating cams 637, 638 adapted to co-act with a first and second set of circuit breaker contacts 8-12 and 8-13 as shown in Fig. 9 for a purpose to be described.

Fig. 6 also shows the orientation with respect to the card carriage of the end-of-carriage-return rnicroswitch 8-5. The operating lever of such switch is disposed in the path of the frame of the card carriage 111 so as to be actuated thereby when the card carriage is returned to its initial right-hand position. Actuation of such switch acts to disenable the carriage-return solenoid (R-24) energization circuit as will be described.

Card feed mechanism The card-feed mechanism comprises a card-feed hopper (Figs. 3, 4, and 7) and a motor driven automatic card-feed linkage which is detailed in Figs. 3 and 7. The hopper 105 comprises a rectangular storage box suitably dimensioned to accommodate a standard Hollerith type punch-card. The front wall of the hopper as shown in Fig. 7 is provided with a slot 105a adjacent the bottom surface through which a bottomrnost card may be projected into the card carriage 111. As noted in Fig. 7, the bottom of the card hopper, the space between the card holding rollers 601 and 602 in the card carriage 111 and the top surface of the platen 114 lie on a common horizontal plane. A portion of the platen 114 is provided with a guide plate 114a made of spring material and which forms a card receiving pocket. The guide plate also includes an opening 11 1b for accommodating the character punch.

As best shown in the top view of Fig. 4, the bottom surface of the card hopper 105 is provided with a pair of slots 105b, extending the width of the hopper, and a guide bar 105d is suitably mounted in the center of each slot. A card feeding finger 105e is slidably mounted in each of the slots on a respective one of the guide bars. Each feeding finger 105a comprises a plate having a machined edge which is so proportioned as to be engageable with the thickness ofa single one of the cards in the hopper.

Referring to'Figs. 2, 3, 7, and 8, the card feeding mechanism further includes an eccentric 204, a connecting rod 205, a bell crank 206 and a reciprocating cardfeed lever 207. The eccentric 204 is rotatably mounted on the motor driven tape-reader drive shaft 200 and is provided with an eccentric strap 204a connected to one end of the connecting rod 205. The other end of the connecting rod is connected with one arm of hell crank 206 by means of a pin 206a (see Figs. 3 and 7) while the other arm of the bell crank is connected to a medial portion of the reciprocable card-feed lever 207 at 20Gb. The center of the bellcrank and the lower end of the reciprocable lever are connected to the main machine frame by pillow blocks 206C and 207a respectively (Fig. 3). The upper end of the reciprocable card-feed lever is connected to the described card-feed fingers 105e.

The eccentric 204 is normally freely rotatable on the motor driven shaft 200 and is adapted to be operatively engaged therewith by means of a one-cycle clutch which is clearly detailed in Fig. 8. The clutch comprises a ratchet wheel 210 fixed to the shaft 200, a pawl 210a rotatably mounted on the eccentric and a latch 211. The latch 211 is connected by means of a shaft 212 to an operating lever 213 which is operatively engaged by the described card-feed solenoid -R21 (see also Figs. 2 and 9).

Asis apparent from Fig. 8, the latch 211 normally holds the pawl 210a in a retracted position with respect to the ratchet 210. Energization of the card-feed solenoid R21 will rock lever- 213 and latch 211 to undog the pawl 210a, the nose of which is thereby projected, by a spring (not shown), into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 210, thereby establishing a connection between the rotating shaft 200 and the eccentric 204. An end-of-card-feedmicroswitch S14 is mounted on the machine frame adjacent the eccentric 204 andthe arm of the switch is positioned to lie within the path of an operating projection 200a mounted on the shaft. Such projection is oriented with respect to the shaft 200 so that it will engage the operating arm of the microswitch S14 after a card-feed cycle has been initiated and will therefore act to de-energize the card-feed solenoid R-21, to prevent more than one cycle of the card-feed mechanism. The card-feed solenoid R-21 is energized when operation of the machine is initiated as will be explained in connection with the description of the control circuit.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 7, when the eccentric 204 is rotated, it will rock the bell crank 206 about its fixed fulcrum 206s and thereby reciprocate the card-feed lever 207. The consequent shifting of the card-feed fingers 105e (Fig. 4) causes the lowermost one of the cards in the hopper 105 to be projected through slot 105a (Fig. 7) and into the space between the rollers of the roller carriage 111.

