US3220912A - Device for splicing data processing forms - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent 3,220,912 DEVICE FGR SPLIClNG DATA PROCESSING FURMS Eino Emil Liinnqvist, Munkkiniemi, Finland, assignor to 0y. Paragon Ala, Helsinki, Finland, :1 company of Finland Filed Aug. 17, 1961, Ser. No. 132,235 Claims. (Cl. 156-545) The following invention consists of a device for splicing data processing forms.

Ever more automatized statistical and other data processing machines are being used in trade and industry for processing data on cards in the form of a continuous, highspeed operation. To ensure smooth and uninterrupted infeed, data processing forms (e.g. punch cards) are nowadays arranged in the form of a continuous strip in which each card can be separated from the next by tearing along the perforation between them. These strips, how ever, cannot be made of unlimited length, and feeding in a new strip means stopping the machine, thus reducing its efficiency-as even the few minutes spent on the operation signifies a delay in feeding data on to tens or even hundreds of cards. The machines are comparatively expensive to run and every effort should be made to avoid interruptions of all kinds.

To eliminate the stoppage described above, strips of sticky tape of a lentgh corresponding to the width of the forms are used to splice the latter. The ends of the adhesive strips are furnished with holes corresponding to those on the edges of the cards themsleves. Down the middle of the strip, from one end to the other, there is a perforation coinciding with the joint between the two cards. A special splicing table has been developed for the purpose of fastening the adhesive strips. At one end of the table there are two or more fixed pins which fit the holes of the cards, the distance between each being the same as the division between the holes in the cards. At the other end of the table are sliding pins which can be adjusted to suit the Width of the cards.

To join two strips of cards together, adhesive strips of a length corresponding to their width are selected and one is placed in position with its holes fitting on to the pins and its sticky side facing upwards. On it are placed the ends of the two card strips with their side holes fitting on to the pins and the perforation in the adhesive tape coming exactly between their ends. Another adhesive strip is then usually placed on top of the cards with its sticky side downwards, and pressed tight, this completes the forming of the splice, and the cards can be removed.

The above method, however, has several drawbacks which considerably slow down the operation. For example, since the widths of the card strips vary considerably, separate lentghs of sticky tape must be prepared and stored for each width. Further, to prevent them from sticking to each other while in storage, their sticky sides have to be provided with a protective cover which must be removed before use. All of this reduces the speed of handling.

The object of the present invention is to eliminate all the above mentioned drawbacks. The device according to the invention comprises a base plate near one end of which are two or more fixed pins the size of the holes in the data processing cards, at a distance from each other corresponding to the normal distance between theholes in the cards and/ or a multiple of this. At some distance from the fixed pins are two or more sliding pins moving parallel to each other. The distances between the sliding pins corresponds to those between the fixed ones. Regardless of their width, the cards can be positioned with their ends against each other between these two sets of pins. The

principal feature of the invention is that above the base plate are fitted one or more guide rods along which slides a carriage containing a device for holding a roll of sticky tape so that it can easily be turned and unrolled. Under the carriage there is a roller or wheel which presses against the base plate to force the sticky tape down on to the punch cards, and another roller furnished with a notching device, spikes or similar protuberances for making the perforation in the sticky tape after it has been stuck to the cards. The second roller is fitted in such a way as to perforate the sticky tape exactly between the ends of the cards at the same time as the carriage moves along the guide rod or rods.

The device according to the invention and its manner of operation are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows the same device as seen from above.

The reference character 1 in the drawing is the base plate of the apparatus, furnished with four fixed pins 2. The distance between the two middle pins is three times that between the holes in the cards. In the base plate 1 are four longitudinal grooves 3 along which sliding pins 4 at the same distances from each other as the fixed pins 2 can be moved parallel to each other in either direction so as to conform to the width of the cards being spliced. Positioning is facilitated by a graduated scale 5 on the side of the base plate 1, and a corresponding arrow 7 on the plate 6 in which the sliding pins 4 are mounted.

Above the base plate 1 are two guide rods 8 which are round in section and run parallel to the grooves 3. The guide rods 8 are joined to either end of the base plate by vertical support plates 9 and 10. Support plate 9 is joined to the base plate 1 by bearings on an axle 11 running across the base plate. This plate 9 can thus be pivoted from its vertical position on this axle. Support plate 10 is positioned by pressing down onto guide pins 12 in the base plate 1, which enter corresponding holes in the support plate 10.

