US3083013A

US3083013A - Card receivers

Info

Publication number: US3083013A
Application number: US43442A
Authority: US
Inventors: Douglas I Morrison; Jr Eugene J Le Brun
Original assignee: Sperry Rand Corp
Current assignee: Sperry Corp
Priority date: 1960-07-18
Filing date: 1960-07-18
Publication date: 1963-03-26
Anticipated expiration: 1980-03-26

Description

March 26; 1963 D. l. MORRISON ETAL 3, ,0

CARD RECEIVERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 18. 1960 Ill FIG!

INVENTORS DOUGLAS 1'. MORR/SON ATTORNEY March 26, 1963 D. l. MORRISON ETAL INVENTORS DOUGLAS 1'. MORRISON BY EUGENE u. 1.5 BRUMJR.

A TTOQRNEY March 26, 196 D. MORRISON ETAL 3,083, 13

CARD RECEIVERS 5 Sheets-Sheet :5

Filed July 18, 1960 FIG.7

INVENTORS DOUGLAS [MORRISON UGEN J-LE BPUMc/R.

A TTORNE Y March 26, 1963 D. l. MORRISON ETAL 3,083,013

CARD RECEIVERS Filed July 18, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG.9 "5 m //5 0 INVENTORS DOUGZAS x. MORRISON March 26, 1963 D. l. MORRISON ETAL 3,

CARD EEcEIvERs' Filed July' 18, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS DOUGLAS" 1. MORRISON EUGENE J. LE BRU/WA.

A TTUR/VE Y United States Patent 3,083,013 CARD RECEIVERS Douglas I. Morrison, Rowayton, and Eugene J. Le Brun,

Jr., Norwalk, Conn, assignors to Sperry Rand Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 18, 1960, Ser. No. 43,442 17 Claims. (Cl. 271-86) This invention relates generally to card receivers, and more particularly to adjustable card receivers, used in conjunction with card handling machines, which stack the cards as they are ejected from the machines and which may be manually emptied without interferring with or stopping the operation of the machine.

Card processing machines are in Wide spread daily use and, for different operations, it may be desirable to use cards of different sizes which will be capable of containing more or less information depending upon the card size. Heretofore, in order to stack cards of different sizes, it was necessary to fit the card handling machine with a different size receiver for each particular card size. If this was not done, and small cards were stacked in a large card receiver, the cards would not stack neatly with the possibility that intermiXing could occur. Furthermore, as the receivers filled up it was necessary to have the machine stop the feeding of cards so that the receiver could be manually emptied.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a card receiver, adapted to be utilized with card handling machines, which is capable of being quickly and easily adjusted to accept cards of different sizes.

It is another object of this invention to provide a card receiver, adapted to be utilized with a card handling machine, which may be manually emptied as the receiver fills without necessitating stopping or otherwise interferring with the operation of the machine.

Still other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the specification.

Generally stated, this invention provides an improved card receiver which can be manually adjusted to receive cards of different sizes and which can be manually emptied while cards continue to be ejected into the receiver.

Cards are stacked in the receiver on a resiliently supported, inclined platform. As the stack of cards increases in the receiver, the weight of the stack becomes increasingly greater and the platform becomes depressed in the receiver as the resilient support compresses under the increased load of cards. The spring rate of the resilient support is chosen so' that the top of the stack of the cards, referred to herein as the effective receiving plane, is always maintained in proper relationship to the top of the receiver. It is necessary for cards entering the receiver to fall freely onto the effective receiving plane without undue travel which is apt to cause the cards to twist or become intermixed. Insufficient free fall to the effective receiving plane might also allow the cards to intermix. It is evident that cards of different sizes made from the same density card material will have weights proportional to their size. Thus, if the receiver is to accept a larger card, in order to maintain the proper effective receiving plane, the spring rate of the resilient supports for the platform must be greater than that required when the receiver is to receive smaller cards. The invention provides a receiver capable of stacking two or more different sized cards by having multiple resilient members, each member having a different spring rate, which can be manually positioned to support the platform.

The invention provides for two embodiments. In the first, the platform can be properly supported to stack desired.

ice

many different card sizes by having a multiplicity of resilient members, each having a different spring rate,

mounted circumferentially around the platform support.

Through a manually operated grear train, the resilient supports can be rotated into position to support the platform as desired. The gear train at the same time positions a vertical arm within the receiver which moves closer and further away from the open end of the receiver, thus decreasing or increasing the effective size of the receiver as lower or higher spring rat-e resilient support members are brought to the operable position.

In the second embodiment, the receiver is adjustable to accept only two different sizes of cards. Through a series of manually operated levers and bell crank arms, the proper resilient support member may be caused to support the platform to receive the particular card size In conjunction with the second embodiment there is also a vertical arm within the receiver which is operated through the levers and bell crank arms to change the effective size of the card receiver as the operable support members are changed.