Card perforating mechanism The card perforating mechanism employed with the automatic stencil cutter is similar in construction to that employed in the conventional Elliott Stencil Cutter but has been suitably modified for automatic operation in connection with the sequence controlled operational features of the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken partially through the center of the machine and clearly shows the operative zine'includes a plurality of peripherally arranged pockets- '12 each of which contains a character-perforating punch P corresponding to any desired number, symbol, letter or other intelligence. Each of the character-perforating punches is normally held retracted in its respective pocket by a spring 702a which is anchored to the character punch and to the cylinder 702 respectively as is conventional in the Elliott machine.

' The magazine 702 is normally constantly rotating while the machine is in operation and indexing of a selected character punch is accomplished by abruptly stopping the magazine at a position in which the selected character is aligned with the fixed perforating station defined by the position of the operating punch 710. The magazine is supported for rotational movement by a bearing 703a fixed to the main machine frame 101.

A selector pin assembly 704 comprising a cylindrical housing is provided directly below the magazine for indexing the magazine. The assembly is fixed to the machine frame and is provided with a plurality of peripherally arranged pockets corresponding in number to the number of character punches carried by the magazine 702. A character-punch-selection stop pin 705 is slidably mounted for movement in a vertical direction in each of the pockets in the cylindrical housing. The upper end of each stop pin is normally flush with the upper surface of the housing 704 but each stop pin is adapted ,to be selectively projected beyond the housing surface against the action of a coil spring 707. In accordance with the present invention, a plurality of solenoids R-30 of the general type detailed in Fig. 15 are nested between a pair of supporting plates 706-706a below the stop pins and fixed to the machine frame. The. solenoids R-30 are arranged in alignment with and are operatively connected to each of the stop pins 705.

A sensing arm 708 is shown in Fig. 7 as being rotatably mounted above the upper surface of the stop pin assembly housing 704 and is provided with a pair of oppositely disposed pin sensing fingers which are not detailedin the drawing. The sensing arm rotates conjointly with the magazine 702. The fingers are pivoted to the opposite ends of the sensing arm. A pair of clutch operating levers 709 are pivotally mounted on the sensing arm and are each operatively connected to the inner ends of each of the sensing fingers, respectively. Such construction except for the solenoids R-30 is characteristic of the referred to Elliott perforating machine and is not further described in detail. It is apparent however from Fig. 7 that when the sensing fingers on the rotating sensing arm 708 come into contact with a selected one of the stop pins which has been projected by cnergization of one of the selection solenoids R-30, the sensing finger will be pivoted and thereby actuate the clutch operating levers 709. These levers are pivoted about a horizontal axis and will function to project downwardly an internal clutch operating plunger 70312 which is slidably mounted within the vertical spindle 703. The plunger 703k causes translation-of a clutch operating bar 711 slidably mounted in a guide 711a secured to the machine frame. The purpose of the clutch operating bar is to initiate the onecycle clutch forming part of the eccentric drive 712 for the punch operating mechanism which provides a connection between the main drive flywheel 713 and the vertically reciprocable connecting rod 714.

The rotating sensing arm 708 is further provided with a plurality of friction fingers 715 which extend downwardly into engagement with the internal face of an annular friction ring 716 which is supported for rotation by the referred to hollow spindle 703. The magazine 702 is united to the sensing arm 708 by means of a hub 730 and, because of the frictional contact beween the friction fingers 715 and the annular ring 716, it will be apparent that, as the spindle 703 is continuously rotated by the drive shaft 717, the sensing arm 708 and the magazine. will rotate in unison. The drive shaft 717 is.

13 connected to the motor driven pulley 713, and to spindle 703 by bevel gears 718, 719.

When the rotating sensing arm 708 is intercepted by a projected one of the stop pins, both the arm and the magazine willbe abruptly stopped in a position so that the desired character punch is in alignment with the power-driven actuator punch 710, the friction fingers 715 permitting the spindle to rotate continuously after the magazine is stopped in indexed position.