Sliding along the guide rods 8 is a carriage 13 at the centre of which a roll of sticky tape 15 turns between the guide rods 8 on an axle 14. A press wheel 18, preferably rubber surfaced, turns on an axle 17 fitted between lobes 16 which are joined to the underside of the carriage 13, and slightly forward of centre of it. This wheel 18 is positioned exactly midway between the guide rods on the same vertical plane as the reel of sticky tape 15. On the other side of the reel 15 from the roller 18, also exactly midway between the guide rods is fitted a perforating wheel 19 which is furnished with a notching device or something similar. This wheel turns on ball bearings in a fork 20, the shaft 21 of which is fitted into a hole drilled in the carriage 13, this hole being furnished with a spring load adjustment screw 22. The movement of the carriage 13 is stabilized by wheels 23 directly under the guide rods 8, each wheel turning in its own fork 24 fastened to the carriage 13.

The device functions as follows: Support plate 10 is raised off its guide pins 12, the guide rods 8 and carriage 13 are lifted up and the holes on one side of the cards are fitted over the fixed pins 2 so that the confronting ends of the two cards positioned side-by-side come together. The sliding pins 4 are moved to a position corresponding to the width of the cards and fitted into the holes on the other side of them in the same way as pins 2. The data processing forms are now in position, the joint being exactly half-way between the two middle pins of groups 2 and 4. Adhesive tape is passed from the reel 15 over the roller 18, with the sticky side facing outwards from said roller. The end of the tape is fastened either by sticking it down on to the base plate 1, beyond the edge of the cards, or by inserting it into an oblique groove 25 above the perforating Wheel 19 in the carriage 13, which ensures that the sticky tape runs straight and true when pressed down. Then the guide rods 8 and carriage 13 are lowered and the support plate 10 positioned on its guide pins 12. The carriage 13 is pushed, gently pressing, over the joint between the cards. The pressing wheel 18 presses the tape down over the ends of the cards, thus splicing them, and behind it comes the perforating wheel 19, which, being spring-loaded, presses against the sticky tape and perforates it exactly between the ends of the cards. When the wheel 18 reaches the far edge of the cards, the tape is cut by a blade 26 fitted in the appropriate position on the base plate 1. The other end of the tape can be cut by suitable means after the spliced data processing cards are removed from the base plate.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, but can be varied within the scope of the claims.

' WhatIclaim is:

1. A device for splicing data processing cards consisting of a base plate near one end of which are at least two fixed pins of the same size as the holes in the cards and at the same distances from each other as the holes of the cards, and, at an adjustable distance from said fixed pins towards the other end of the base plate, at least two sliding pins moving parallel to each other, the distances between which correspond to those between the fixed pins, between which two groups of pins the data processing forms can be fitted with their ends abutting, at least one guide rod positioned above the base plate, a carriage slidably mounted on the guide rod, a device on the carriage for holding a reel of unperforated adhesive tape in such a way that it can be turned and unrolled freely, a first roller mounted on the bottom of the carriage which presses against the base plate so as to force the adhesive tape down onto the cards, and a second roller fitted with notching means for perforating the tape after it has been pressed down on the cards, the said second roller being mounted on the carriage in such a Way that the tape is perforated exactly between the ends of the cards as the carriage moves along the guide rod.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first roller is surfaced with an elastic material.

3. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the second roller is spring-loaded.

4. A device in accordance with claim 1, comprising support plates, one of the support plates being attached to the base plate by hearings on which it can turn, the ends of the guide rods being affixed to the respective support plate.

5. A device in accordance with claim 1, comprising a cutter blade afiixed in upwardly facing position on the base plate with its cutting edge parallel with the edge of the punch cards, beyond and centrally between the fixed pins on the base plate.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 271,848 2/1883 Holton 83-12 1,396,895 11/1921 Stolz 156-505 2,827,104 3/1958 Rives 156505,

EARL M. BERGERT, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A DEVICE FOR SPLICING DATA PROCESSING CARDS CONSISTING OF A BASE PLATE NEAR ONE END OF WHICL ARE AT LEAST TWO FIXED PINS OF THE SAME SIZE AS THE HOLES IN THE CARDS, AND AT THE SAME DISTANCES FROM EACH OTHER AS THE HOLES OF THE CARDS, AND, AT AN ADJUSTABLE DISTANCE FROM SAID FIXED PINS TOWARDS THE OTHER END OF THE BASE PLATE, AT LEAST TWO SLIDING PINS MOVING PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER, THE DISTANCES BETWEEN WHICH CORRESPOND TO THOSE BETWEEN TH FIXED PINS, BETWEEN WHICH TWO GROUPS OF PINS THE DATA PROCESSING FORMS CAN BE FITTED WITH THEIR ENDS ABUTTING, AT LEAST ONE GUIDE ROD POSITIONED ABOVE THE BASE PLATE, A CARRIAGE SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON THE GUIDE ROD, A DEVICE ON THE CARRIAGE FOR HOLDING A REEL OF UNPERFORATED ADHESIVE TAPE IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT CAN BE TURNED AND UNROLLED FREELY, A FIRST ROLLER MOUNTED ON THE BOTTOM OF THE CARRIAGE WHICH

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