The first embodiment also provides flippers which can be moved through a solenoid and a set of levers to a position inside the receiver such that the cards then entering will stack on an auxiliary stacking plane formed by the flippers. This allows the receiver to be manually emptied through the use of a card hoe which ejects all the cards on the platform to a position where they may be easily removed by the operator. The solenoid operating the flippers is activated either automatically when the card receiver becomes full or when the card hoe is operated. A safety mechanism prevent sthe card hoe from being operated before the flippers have taken up a position inside the receiver.

In the second embodiment the flippers are operated mechanically, through a cam arrangement, by the card hoe. As the card hoe is manually operated the flippers are released and enter the receiver under spring tension. When the card hoe is returned to its normal position it forces the flippers to withdraw from the receiver.

While each embodiment of the adjustable card receiver has been equipped with a different flipper device to allow the receivers to be emptied while cards are continually ejected into the receivers, either embodiment of the flipper mechanism may be utilized with either embodiment of the adjustable platform resilient support mechanism. The relative advantages of each will be clear from the specification and drawing.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference is had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of the card receiver with a portion of the left side wall broken away to show the internal mechanism,

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the card receiver of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 1 with the selector cover partially broken away to show the adjustment mechanism,

FIG. 4 is a section view of the platform supporting mechanism taken along line 44 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 5 is a rear elevational view of the card receiver of FIG. 1, with certain portions partially broken away for clarity, showing the stacking mechanism, with cards stacked thereon, in position to allow cards to be removed from the receiver and showing the platform in a depressed position under the weight of a stack of cards,

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 66 of FIG. 3 showing cards stacked on the platform,

FIG. 7 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 3 showing the mechanism adjusted to receive cards of a size different from those that would be received when the device is adjusted to the position shown in FIG. 3,

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the right side of a second embodiment of the card receiver, the lower half being shown as a sectional view taken along line -88 of FIG. 9,

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the card receiver of FIG. 8 with the platform partially broken away to show the internal mechanism,

FIG. 10 is a rear elevational view of the card receiver of FIG. 8,

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the flipper operating mechanism taken along the line 11-11 of FIG. 8,

FIG. 12 is a sectional view of the adjustable platform supporting mechanism taken along the line 12-12 of FIG. '8.

Referring now to the first embodiment of the card receiver shown in FIGS. 1 through 7, and more particularly to FIG. 2, a card receiver having a supporting member 10 is mounted to the frame, not shown, of a statistical machine, card conveyor or other card handling machine. Secured to the top of supporting member 10 is a base plate 12 defining the bottom of the receiver, a right side wall 14 and a left side wall 15 defining the sides of the receiver. A spaced plate 18 suitably attached between right and left

side walls

14 and 15 defines the rear of the card receiver.

Side walls

14 and 15 rise perpendicularly from base plate 12 and are so spaced as to accommodate punched cards of maximum size.

Referring now to FIG. 6, punched cards 19 from a statistical machine, for example, will fall freely into the receiver over right side wall 14 which is situated adjacent said machine. As a card enters the receiver, it will be deflected downwardly by a bracket 111 and will drop onto an inclined platform 28, supported by a suitably mounted rod 21. Rod 21 is disposed in a tube 22 which is suitably attached to base plate 12 by means of a collar 23. Tube 22 has a sufficiently large inside diameter to permit a depressor collar 25 which is slidably mounted on rod 21 to slide freely inside tube 2 2. An upper coil spring 26 encircles rod 21 and extends from depressor collar 25 to a switch arm 31 which is attached to rod 21. A depressor pin 28 protrudes from depressor collar 25. Referring now to FIG. 1, a lower coil spring 27 encircles rod 21 and extends from depressor collar 25 to a tube terminus 32 mounted to the end of tube 22. It is readily seen that platform 20 is resiliently supported by the combined spring tension of

coil springs

26 and 27, the rise of platform 20 being limited by engagement of a collar 33 mounted to rod 21 below tube terminus 32.

In FIG. 3, a selector wheel is pivotally mounted to base plate 12 as at 41, said wheel being provided, at its periphery, with gear teeth 42. A detent 8 1 is mounted to base plate 12 and engages teeth 42 on selecfor wheel 40* so as to yieldably maintain selector wheel 40 at any chosen position. Selector wheel teeth 42 engage an intermediate spur gear 43 which is rotatably mounted to base plate 12. A rack slider45 having an elongated slot 46 is mounted so as to slide longitudinally along base plate 12. Rack slide 45 is guided by collar 23 and a guide member 47 attached to base plate 12. An angular bar 49 attached to base plate 12 further guides and limits rack slide 45 in its planar travel. Rack slide 45 is provided with a front tooth portion 51 which is driven by selector wheel 40 through spur gear 43; hence manual adjustment of selector wheel 40 determines the longitudinal position of rack slide 45. Rack slide 45 has attached to its rear end a card positioning arm 55 which extends vertically to the full height of the card receiver. As cards enter the receiver their rear edge will be registered by card positioning arm 55. Thus, the position of arm 55 determines the size of the cards to be received. This is termed the effective size of the card receiver.