The actuating punch 710 is carried at the end of a pivoted lever 720 which is pivotally mounted on the machine frame by shaft 721. A curved track 722 extends from the free end of the lever 720 and is connected to the machine frame by an expansion spring 723. An operating ram comprising a lever 724 is pivoted to the machine frame as indicated at 727. The ram includes an extension 725 which carries a roller 726 adapted to engage with the curved track 722.

The portion 724 of the ram extends to the rear of the machine as shown in Fig. 7 where it is connected to the vertically extending connecting rod 714 by means of a suitable coupling 728. The connecting rod is connected to the power shaft by means of an eccentric strap 712a straddling an eccentric which is secured to the motor driven power shaft 717. The eccentric mechanism which forms part of the conventional Elliott machine includes a single-cycle clutch of standard design and the eccentric therefore normally idles with respect to the power shaft 717. When the plunger 703b has been actuated in the described manner as a result of a character-punch selecting operation, the clutch operating bar 711 will energize the clutch, and the connecting rod 714 and ram 724 will be driven by the eccentric 712. The consequent displacement of roller 726 will depress the lever 720 and cause the selected character punch to perforate a card positioned at the perforating station of the machine.

Timing mechanism The tape reader drive shaft 200 as shown in Figs. 4 and 9 includes a plurality of operating cams 221, 222, 223, and 224 associated with (1) the clutch circuit breaker contacts 8-8, (2) timing circuit breaker contacts No. 2 -9, (3) timing circuit breaker contacts No. 3 5-10, and (4) the delete circuit breaker contacts 8-11. The purpose of these cam operated circuit breakers is to enable and disenable specified portions of the control circuit at predetermined periods during the operating cycle of the machine as indicated in the timing diagram of Fig. 13. The above-referred to timing cams are also designated symbolically in the circuit diagram of Figs. A and 10B and their specific function ing will be further detailed in connection with the description relating thereto.

The carriage indexing shaft 63511 which is reciprocatively driven by the card perforating mechanism or the word space solenoid as described carries a plurality of operating cams 637 and 638 as indicated in Fig. 6. (See also Figs. 3 and 4.) The cams 637 and 638 are operably associated with the drop out circuit breaker No. 1 contacts 8-12 and the drop out circuit breaker No. 2 contacts 8-13. These cams are symbolically indicated in the circuit diagram of Figs. 10A and 103 in relation to the contacts 8-12 and 8-13 which are shown in operative relation with the control circuit in the circuit diagram. The purpose and function of these switches will be discussed in connection with the description of the circuit diagram.

Electrical control system The electrical control system which governs the automatic sequencing of all of the described mechanisms in response to instructions obtained from the programming tape is illustrated in circuit-diagram form in Figs. 10A and 1013 which, considered together, form a single diagram. The various control solenoids, relays and switches which are operatively related to the various mechanisms as has been established in connection with the description of Figs. l-9 are indicated in the circuit diagram in the relationship which they have in the control circuit.

In general, the portion of the circuit shown in Fig. 10A comprising the card-feed relay R-10, roller pressurerelease solenoid R-610, card-eject solenoid R-12, cardfeed solenoid R-21 and card-eject relay R-13 comprise the card-feed control function circuit while the portion of the circuit illustrated in Fig. 10B mainly comprises the details of the translator and the remainder of the control circuit.

The character punch selecting pin solenoids R-30 11-30 described in connection with Fig. 7 are diagrammatically shown in part in Fig. 10B. There are 42 of such pin selection solenoids circumferentially arranged according to the diagram of Fig. 11. As will be noted from Fig. 11, the solenoids are divided into two groups marked as Section A and Section B respectively for purposes of identity. The 21 solenoids in each group or section are similarly designated as 1, 2, 3, etc., being numbered through 21. Adjacent the solenoid identifying number, the character symbol associated with each solenoid respectively is indicated. Thus solenoid number 9 in Section A (i. e. A9) corresponds to the letter A while the like numbered solenoid in Section B (B9) corresponds to letter S. Similarly solenoid 6 in Section A (A6) identifies a minus symbol, etc. The table below tabulates the various character punch symbols The solenoids R- are indicated in Fig. 10B by the identifying number and section as tabulated in the above chart. Each of the pin selecting solenoids is operatively associated with the translator mechanism as will be described.

