US2968521A

US2968521A - gross

Info

Publication number: US2968521A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1961-01-17
Anticipated expiration: 1978-01-17

Description

A. G. GROSS TIME RECORDER Jan. 17, 1961 Filed oct. 14. 1957 Jan. 17, 1961 A. G. @Ross TIME RECORDER 2 SheetsfSheet 2 y Filed Oct. 14, 1957 PRIOR ART INVENTOR. 62055 zorve/V United States Patent O TIME RECORDER Arthur G. Gross, 23104 Hawthorne Ave., Torrance, Calif.

Filed Oct. 14, 1957, Ser. No. 690,025

3 Claims. (Cl. 346-85) This invention relates to improvements in time cards for use with so-called clipper-type time clocks.

Clipper-type time clocks comprise, in the well known manner, a case having a guideway, generally vertically oriented, into which a time card is adapted to be inserted. Stamping mechanism is operated in response to engagement of the card with a trigger which extends into the guideway to stamp the time on the card for purposes of recording the time of arrival and departure `of an employee to and from his place of employment.

Time clocks of the character under discussion derive their name from the fact that a punch mechanism is operative in response to successive insertions of a card into the clock, to punch out successive portions of one side edge of the card starting from the bottom of the latter. Each of these punching operations forms a downwardly facing shoulder edge which engages the aforementioned trigger during the succeeding insertion of the card into the clock.

Thus, during each insertion of the card, the latter is pushed downwardly into the guideway of the clock until the previously formed shoulder edge on the card engages the clock trigger whereupon the stamping mechanism and punch mechanism are simultaneously operated to stamp the time on the card and punch out a succeeding portion lof the side edge of the card.

During the next insertion, the card is lowered into the clock a greater distance than during the previous insertion, depending upon the dimension of the punched out portion. Accordingly, the stamping mechanism, which Vis stationarily oriented relative to the trigger, stamps its indicia on a slightly different portion of the card than that bearing the previously stamped indicia. f

In the completed time card, therefore, the stamped time groups are formed one directly above the other in ,a vertical row, the earliest time group appearing adjacent the bottom of the card and the latest time group appearing adjacent the top of the card. The number of time groups appearing on the card, of course, depends rupon the number of insertions of the card into the time rclock. The primary advantage of this type of time clock is that a time card may be used a greater number of times Ythan with other types of time clocks wherein the spacing Vbetween successive time groups varies in accordance with 'the elapsed time between successive insertions of the card. Also, one time group is not imprinted on top of Ia previous time group, as sometimes occurs in other types of time clocks.

The primary deiiciency of prior time cards for clippertype time clocks is that, because of the reasons discussed` below, they could not be printed with horizontal grid lines for separating adjacent pairs of time groups denoting each successive arrival and departure of an employee. Thus, owing to certain variable factors, such as varying rates of insertion of cards into the clock by different persons and mechanical difference between different machines, the lengthwise extent of the portion 2,968,521 Patented Jan. 17, 1961 ICC of a card which was removed by the punch mechanism varied slightly from card to card. This results in an appreciable variance in the spacing between adjacent time groups on different cards, which variance accumulated during each successive use of the card.

Obviously, this variance precluded the use of preformed horizontal grid lines on the card, since the successive time groups would not be accurately imprinted between such grid lines. Separation of the time groups denoting an arrival and a subsequent departure of an ernployee, of course, is highly desirable for facility of bookkeeping since the several increments of time spent by the employee on the job, as indicated by the differences in time between the associated pairs of time groups denoting each arrival and subsequent departure, may be more readily ascertained when such associated pairs of time groups are separated by grid lines.

This deficiency of existing time cards for clipper-type time clocks is avoided in the present invention by the provision of a series of reregistry perforations along that side edge of the card which is punched by the punch mechanism. These perforations are accurately located relative to preformed horizontal grid lines on the card and periodically provide preformed shoulder edges, for engaging the trigger of the time clock, which are accurately aligned with respect to the grid lines of the card. Thus, in effect, the trigger engaging shoulder edge of the card is periodically accurately reregistered with the grid lines and the cumulative variance, previously mentioned, between adjacent time groups is avoided.

Owing to this reregistry of the time card with the stamping mechanism of the time clock, the time groups are accurately imprinted between the preformed grid lines on the card. The horizontal grid lines may be spaced, for example, to separate each pair of time groups denoting an arrival and a subsequent departure of an employee so that the time interval between each such pair of time groups and therefore, the total time spent by an employee on a job, may be more readily ascertained.

With the foregoing discussion in mind, a broad object of the invention may be stated as being the provision of a new and improved time card for use with so-called clipper-type time clocks.