' Rack slide 45 has further provided a rear tooth portion- 52 which will engage a gear 53. Referring again to FIG. 6, gear 53 is attached to a rod 56 which passes through base plate 12 and has attached to its lower end a gear 62. Also attached to rod 56 at its upper end is a cam 60 the use of which will hereinafter be explained.

Referring again to FIG. 1, rotatably mounted on tube 22 is a sleeve 64 having a gear portion63, said gear portion being so positioned as to engage gear. 6 2.. Fixed to lower face of sleeve 64 and rotating therewith is an upper disc 66. Also rotatably mounted on tube 22 at its lower end is a lower disc 67. Upper disc 66 and lower disc 67 have mounted therebetween a plurality of rods 70 equidistant from the center of said discs and spaced from each other around the circumference of said discs. One of the plurality of rods 70 has mounted thereon an adjustable collar 71 which is positioned near to upper disc 66. Each of the remaining rods 70 has mounted thereon an adjustable collar 71 which is positioned near to lower disc 67, a spring 72 and an upper sliding collar 73. Where a spring 72 is present, adjustable collar 71 determines the position of the lower end of said spring and the expansion of spring 72 is limited by engagement of sliding collar 73 with a stop pin '74 which is secured through rod 70. Each spring 72 has a different preselected spring rate chosen for purposes as will hereinafter be explained.

Referring again to FIG. 3, in order to adjust the card receiver to accept a smaller size card, a ZO-column card forexarnple, selector wheel 46 is manually rotated until the desired size, which may be marked on the selector wheel, is indicated by a pointer 48 which forms part of a cover plate 50'. While selector wheel 40 is being rotated to adjust the receiver to accept the smaller card, rack slide 45 is moved to the right through cooperation with intermediate spur gear 4-3. Card positioning arm 55 which has moved with rack slide 45 has been brought to a position to register the left edge of cards as they fall into the receiver over side wall 14. The motion of rack slide 45 rotates gear 53 through its cooperation with rear tooth portion 52, and motion is thereby transmitted to rod 56. Referring now to FIG. 1, gear 62 rotates with red 56 and thereby rotates gear 63 and sleeve 64 attached thereto.

The relative positions of the component parts hereinabove described and the selector wheel markings have been determined so that when the receiver is adjusted to receive the smallest size card, collar 64 Will be brought to such a position that adjustable collars 71 and sliding collars 73 may not be engaged by depressor pin 28. Such a position of depressor pin 28 is shown in phantom in FIG. 4. In this position, platform 26 is supported only by upper and lower coil springs 26 and 27, these springs having a combined preselected spring rate to support platform 20 under the weight of the lightest card.

If selector wheel 40 manually rotated to the position indicated for the next card size, for example a 28-column card, card positioning arm '55 will be relocated so that the card receiving space forming the effective card re ceiver size may accommodate a larger card. At the same time disc 66 will be rotated in a counterclockwise direction, as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 4, a predetermined amount so that a sliding collar 73 will be brought to a position to be contacted by depressor pin 28. In this position, when platform 28 is depressed under the weight of cards stacked thereon, depressor pin 28 engages a sliding collar 73 thus causing platform 20 to be supported by the combined spring rate of upper coil spring 26 and the spring 72 which encircles the particular rod 70 then rotated into position. The combined spring rate of these springs has been so chosen as to maintain the effective receiving plane at the correct height as these larger 28- column cards fall onto the receiving plane. The effective receiving plane is the plane formed by the top of platform 20 or the cards stacked thereon, if any. It is necessary that this plane be sufficiently close to the top of the receiver to allow cards ejected into the receiver to fall directly thereon. If the lever of a plane is too low, it is possible that cards falling into the receiver will twist or turn thus causing improper stacking. If the level of the plane is too high, intermixing may occur.

The receiver may be adjusted through selector wheel 40 to accommodate even larger cards, for example 36, 44 or 51-column cards. In each case, the rotation of disc 66 will bring a sliding collar 73 into position so that it may be contacted by depressor pin 28, the spring 72 encircling the rod 7 t on which that particular sliding collar 73 rides having a combined spring rate with upper coil spring 26 to correctly support platform 20 and maintain the proper effective receiving plane when the receiver is adjusted to accept the particular size card desired.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, in order to increase greatly the effective size of the card receiver to accept an 80-column card, it is necessary to move card positioning arm 55 to its rear-most position. Upper disc 66 must be rotated so that depressor pin 28 will engage the adjustable collar 71 mounted by itself on a rod 70. As selector wheel 48 is rotated to the position indicated for the 80- column card, through the gear train described herein, upper disc 66 is rotated to the proper position so that depressor pin 28 may engage the proper adjustable collar 71. Rear tooth portion 52 of rack slide 45 is of a predetermined length such that when upper disc 66 has been brought to the proper position to provide for resilient support of Sit-column cards, gear 53 ceases to engage rear tooth portion 52 and cam 6%) which is mounted above gear 53 and rotates therewith, engages rack slide 45 and prevents further rotation of gear 63. It is easily seen that, at this point, upper disc 66 is prevented from rotating, thus locking sliding collar 71 into the proper position with relation to depressor pin 28. However, at this point selector wheel 40 has not been fully rotated to the 80'- column card posit-ion and further rotation of the selector wheel will bring card positioning arm 55 to its rear-most position in the receiver as required for the stack of 80'- column cards.