Control circuitry The power requirements are obtained from an AC. source to which the machine is connected through a main switch 8-1 as shown in Fig. 10A. The three motors employed as the operative drive elements namely the perforator motor M, the tape reader drive motor 104, and the card eject motor 627 are each continuously operated from the A.-C. source when switch 8-1 is closed.

The control circuit is D.-C. energized from a power supply of conventional construction employing rectifier 1001, choke filter 1002 and filter condenser 1003. When the main switch 8-1 is closed the machine is in idling condition in which start switch 8-2 is open, start-stop relay R-9 is de-energized and start-stop contacts C-9 and C-9 associated with relay R-9 arev open. Contact C-9 is shown in Fig. 10B.

To initiate action of the machine, push-button type start switch 8-2 is momentarily closed which completes an energization circuit from the positive line 1004 through R-9 to ground. -9 is thereby closedto complete a hold circuit for R-9. The normally closed card position microswitch 8-4 is mounted adjacent the card platen as already described so as to be held open during the time a punch-card is present in the card carriage, and is therefore normally closed at the beginning of a card-feed operation. The above-described actuation of the start switch 8-2 will therefore result in the completion of a circuit through such microswitch 8-4 with consequent energization of the following circuits which are paralleled to terminal 1005: (1) card-feed relay R-10, (2) the roller pressure-release solenoid R-610, (3) the card-eject solenoid R12, and (4) the card-feed solenoid R-21. These four parallel connected relays R10, R610, R-12, and R-21 control operation of the card-feed mechanism. Thus, as previously described, energization of the roller pressure-release solenoid R-610 separates the card gripping rollers 601, 602 (Fig. 6) on the card carriage 111, the card-eject solenoid R-12 causes the card-eject roller to engage a card on the platen while the card-feed solenoid R-21 (Fig. 8) in conjunction with card-feed relay R-10 initiates the action of the card-feed mechanism. Referring to Fig. 8 energization of the card-feed solenoid R-21 pivots the lever 213 causing latch 211 to undog pawl 210a. The pawl is thereby caused to engage with the ratchet 210 which is being constantly rotated by tape, reader drive motor 104 and the consequent reciprocation of feed lever 207 (Fig. 7) expels a bottommost card. from hopper 105. Energization of the roller pressurerelease solenoid R-610 will have provided a gap between the rollers 601, 602 to receive a card and the card is thereby positioned between the carriage rollers with a portion thereof lying on platen 114 under the guide leaf 114a (Fig. 7). By the same instrumentalities a previously completed card will have been released from engagement with the rollers 601, '602 and energization of the eject solenoid R-12 will cause the eject roller 628 shown in Fig. 6 to engage'with and propel a completed card into the collection bin as described.

Energization of card-feed relay R-10 closes contact C-10 to'complete a hold circuit therefor and thus pro-- vides a continuing positive potential at terminal 1005 after the normally closed card-position microswitch S-4 is'actuated to an open position and kept open by a card when it is in position on platen 114. As previously described, operation of the card-feed mechanism through one cycle causes actuation of the normally closed end-ofcard-feed stroke microswitch 8-14 (see also Fig. 8) and such switch is therefore opened after a card has been fed from the hopper to the card carriage. Therefore, as soon as a card is in place, the card-feed relay R-10 is immediately de-energized to release its hold contact C-10 Since terminal 1005 is also de-energized thereby, all three of the card-feed control elements R-610, R-12, and R-21 are inactivated. In other words, the card gripping rollers 601, 602 on the card carriage are thus re engaged to hold the feed card, the card-eject roller is restored to inactivated position and further card feeding is cut oif.

Upon completion of a card-feed cycle in the manner described, the elements and control circuits which perform the 6 described control functions are automatically readied for operation by the programming tape as follows.

Energization of the card-feed relay. R-10 will have opened the normally closed card-feed relay contacts C-10 (Fig. 103) but, after a card is in place in the card carriage, the resultant op eningof the card-position microswitch S-4 and consequent de-energization of R-10 will now cause C10 to assume its normally closed condition. A circuit is thereby com leted from positive terminal 1004 through C9 (which has been closed by energization of start-stop relay R-9) and the normally closed endof-line microswitch S3 and conductor 1006 to the translator network illustrated in Fig. 10B so that the reader clutch coilR-8is energized at a predetermined time in 16 v the cycle of the machine defined by the closing of the clutch circuit breaker contacts S-8 by the described cam 220.