A more specific object of the invention is the provision of a time card of the character described which is periodically accurately reregistered with the stamping mechanism of the time clock so that the time groups imprinted on the card have a relatively constant spacing regardless of the speed of insertion of the card into a clipper-type time clock.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a time card of the character described which is preformed with horizontal grid lines and wherein the card is periodically accurately reregistered relative to the stamping mechanism of the time clock so that successive time groups are accurately imprinted between adjacent grid lines.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a time card of the character described which is simple in construction, inexpensive to produce, and which greatly facilitates bookkeeping operations in connection with the card.

A better understanding of the invention may be had from the following detailed description thereof taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic showing in side elevation and partially in section, of a so-called clipper-type time clock with which the time card of this invention is intended to be used;

Figure 2 is a section taken along line 2 2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view of the present time card prior to use;

assegna:

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing the time card as it appears after several insertions into a clipper-type time clock;

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail of a portion of the present time card illustrating the reregistry perforations therein;

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail illustrating the nonuniform time group spacing which is obtained in conventional time cards for clipper-type time clocks; and

Figures 7, 8 and 9 illustrate modified forms of the present time card.

Referring now to these drawings, and particularly to Figures l and 2, diagrammatically illustrating a so-called clipper-type time clock, the

numerals

10 and 11 denote a pair of plates which define therebetween a guideway 12 for slideably receiving the present time card 14. In the conventional clipper-type time clock, the

plates

10 and 11 are tixedly mounted in a case, indicated in phantom lines at 16. The upper end of the guideway 12 opens through the upper panel of the case, as shown, to accommodate insertion of the card 14 into the guideway. The upper edges of the plates may be flared to facilitate such insertion of the card.

As shown in Figure 2, as well as in Figures 3 and 4, the present time card 14 is of rectangular configuration, guideway 12 having a width, as viewed in Figure 2, substantially equal to the width of the time card 14.

Indicated at 18 is the stamping mechanism of the clock which is operative in response to each insertion of the card 14 into the guideway 12 to imprint on the card the time of insertion. As shown in Figure 4, the time indicia in each of the successive time groups 20 imprinted on the card are arranged in a horizontal row on the card while the several time groups 2@ are arranged in a vertical row.

Operation of the stamping mechanism 18 in response to insertion of the card 14 into the guideway 12 is initiated by engagement of the card with a trigger 22. To this end, trigger 22 has one end projecting across the guideway 12 through openings 23 in the

guide plates

10 and 11. Trigger 22 comprises the actuating element of a normally open microswitch 24. Switch 24 is arranged to be closed in response to downward depression of the trigger 22 by a card 14 in the manner illustrated in Figure l. Stamping mechanism 18 is in circuit with and operated by closure of the switch 24.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, trigger 22 is located adjacent the lower end and left-hand side of the guideway 12. Concentric with the trigger 22 is a hollow, cylindrical punch 26 having a circular cutting edge 28 at the end thereof proximate to the guideway 12.

Openings 23 in the

plates

10 and 11 are of a size to slideably receive the punch 26, so that the latter is capable of axial movement through the guideway 12, plate 11 acting as a punch plate. Normally, the cutting edge 28 of the punch is retracted out of the guideway, as shown in Figure 1.

Indicated at 30 is a solenoid which, when energized, is effective to move the punch into the guideway to punch the card 14. A spring, not shown, returns the punch to its normal position when the solenoid is deenergized. Solenoid 30 is in circuit with the trigger switch 24 and is energized, simultaneously with energization of the stamping mechanism 18, in response to depression of the trigger 22.

The clipper-type time clock described above is conventional, and a more complete structural description thereof may be had by reference to the appropriate prior art.

The time card 14 of this invention will be observed to be generally similar to existing time cards for clipper-type time clocks. The present card differs from the existing cards, however, in that a series of equally spaced perforations 34 are preformed along the left-hand edge of the card, as viewed in Figures 3 and 4. It will be observed in Figure 2 that the perforations 34 are so located crosswise of the card 14 as to be vertically aligned with the trigger 22 when the card is inserted in the guide: way 12.

Also, the present time card preferably, though not necessarily, has a series of equally spaced, horizontal grid lines 36 and a series of vertical grid lines 38 irnprinted thereon. Existing time cards of this character, on the other hand, were printed only with the vertical grid lines 38 for reasons preliminarily mentioned and to be presently more fully discussed.