When the receiver is adjusted to receive the 80-column cards, depressor pin 28 engages a sliding collar 71 which is securely fastened to a rod 70. As SD-columri cards enter the receiver and are received on platform 20, the platform becomes depressed in the receiver from the Weight of the cards thereon. Due to the unyielding position of depressor collar 25, platform 20' is resiliently supported by upper coil spring 26 only, which spring has been preselected to have the proper spring rate to support the platform and maintain the er ect of receiving plane while SQ-column cards are being stacked in the receiver.

In order to adjust the receiver to accept different card sizes, it is necessary that the receiver be emptied so that platform 28 may be at its maximum height before selector wheel 40 is rotated. It is also necessary to empty the receiver when it becomes full since, as will be seen later, the operation of the machine ejecting cards into the receiver will be automatically stopped when the receiver becomes full. 7

Referring now to FIG. 3, a card hoe 85 formed from an angle member is positionedin a corner of the receiver adjacent right side wall -14 so as not to interfere with the cards-as they are being stacked in the receiver. Card hoe 85 is attached, by means of two pins86, to a yoke 87 which is adjacent the outside of right wall 14. Pins 86 pass through twoslots 90 in right side wall 14 which run parallel to base plate 12 and which allow card hoe 85 to slide along right side wall 14, thereby pushing any cards in the receiver out into the open for manual removal. Attached to yoke 87 is one end of a rod 88 which has at its other end a knurled knob 89. Rod 88 is slidably supported by a guide bar 91 attached to right side 6 wall 14. Right side wall 14 has a suitably sized cut out 84 which allows rod 88' to pass therethrough. A coil spring 92 encircles rod 88 and extends from yoke 87 to guide bar 91, the coil spring serving to hold card hoe in the position shown in FIG. 3 when the card hoe is not in use.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 5, a solenoid 9'4 is suitably mounted to supporting member 10 by means of a bracket 95. Bracket 95 also rotatably supports a shaft 96 which has mounted thereto one end of an arm 97, the arm having pivoted to its other end a solenoid plunger 98. Mounted to an end of shaft 96 is a second arm 99 which has pivotally mounted to its free end a link 112. Link 112 is pivotally connected to an arm 113 which is mounted on the end of shaft 114. Shaft 114 is 1'0 tatably supported by a pair of blocks 115 attached to left side wall 15. Also attached to shaft 114 are a pair of flippers 116 whose ends are positioned to pass through two slots 118 in left side wall .15.

A spring 117, attached between left side wall 15- and arm 113, yieldably maintains flippers 116 in a position so that they do not pass through slots 1'18. Attached to right side Wall 14 are a pair of blocks 121 through which pass a rotatable shaft 122 which has attached thereto a second pair of flippers 123 positioned so they may pass through slots 124 in right side wall 14. Attached to an end of shaft 122 is an arm 125 having an elongated slot 126 at its outer end. Arm 113 has attached at its outer end a pin 127 which rides in slot 126. -Also attached to shaft 122 is a safety arm 128 whose use will hereinafter be explained.

Referring specifically to FIG. 1, if it is desired to withdraw the cards from the receiver before the receiver has become completely filled, knurled knob 8-9 is manually pulled to the right drawing with it rod 88. A pin 131 attached to rod 88 normally rests against a switch 132 mounted to right side wall 14. When pin 131 moves out of contact with switch 132 a circuit (not shown) is thereby closed activating solenoid 94. Solenoid plunger 98 is drawn into the solenoid, rotating shaft 96 through arm 97.

Referring now to FIG. 5, arm 113 is pulled down through arm 112 which in turn rotates shaft 114. causing flippers 116 to enter the card receiver through slots 1.18. As arm 113 rotates, pin 127 riding in slot 126 causes arm I 125 to also be pulled down thus rotating shaft 122 and causing flippers 123 to enter the card receiver through slots 124.

Flippers

116 and 123 are now in a position which causes cards thereafter entering the receiver to stack thereon as shown 11 FIG. 6.

When flippers 1116 and 12 3 are in the position shown in FIG. 5, the position of safety arm 128 blocks yoke 87 and allows rod 88 to move a distance only suflicient to release switch 132. When

flippers

116 and 123 are moved to a position inside the receiver, the rotation of shaft 122 removes safety arm 128 from its blocking position and allows rod 88 and card hoe 85 to freely Withdraw the cards from the receiver so that they may be manually removed.