Such clutch coil is associated with the standard Flexowriter tape reader mechanism 106 (Fig. -1) and functions to release the sensing pins P 1 P-6 (Fig.. 10A) of the reader mechanism in order to sense the perforated code on the programming tape. tions are present on the portion of the tape then being passed through the reader, all circuits remain the same and the reader clutch coil R 8 will be re-energized cyclically by the cam operated circuit breaker 8-8 with each revolution of the tape reader drive shaft 200 until a line of information in the form of a perporatcd code on the tape is sensed.

The pertinent portions of the Flexowriter tape sensing mechanism which are integrated into the control network shown inFigs. lOA'and 10B are indicated in Fig.

10A by the pin contacts designated as P-1 P-6,- respectively. Such designated contacts represent the six' mounted on the tape reader drive shaft as described inconnection with Figs. 4 and 9 include the timing circuit breaker contacts S10 shown in Fig. 10A adjacent the sensing contacts P-l P-6. A conductor 1006 conmeets the source of positive voltage with such contacts so that when S10 is closed by its operating cam 222 during the portion of the cycle of the tape readingmechanism drive shaft indicated in the timing chart of Fig. 13, an energization path is completed through the lock switch LS1 forming part of the reader mechanism and to any combination of the sensing contacts P-1 P-6 which are closed by the coded perforations on the tape; It will be noted from Fig. 13 that the period allowed for energization of the reader pinsP-l P-6 occurs between and 5. Therefore, since the contacts 8-10 are closed in the period between 203 and 283, it completes its cycle of operation within the time period defined by the reader pins. Accordingly, there will be established a definite pattern of energized relay coils R-l' R20 in the translator portion of the control mechanism now to be described. 7

As described, the tape reader drive shaft 200 carries a plurality of timing cams 220, 221, 222, and 223 (Figs. 4 and 9) which are each cooperatively arranged to operate a like number of timing circuit breaker contacts 8-8, 8-9, S-10 and S11. The respective cams are shown adjacent each timing circuit breaker in the circuit diagram of Figs. 10A and 10B. The first timing circuit breaker contacts 5-8 are identified as the clutch circuit breaker since, as indicated in Fig. 10B, it forms part of the energization circuit for the reader clutch coil R 8 comprising a part of the Flexowriter tape reading mecha nism and functions to actuate the program tape reading or sensing pins P-1 P-6.

The second circuit breaker contacts S-9 (Fig. 10A) determine energization of the lead relay R22.

- The third timing circuit breaker contacts S-10 (Fig. 10A) I are in the energization circuit of the tape reader mechanism and provide a timed energization path for the sensing pins P-1 P6 as well as the relays of the translator mechanism to be described. As previously set forth, the circuit breaker contacts S-10 go through an operative cycle within the time period during which the tape sensing pins P-l P-6 may be actuated.

The fourth timing circuit breakercontacts S11(Fig. 10B) are in the energization circuit for delete relays R-26, R-27 which, as will be described in connection with the description of the translator, function to prevent punch In the event no perfora- 17 card perforating when an error exists on the programing tape.

The construction of the translator can now be described following which the various components of the entire electrical control mechanism can be detailed as an integral unit.

The translator 107 which is generally indicated in Fig. 1 as lying within the cabinet, comprises a relay memory device and a corresponding matrix which translates signals sensed by the Flexowriter tape reading contacts, P-l P-6 as each six-row column of coded information on the program tape is sensed, into a particular control effect determining the manner of energization of the control circuit shown in Figs. A and 10B according to a particular programmed operation determined by the coded instruction represented by the referred to line of perforations. The various typical operational patterns contemplated are embodied as coded instructions on the program tape. As will be described in connection with Fig. 12, each perforated row on the tape provides coded instructions which will result in any one of the following specific operations:

Table of control functions:

1. Card perforating 2. Word spacing 3. Line spacing 4. Deletion (ignoring of instruction when error is indicated) 5. Stop code 6. Ejection of completed card The translator circuit comprises (1) a relay (R-l R20) system as shown in Fig. 10A which will function to memorize the instructions represented by a single row of coded perforations on the programming tape, and (2) a decoding matrix represented by the circuit-pattern-forming contacts shown in the upper portion of Fig. 10B which will select a particular control circuit pattern capable of performing any one of the above-itemized operations. The relay instruction storing system includes a plurality of relay coils R-l R-7, R-ll and 11-14 R-ZO arranged as shown in the lower portion of Fig. 10A in columnated alignment with the respective sensing contacts P-l P6 of the tape reader mechanism. A holding circuit contact CH4 CH-S is provided for each bank of relays to keep the selected relays energized until dropped out. The

translator in this manner memorizes the instruction sensed from a row of perforations on the tape since actuation of one or more of the sensing pins P-Zi P-6 will result in continuing energization of a corresponding number of the translator relays R-l etc. until released.

The various operative contacts of the matrix associated with the instruction storing relays are indicated in the upper portion of Fig. 1013 hearing like designation numerals but prefaced with the letter C to denote a contact member. The translator matrix contacts are shown arranged in accordance with six discrete channels corresponding to the six sensing pins P1 P-6 and to the columns indicated on the programming tape in Fig. 12. In this manner, the relays R1, etc., of the translator memory are energized in groups or patterns according to which of the sensing pins P-1 P-6 have been Control function: Channel on program tape Word space 3 Alphabet character S land 3. Carriage return 3, 5, and 6. Code delete 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

in the standard Flexowriter reading head the row of six sensing pins P-l P-6 which are diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 19A are arranged transversely with respect to the direction of motion of the program tape and are adapted to be periodically projected against the surface of the tape in synchronism with the movement of the tape. The tape is provided with a row of equidistant sprocket holes as shown in Fig. 12 and is driven by a sprocket connected to the tape reader drive shaft to provide incremental feeding of the tape in exact timed relation with the projection of the sensing fingers. In this manner, as each information row on the tape is read, one or more of the sensing pins P-l P-6 will be caused to make contact with the common contact of the reader mechanism indicated in Fig. 10A.

As is apparent from Fig. 10A, a particular pattern of translator memory relays R-l, etc., will be energized depending upcn the number of the sensing pins actuated and consequent thereto, the corresponding translator matrix contacts shown in the upper portion of Fig. 103 will be closed.

The referred to matrix contacts when closed do not immediately complete an operative circuit to perform the particular control function designated by the instruction on the program tape. The necessary energization circuit is completed only at a designated time occurring during a cycle of the tape reader drive shaft as determined by the closing of the previously described timing circuitbreaker contacts S8 S11. Specifically, when circuit breaker contacts S9 are closed during the 255345 period indicated in Fig. 13, the lead relay R-22 (Fig. 10A) is energized and is held energized by hold contacts C22 The resulting closure of lead relay contacts C-22 shown in Fig. 10B completes the described energization path from the common connection 1908 of the pin selection solenoids 12-30 R40 It will be noted from Fig. 10B that each of the character pin selecting solenoids 12-30 etc., is connected in circuit between designated leads from the translator contacts matrix C1 etc., to the common terminal 1008 included in a ground return circuit with the lead relay contacts 0-22 normally closed delete-relay contacts C-26 and normally closed drop-out circuit breaker contacts 5-12 which as previously described, are actuated by the cam 637 on the card carriage indexing shaft 63511 as shown in Fig. 3.

Depending upon the pattern of translator solenoids R1 etc. which are energized as a result of a code reading operation, corresponding selected translator contacts C1 etc., of the matrix will close to define a particular energization path for the various function control elements indicated in the circuit diagram, by which one of the six previously enumerated control functions of the machine can be obtained. In brief, the program tape instructs the translator to obtain any one of the 6 distinct operations enumerated in connection with the description of the translator, the translator memorizes and decodes each such instruction in the form of the energiza tion of a distinct pattern of the referred to translator solenoids and matrix contacts and then energizes the necessary control elements to perform the required control function. The operation of the translator and the associated control circuits can best be described by following through each of the 6 referred to control functions, name- 1y, (1) card perforating, (2) word spacing, (3) line spac-

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