As previously mentioned, in use of the present time card, the latter is inserted into the guideway 12 until the card engages the trigger 22, whereupon the stamping mechanism 18 is operated to imprint a time mark or group 20 on the card. The lowermost grid line is spaced from the lower edge of the card a distance which is less by a predetermined amount than distance A between the trigger 22 and the axis of the time stamp 1-8 so that the irst time mark is imprinted above the lower grid line. Simultaneously, the punch solenoid 30 is energized and the punch 26 is thrust to the left, as viewed in Figure l.

This operation of the punch produces a semi-circular cutout or notch, indicated at 40, along the left-hand edge of the card, as is well known to users of clipper-type time clocks, and as may be readily observed in Figures 4 and 5. The axis of the stamping mechanism 18 is spaced a distance above the punch, as shown, so that the time group 20, corresponding to each cutout 40, is imprinted a distance above the shoulder edge formed by the respective cutout.

When the card is first inserted, of course, its lower edge engages the trigger 22 and a first semi-circular cutout, indicated in phantom lines at 40a in Figure 4, is formed at the lower left-hand corner of the card. The shoulder edge 42a formed by this first cutout or notch engages the trigger 22 during the next insertion of the card into the clock. On the second insertion, therefore, the card must be lowered into the guideway 12 a slightly greater distance than during the first insertion.

The second time group 20 is, therefore, imprinted di rectly above the first time group. Operation of the punch 26 in response to the second insertion of the card produces a second semi-circular cutout or notch 40h along the left-hand edge of the card and a second notch shoulder edge 42b which, in the existing time cards, engaged the trigger 22 during the third insertion of the card, and so on in the well known manner.

It will be clear that if the time groups 20 are to have a predetermined spacing, measured lengthwise of the card, as is necessary to accurate imprinting of the time groups between preformed horizontal grid lines on the card, the shoulder spacing D1, between successively formed shoulder edges on the card, must have a predetermined value determined by the horizontal grid line spacing on the time card. In the case of the card illustrated, of course, wherein two time groups 28 are to be imprinted between each pair of horizontal grid lines, the shoulder spacing D1 must be approximately equal to one half the horizontal grid line spacing to assure accurate imprinting of the time groups in the grid spaces defined between the horizontal grid lines.

The desirabiity of having the horizontal grid lines 36 imprinted on the card has been discussed earlier and will be apparent. Thus, for facility of bookkeeping, it is advantageous that each pair of the time groups 20, denoting an arrival time and a subsequent departure time, be bracketed by a pair of the grid lines 36 so that the elapsed time between the time groups of each such pair of time groups, and hence the total time spent by the employee on the job, may be more easily ascertained.

In order that the horizontal grid lines 36 may be effective for this purpose, obviously, it is necessary that the pairs of start and stop time groups be accurately imprinted in the grid spaces between adjacent grid lines. The time cards used by different employees will', of course, be identical and have the same horizontal grid line spacing.

accesar Accordingly, if the time groups on the cards of different employees are to be accurately located between the grid lines, as required above, the adjacent time groups on the several cards must have approximately the same spacing. This spacing, which is related to the grid line spacing, is ideally one half of the grid line spacing where each pair of adjacent grid lines are to bracket a pair of time groups.

In practice, it has been found, however, that with existing time cards, the time group spacing varies from card to card owing to the varying rates of insertion of the cards into time clocks by different persons. Thus, a delay, though brief, occurs between the instant of contact of trigger 22 by a card, and operation of the stamping mechanism 18 and punch. During the brief delay, of course, cards inserted at different rates move slightly different distances past the stamping mechanism and punch.

It will be apparent, therefore, that the faster the rate of insertion of a card, the greater will be the spacing between one time group on the card and the adjacent time group. Also, increasing the rate of card insertion results in an increase in the spacing between adjacent shoulder edges formed on the card by the punch. An increase in the shoulder edge spacing, of course, results in a still further increase in the following time group spacing.

From what has just been said, it is clear that a column of time groups imprinted on a card inserted at a relatively fast rate will be elongated relative to a time group column on a card inserted at a slower rate. This, of course, is based on the assumption that any given card is successively inserted at substantially the same rate, as is generally true in practice.

Assuming now that a card is preformed with horizontal grid lines to accommodate the time group spacing on the more rapidly inserted card, it will be apparent that the time groups will be accurately imprinted between the grid lines. If a card having this grid line spacing is inserted Aat the slower rate, however, the time group column will ybe shortened or compressed, relative to that on the more rapidly inserted card, with the result that the time groups will gradually creep downwardly across the grid lines :toward the upper end of the card in the manner illus- :trated in Figure 6.