When the cards have been removed from the receiver and rod 88 is returned to its normal position by spring 92, pin 131 engages switch 132 thereby deactivating solenoid 94. Spring 1117 then returns

flippers

116 and 123 to a position outsidethe receiver as shown in FIG. 5 and any cards which had stacked on the flippers will fall onto platform 20. I

If the cards stacking on

flippers

116 and 123; when they are positioned inside the receiver, reach the top of the receiver before the receiver is emptied, the cards will engage a switch 133 mounted to bracket 111 and shut off the machine which is feeding the cards into the receiver. When the receiver is emptied and flippers 1'16 and 123 return to their normal position allowing the cards thereon to fall onto platform 20, switch 133 will be released allowing the machine to continue its operation.

In the event that the operator does not empty the receiver before it has become full, platform 20 will become completely depressed in the receiver by the weight of the cards stacked thereon, causing switch arm 31 (FIG. 6) to pass through a suitable hole in base plate 12 and contact a switch 93- mounted to supporting member 10. Solenoid 94 will thereby be activated causing

flippers

116 and 1 23 to enter the receiver as heretofore described. Cards will then stack on said flippers allowing the card receiver to be manually emptied by use of card hoe 85. Again, if the cards stacking on the flippers contact switch 133, the card feeding machine will be shut off until the receiver s emptied. A signal such as a light or audible alarm, may be connected to switch 98 to indicate to the operator that the receiver must be emptied.

Referring now to the second embodiment of the card receiver shown in FIGS. 8 through 12, and more particularly to FIGS. 8 and 9, the basic card receiver is the same as that shown in FIG. 1, being defined by a supporting member 10 a base plate 12, right and left side walls 14 and '15 and a rear spacer plate 18. However, the second embodiment provides a less complex card receiver which permits of adjusting the effective card receiver size to receive and stack cards of two different sizes, and the flippers 116- and 123 are mechanically operated when the receiver is manually emptied through use of card hoe 85.

In FIG. 10,

flippers

116 and 123 are attached to

shafts

114 and 122 which are rotatably mounted in

blocks

115 and 121 attached to left and

right side walls

15 and 14 as heretofore described. As before, shafts 114 and 122v coact by means of

arms

113 and 125 through slot 126 and pin 127. A spring 141 is attached between arm 113 and spacer plate 18 and tends to hold

flippers

116 and 123 in a position inside the receiver.

Referring now to FIGS. 8 and 9, rod 88, which is slidably supported by guide bar 91, has at one end a knurled knob 89 and at the other end a yoke 87. As before, card hoe 85 is attached to yoke 87 by means of pins 86 passing through slots 90 in right side wall 14, and coil spring 92 encircling rod 88 exerts pressure on yoke 87 to keep card hoe S in the rear corner of the card receiver.

The flipper actuating mechanism is readily seen in detail in FIG. 11. A cam 142 forms part of yoke 87 and bears against arm 143 which depends from rod 122.

When yoke 87 is in position adjacent the rear of the card receiver, cam 142 bears against arm 143, the pressure causing arm 143 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction (FIG. causing

flippers

123 and 116 to be positioned outside of the card receiver.

When rod 88 is manually withdrawn causing card hoe 85 to engage the cards then stacked in the receiver, cam 142 will disengage arm 143 and

flippers

123 and 116 will be caused to rotate to a position inside of the card receiver under force of spring 141. While the flippers are in this position card-s ejected into the receiver will stack thereon, allowing the cards stacked on platform 20 to be manually removed through use of card hoe 85. When rod 88 is released, cam 142 will again engage arm 143,

rotating flippers

123 and 116 to a position outside of the receiver and the cards that had stacked thereon will drop onto platform 20.

In order to adjust the etfective size of the second embodiment of the card receiver, platform support rod 21 (FIG. 8) passes through base plate 12 and a tube 146 depending therefrom. Two

coil springs

147 and 148 separated by a spacer 149 slidably encircle rod 21. A tube terminus 150 attached to the end of tube 146 supports coil spring 148 and provides for the resilient support of platform 20.

In FIG. 9, bell crank arm 151 which is rotatably mounted to base plate 12 serves as the adjusting lever. Also rotatably mounted to base plate 12 is an arm 152 having an elongated slot 153 at one end. Bell crank arm 151 and arm 152 are pivotally connected by an arm 154. A plate 155 is free to slide longitudinally in the card receiver, its alignment being assured by cooperation between a pair of posts 156 which are attached to base plate 12 and longitudinal slots 157 in plate 155. Attached at one end of plate 155 is a pin 158 which engages elonagted slot 153. Attached at the other end of plate 155 is card positioning arm 55 which determines the effective size of the card receiver. Depending from plate 155 and passing through slots 160 in base plate 12 are four legs 159 which have attached to their lower end an adjusting plate 161. Plate 161 is provided with an elongated longitudinal slot (FIG. 12) having sections of three

different widths

162, 163 and 164. Slot 162 is sufficiently wide to pass over tube 146 to allow for assembly of the mechanism. Slot 163 is sufficiently wide to allow spacer 149 to pass therethrough, and slot 164 is sufliciently wide to allow rod 21 and

coil springs

147 and 148 to pass freely therethrough but small enough to prevent passage of spacer 149. Tube 146 has appropriate grooves (not shown) cut in its walls to allow

slots

163 and 164 to project inside the tube.