A similar, but opposite, result obtains if a card, preiformed with grid lines having a spacing to accommodate the time group spacing o-btained with the slower rate of insertion, is inserted at a faster rate. In this case, the Vtime group column is elongated, as previously noted, and the time groups toward the upper end of the card gradually creep upwardly across the grid lines. Clearly then, the use of preformed horizontal grid lines on existing time cards of this type is impractical and of no adavntage.

As previously indicated, the variance in time group spacing between cards inserted at different rates is due partly to the variance in the rates of insertion and partly to the difference in the resulting shoulder edge spacing. The variance resulting solely from the different rates of insertion is relatively small and can be compensated for by making the horizontal grid line spacing sufiicient to accommodate a given maximum variance from this cause.

The variance in grid line spacing resulting from the difference in shoulder edge spacing, on the other hand, is cumultive in nature and results in the aforesaid creep of the time groups across the grid lines in the case of existing time cards.

From what has been said above, it will be clear that if this cumulative variance is avoided or periodically eliminated by continuous or periodic registry of the trigger engaging shoulder edges in the card with the horizontal grid lines, and the spacing between such lines be made sufiicent to accommodate the slight variance in time group spacing resulting from different rates of card insertion, the time groups will be accurately imprinted between the grid lines regardless of the rate of insertion.

This registry or periodic reregistry of the grid lines and trigger engaging shoulder edges is accomplished on the present card by the perforations 34 which afford pre formed shoulder edges on the card that face the lower end of the card and periodically actuate the trigger 22.

Referring to Figure 5, the numerals 42a and 42b indicate the positions along the left-hand edge of the card 14 whereat the first two shoulder edges will be formed on a card inserted into the time clock of Figures 1 and 2 at a preselected minimum rate. Similarly, the numerals 42a and 42b indicate the positions whereat the first two shoulder edges will be formed on a card inserted at a preselected maximum rate. These maximum and minimum rates are arbitrarily chosen and based on observations of the rates of insertion of cards by an average group of persons. The spacing between the shoulder edges 42a and 42b has been denoted as D1, and the spacing between the shoulder edges 42a and 42b has been denoted as D2. The shoulder spacings D1 and D2 are, obviously, approximately equal to the radial spacing between the trigger 22 and the cutting edge 28 of the punch.

In the form of the card illustrated in Figure 5, the

perforations 34 are equally spaced along the card by a distance D3 which is approximately equal to or slightly greater than twice the maximum shoulder spacing D2. As shown, the diameters of the perforations 34 are such that the latter intersect the notch shoulder edges formed at every other shoulder edge position of minimum shoulder edge spacing. See, for example, the intersection of the second shoulder edge position 42b with the first perforation. These perforations have their centers on a common line paraleling and spaced from the lefthand edge of the card a distance approximately equal to the spacing between the trigger 22 and the left-hand side of guideway 12.

As shown, the card is preformed with equally spaced, horizontal grid lines 36. The spacing D4 between the grid lines is approximately equal to the perforation spacing D3 and approximately twice the aforesaid radial proximately equal to one-fourth of the grid line spacingr D4, below the center line of the first time group imprinted on the card when the latter is inserted in the clock at a rate approximately equal to the average of the aforesaid maximum and minimum rates.

From this description, it will be seen that the first notch shoulder edge formed on the card will be located in coincidence with or somewhere between the first shoulder edge positions 42a and 42a in Figure 5, depending on the rate of insertion of the card. Simultaneously, first time group 20 will be imprinted a distance above the lower, or first, grid line 36.

During the second insertion of the card into the clock, a second shoulder edge is formed in coincidence with or between the second shoulder edge positions 42b and 42b'. Simultaneously, the second time group 20 is imprinted above the first time group. The spacing be tween centers of these first two time groups will be at least equal to the minimum shoulder edge spacing D1, but not greater than the maximum shoulder edge spacing D2. The second time group, therefore, is imprinted between the first two grid lines.

lIt will be observed that since the second formed shoulder edge lies on or between the second shoulder edge positions 42b and 42b', the second formed shoulder edge will intersect the first perforation 34. Upon the third insertion of the card, therefore, the trigger 22 of the time 7 clock engages the upper shoulder edge of the first perforation 34 rather than the second notch shoulder edge, as Vindicated in Figure 5.

The upper shoulder edge of each perforation is spaced a predetermined distance lengthwise of the card from one ofthe grid lines. In the illustrated card, this distance is equal to distance A minus one fourth ofthe grid line spacing. As a result, each time a perforation shoulder edge actuates the trigger 22, the respective time mark 2t) is imprinted above the respective grid line a distance equal to one fourth, the grid line spacing. During the fourth insertion of the card, the trigger 22 of the clock engages the third shoulder edge formed during the third insertion, and the fourth time group is imprinted below the third gridv line.