FIG. 9 shows the card receiver adjusted to accommodate the largest of two card sizes by having bell crank arm 151 near right side wall 14. To change the effective size of the card receiver to accommodate a smaller card, bell crank arm 151 is moved towards left side wall 15. Through

arms

154 and 152 and pin 158, plate 155 is moved to the left carrying with it card positioning arm 55 and thus reducing the effective size of the card receiver. As plate 155 travels to the left it also carries with it adjusting plate 161, the motion being transmitted through legs 159. When plate 155 has traveled the correct distance to the left so that the effective size of the card receiver is such as to properly accommodate cards for which the receiver is now adjusted, slot 163 and adjusting plate 161 is positioned around tube 146. Slot 163 is sufficiently wide to allow spacer 149 to pass therethrough and platform 20 is thereby supported by the combined spring rate of

coil springs

147 and 148, the combined spring rate having been preselected to maintain the effective receiving plane in the proper position to allow the particular size cards to stack on platform 20.

When bell crank arm 151 is moved towards right side wall 14, the receiver having first been emptied, plate 155 and card positioning arm 55 are moved so as to increase the effective size of the card receiver to accommodate a larger card. In this position slot 164 in adjusting plate 161 projects into tube 146, thewidth of slot 164 preventing spaeerx149 from passing therethrough. In this position platform 20 is supported only by the spring rate of coil spring 147 since spacer 149 is not free to ride in tube 146. The greater spring rate of coil spring 147 has been preselected to maintain the effective receiving plane as the larger cards are received in the receiver.

A switch 165 is suitably attached tosupporting member 10 and is contacted by switch arm 31 when platform 20 is fully depressed under the weight of the maximum load of cards. This switch automatically shuts off the machine which is ejecting cards into the receiver and may also signal the operator to empty the receiver.

Furthermore, if, while cards are being'stacked on

fiippers

116 and 123, the height of the stack becomes too great, the top of the cards will contact switch 133 and will also shut off the machine which is ejecting cards into the receiver.

In this application we have particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed the part, improvement, or combination which we claim as our invention or discovery, and we have explained the principles thereof and the best modes in which we have contemplated applying those principles so as to distinguish our invention from other inventions.

While we have shown and described certain preferred embodiments of our invention, it will be understood that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, as will be clear to those skilled in the art.

What we claim is:

1. In a chamber for receiving cards having a platform for receiving cards thereon and a resilient support for said platform, means for adjusting the resilient support of the platform comprising a vertical tube depending from said card receiver, a vertical rod attached to said platform and passing through said tube, a pair of coil springs encircling said rod, a depressor collar, having a depressor pin protruding therefrom", encircling said rod and separating said coil springs, means attached to the lower end of said tube for supporting said coil springs, rotatable adjusting rod support means encircling said tube, a plurality of adjusting rods attached to said adjusting rod support means, aplurality of coil springs encircling said adjusting rods, a plurality of adjustable collars encircling said adjusting rods at the lower end of said coil springs, a plurality of sliding collars encircling said adjusting rods at the upper end of said coil springs, a plurality of stop pins passing through said adjusting rods and limiting said sliding collars, and means cooperating with said card receiver for rotating said adjusting rod support means to selectively allow said depressor pin to engage one or none of the plurality of sliding collars.

2. In a chamber for receiving cards having a platform for receiving cards thereon and a resilient support for said platform, means for adjusting the resilient support of said platform comprising, a vertical tube depending from said card receiver, a vertical rod attached to said platform and passing through said tube, a pair of coil springs encircling said rod, a spacer encircling said rod and separating said coil springs, moans attached to the lower end of the said tube for supporting said coil springs, an adjusting plate, having a plurality of different sized slots therein, mounted below said chambers so as to encircle said vertical rod and said coil springs, a second plate slidably mounted within said chamber, a plurality of legs connected between said adjusting plate and said second plate for adjusting said adjusting plate, and lever means cooperating with said second plate for transmitting the manual movement of said lever means to said adjusting plate.

3. In a chamber for receiving cards having a platform for receiving cards thereon and a resilient support for said platform, auxiliary stacking means mounted to said card receiver comprising support blocks mounted to said card receiver, a pair of rods rot-atably positioned within said support blocks, a plurality of flippers attached to said rotatable rods, arms attached to the end of said rods and cooperating with each other for concurrent movement of said flippers, a vertical link attached at one end to said arms, a solenoid mounted to said card receiver, lever means attached between said link and said solenoid for transmitting motion therebetween, and switch' means mounted to said card receiver for energizing said solenoid.

4. The structure defined in claim 3 wherein said switch means comprises a switch mounted to the bottom of said card receiver, and a switch arm mounted to the bottom of said platform and positioned so as to contact said switch when said platform is completely depressed.

5. The structure defined in claim 3 wherein said switch means comprises a rod slidably mounted on one side of said card receiver, a knurled knob attached to the end of said rod, a pin protruding from said rod, and a switch contacted by said pin and mounted to the side of said card receiver.

6. The structure defined in claim 4 and further including a yoke attached to the other end of said rod, :1 return spring encircling said rod, a pair of slots in the side of said card receiver, a pair of pins attached to said yoke and passing through said slots, and a card hoe positioned inside said card receiver and attached to said pins.

7. In a chamber for receiving cards, having a platform for receiving cards thereon and a resilient support for said platform, auxiliary stacking means comprising support blocks mounted to the sides of said card receiver, rods rotatably mounted within said support blocks, a plurality of flippers attached to said rotatable rods, arm means attached to the end of said rods and cooperating with each other for rotating said rods concurrently, a rod slidably mounted to the side of said card receiver, a knurled knob attached to the end of said rod, a yoke attached to the other end of said rod, a coil spring encircling said rod, a pair of slots in the side wall of said card receiver, a pair of pins attached to said yoke and passing through said slots, a card hoe positioned inside said card receiver and attached to said pins, an arm depending from one of said flipper rods and contacting said yoke .and a spring attached between said arm means and said card receiver.

8. A card receiver comprising, in combination, a chambet for receiving cards, cards supporting means within said chamber forming an effective receiving plane for stacking cards thereon, resilient means supporting said card supporting means for maintaining said effective receiving plane in the proper relation to said chamber, chamber adjusting means cooperating with saidcharnber for changing the effective size'of said chamber, means cooperating with said chamber adjusting means for adjusting said resilient means to maintain said effective receiving plane in aforementioned relation to said chamber as said chamber adjusting means adjusts the effective size of said chamber to stack cards of different sizes which have weights proportional to their size, auxiliary stacking means mounted to said chamber and positionable for selectively allowing cards to stack thereon instead of on said card supporting means, operating means connected to said auxiliary stacking means for positioning said auxiliary stacking means, card remover means mounted to said chamber for removing cards from said chamber, a first switch attached to said chamber and actuated by said card supporting means for actuating said operating means when said card supporting means obtains a predetermined position under the weight of cards stacked there-on, and a second switch mounted to said second chamber and actuated by said card remover means for actuating said operating means as cards are removed from said chamber Without interrupting the flow of cards thereto.

9. A card receiver comprising, in combination, a chamber for receiving cards, a platform within said chamber forming an effective receiving plane for stacking cards thereon, a plurality of springs supporting said platform said springs being selectively connectable to said platform for maintaining said effective receiving plane in the proper relation to accept cards of varying weight to be stacked thereon, auxiliary stacking means mounted to said chamber and positionable for selectively allowing cards to stack thereon instead of on said platform, operating means connected to said auxiliary stacking means for selectively changing the position of said auxiliary stacking means, and a switch attached to said chamber for controlling said operating means, said switch being actuated by said platform when said card platform attains a certain position within said chamber.

10. A card receiver comprising, in combination, a chamber for receiving cards, a platform within said chamber forming an effective receiving plane for stacking cards thereon, a plurality of springs supporting said platform said springs being selectively connectable to said platform for maintaining said effective receiving plane in proper relation to said chamber to accept cards of varying weight to be stacked thereon, auxiliary stacking means mounted to said chamber and positionable for selectively allowing cards to stack thereon instead of on said platform, operating means connected to said stacking means for positioning said auxiliary stacking means, card re- 11 mover means mounted to said chamber for removing cards from said chamber, and a switch mounted to said chamber and actuated by said card remover means so that said stacking means operate to stack cards thereon during the removal of cards from said card receiver.

11. A card receiver comprising, in combination, a chamber for receiving cards, a platform within said chamber forming an effective receiving plane for stacking cards thereon, a plurality of springs supporting said platform said springs being selectively connectabie to said platform for maintaining said eifective receiving plane in the proper relation to said chamber to accept cards of varying weight to be stacked thereon, auxiliary stacking means mounted to said chamber and positionable for selectively allownig cards to stack thereon instead of on said platform, operating means connected to said auxiliary stacking means for positioning said stacking means, card remover means mounted to said chamher for removing cards from'said chamber, a first switch attached to said chamber and actuated by said platform for actuating said operating means when said platform attains a certain position in said chamber, and a second switch mounted to said chamber and actuated by said card remover means as cards are removed from said chamber.

12. In a chamber for receiving cards having a resiliently supported platform for receiving cards thereon and auxiliary stacking means for stacking cards while the cards are being removed from said chamber, said auxiliary stacking means comprising operating means mounted to said chamber for positioning said auxiliary stacking means to cause cards to stack thereon instead of on said resiliently supported platform a plurality of flippers mounted to said operating means and positioned on two parallel sides of said chamber, said operating means positionable to cause said flippers to enter said chamber to allow cards to stack thereon, a solenoid mounted to said chamber for actuating said operating means and a switch mounted to said chamber for activating said solenoid.