The fourth shoulder edge formed at this time, of course, intersects the second perforation 34. During the fifth insertion of the card, therefore, the trigger 22 engages the edge of the second perforation which is accurately registered with the third horizontal grid line. The fifth time group is,v therefore, accurately imprinted just above the third grid line, and so on.

It is clear, therefore, that regardless of the rate of insertion of the card, so long as the rate is in the range between the aforementioned maximum and minimum rate, every second shoulder edge formed by the punch 26 of the time clock will intersect a perforation 34. Accordingly, during every other insertion of a card into the clock, the trigger 22 of the clock engages the edge of a perforation rather than the shoulder edge formed by the punch 2.6 during the previous insertion of the card.

The trigger-engaging shoulder edges of the card are, therefore, periodically reregistered with the horizontal grid lines ony the card.V The cumulative variance, previously mentioned, is thus avoided so that the time groups 20 are accurately imprinted between the grid lines.

The perforations 34 need not be uniformly spaced nor arranged to be rendered effective during alternate insertions of the card. into the clock, as just described. Thus, the perforations might be arranged with an irregular spacing, the spacing between adjacent perforations, however, being an even multiple or fraction of the horizontal grid line spacing. Also, the perforations might be located to effect reregistry of the card with the stamping mechanism of the time clock during each insertion of the card, as shown in Figure 7, or during fourth or fifth insertion, for example, rather than during alternate insertions of the card, as just described.

If desired, the perforations may be other than circular in shape, such as generally rectangular in shape, as shown at 34a in Figure 8, or may comprise a series of notches 34b opening through the left-hand edge of the card as illustrated in Figure 9.

It will be clear from the foregoing description that there has been described and illustrated a time card which is fully capable of attaining the objects and advantages preliminarily set forth and that various modifications of the card are possible within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

l. In combination, a rectangular time card and a time clock having a guideway open at one end which is proportioned to slidably receive the time card by endwise insertion of one end of the card through the open end of the guideway, said time clock including a time stamp adjacent the open end of the guideway, a cylindrical punch adjacent the other end and one side of the guidemeans including a trigger extending into the guideway-ap,

proximately on said axis for simultaneously operating,`

said timestamp to imprint a time mark on the card andi: axially moving said punch to notch said card along one, sidein response to endwise insertion of the card throughl the guideway into engagement with said trigger, said time stamp imprinting the card a predetermined distance lengthwise of the guideway from said punch axis, said card having a plurality of transverse grid lines equally spaced lengthwise of the card, the spacing between said one end of the card and the adjacent grid line being less than said predetermined distance by a predetermined amount less than the grid line spacing whereby the first time mark is imprinted a given distance above the latter grid line during the first insertion of the card' into the clock, the notch made in the card by said punch during each insertion of the card into the clock defining a shoulder edge facing said one end of the card for engaging the trigger during the next insertion of the card whereby successive time marks are imprinted on the card one above the other in a row extending lengthwise of the card and at a relatively uniform spacing approximately equal to the radial distance from said trigger to the cutting edge of the punch, the spacing between grid lines on the card having a predetermined relationship to said radial spacing such that successive time marks are imprinted between the grid lines, said time card also having a row of preformed perforations along said one side thereof which are located to be aligned with the trigger when the card is in the guideway and define second shoulder edges facing said one end of the card, the spacing lengthwise of the card between each second shoulder edge and said one end of the card being approximately equal to N times said radial spacing where N is any whole number and each perforation extending a distance toward said one end of the card from its respective second shoulder edge whereby each perforation is intersected by a notch produced in the card during a given insertion of the card into the clock and the second shoulder edge of the respective perforation engages said trigger during the following insertion of the card, and each second shoulder edge being spaced lengthwise of the card from a given grid line a distance which differs from said predetermined distance by a predetermined fraction of the grid line spacing whereby the grid lines on the time card are accurately aligned with the time stamp for accurate imprinting of the time marks between the grid lines during each actuation of the trigger by a second shoulder edge.

2. The subject matter of claim l wherein said perforations are equally spaced along the time card.

3. The subject matter of claim 1 wherein said grid line spacing is equal to twice said radial spacing and said given distance is equal to one fourth of the grid line spacing, whereby two time marks are imprinted on the time card between each adjacent pair of grid lines.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 657,162 Giroud Sept. 4, 1900 2,824,777 Gieringer Feb. 25, 1958- FOREIGN PATENTS 44,755 Sweden Nov. 27, 1918y 588,855 Great Britain June 4, 1947