13. A card receiver comprising, in combination, a chamber for receiving cards, card supporting means within said chamber forming an effective receiving plane for stacknig cards thereon, resilient means supporting said card supporting means for maintaining said effective receiving plane in the proper relation to said chamber to accept said cards stacked thereon, chamber size adjusting means for adjusting the effective size of said chamber, and means cooperating with said chamber size adjusting means for adjusting said resilient means to maintain the eifective receiving plane in the aforementioned relation to said chamber as said chamber adjusting means are adjusted to receive cards of different sizes having weights proportional to their size.

14. A- card receiver comprising, in combination, a chamber for receiving cards, card supporting means within said chamber forming an effective receiving plane for stacking cards thereon, resilient means supporting said card supporting means for maintaining the effective receiving plane in the proper relation to said chamber to accept cards stacked thereon, chamber adjusting means cooperating with said chamber for adjusting the effective size of said chamber, means cooperating with said chamber adjusting means for adjusting said resilient means to maintain the effective receiving plane in the aforementioned relation to said chamber as said chamber adjust- 1 ing means are adjusted to receive cards of different sizes having weights proportional to their size, auxiliary stacking means for stacking cards thereon instead of on said card supporting means, and card removed means for removing cards from said receiver, said card remover means when operated, actuating said auxiliary stacking means.

15. A card receiver comprising, in combination, a chamber for receiving cards, card supporting means within said chamber forming an effective receiving plane for stacking cards thereon, adjustable resilient means supporting said card supporting means for maintaining said effective receiving plane in the proper relation to said chamber to accept cards stacked thereon, adjusting means for changing the effective size of said chamber, means controlled by said chamber adjusting means for adjusting said resilient means, auxiliary stacking means mounted to said chamber and positionable for allowing cards to stack thereon instead of on said card supporting means, operating means connected to said auxiliary stacking means for positioning said auxiliary stacking means and card removed means mounted to said chamber for removing cards from said chamber, said card remover means actuating said operating means.

16. In a chamber for receiving cards having a resiliently supported platform for receiving cards thereon and auxiliary means for stacking cards While the cards are being removed from said chamber, stacking means comprising operating means mounted to said chamber, at least one flipper mounted to said operating means and positioned on at least one side of said chamber, said operating means being positionable to cause said flipper to enter said chamber to allow cards to stack thereon, ac tuating means for actuating said operating means, a card remover hoe slidably mounted to said chamber and manually operable for removing cards from said resiliently supported platform while cards are being stacked on said auxiliary stacking means, and means responsive to the operation of said hoe for rendering said actuating means effective.

17. In combination, a chamber, a platform within said chamber for receiving cards thereon, a plurality of springs positionable to support said platform, selecting means for positioning at least one of said springs, and means under the control of said selecting means for adjusting the eifective size of said chamber concurrently with the functioning of said selecting means.

References Cite-.1 in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,210,168 Heyer Dec. 26, 1916 1,365,741 Speer Jan. 18, 1921 1,773,977 Eriksen Augf26, 1930 2,205,767 Lamb Jan. 25, 1940 2,788,131 Bergstrom et a1. Apr. 9, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 494,101 Great Britain Oct. 19, 1938 1,008,256 France May 15, 1952

Claims

1. IN A CHAMBER FOR RECEIVING CARDS HAVING A PLATFORM FOR RECEIVING CARDS THEREON AND A RESILIENT SUPPORT FOR SAID PLATFORM, MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE RESILIENT SUPPORT OF THE PLATFORM COMPRISING A VERTICAL TUBE DEPENDING FROM SAID CARD RECEIVER, A VERTICAL ROD ATTACHED TO SAID PLATFORM AND PASSING THROUGH SAID TUBE, A PAIR OF COIL SPRINGS ENCIRCLING SAID ROD, A DEPRESSOR COLLAR, HAVING A DEPRESSOR PIN PROTRUDING THEREFROM, ENCIRCLING SAID ROD AND SEPARATING SAID COIL SPRINGS, MEANS ATTACHED TO THE LOWER END OF SAID TUBE FOR SUPPORTING SAID COIL SPRINGS, ROTATABLE ADJUSTING ROD SUPPORT MEANS ENCIRCLING SAID TUBE, A PLURALITY OF ADJUSTING RODS ATTACHED TO SAID ADJUSTING ROD SUPPORT MEANS, A PLURALITY OF COIL SPRINGS ENCIRCLING SAID ADJUSTING RODS, A PLURALITY OF ADJUSTABLE COLLARS ENCIRCLING SAID ADJUSTING RODS AT THE LOWER END OF SAID COIL SPRINGS, A PLURALITY OF SLIDING COLLARS ENCIRCLING SAID ADJUSTING RODS AT THE UPPER END OF SAID COIL SPRINGS, A PLURALITY OF STOP PINS PASSING THROUGH SAID ADJUSTING RODS AND LIMITING SAID SLIDING COLLARS, AND MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID CARD RECEIVER FOR ROTATING SAID ADJUSTING ROD SUPPORT MEANS TO SELECTIVELY ALLOW SAID DEPRESSOR PIN TO ENGAGE ONE OR NONE OF THE PLURALITY OF SLIDING COLLARS.