US3621999A

US3621999A - Arrangement for the selection of columns of record cards

Info

Publication number: US3621999A
Application number: US875104A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hilrich J M Venker
Original assignee: Bull General Electric NV
Current assignee: Bull General Electric NV
Priority date: 1968-11-18
Filing date: 1969-11-10
Publication date: 1971-11-23
Anticipated expiration: 1988-11-23
Also published as: BE741485A; NL6816432A; FR1604871A; GB1236293A

Abstract

The invention concerns, in a record-card-sorting machine comprising a sorting device and a device for checking the sorting, a column-selecting device comprising a connection panel combined with a system of two coupled stepping switches, the arrangement being such that the members for exploring the card columns are connected on the one hand to the sorting device through the connection panel and one of the said stepping switches, in order to permit sorting of a series of cards in accordance with the data situated in one of their columns, and on the other hand to the device for checking the sorting, through the connection panel and the other stepping switch, in order to permit simultaneous checking that the data situated in the column which has served for the sorting during the preceding passage do in fact succeed one another in a predetermined order.

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventor Hilrich J. M. Venlter lleemstede, Netherlands [21 Appl. No. 875,104

[22] Filed Nov. 10, 1969 [45 Patented Nov. 23, 1971 I 73 Assignee Bull General Electric (Nederland) N. V.

Amsterdam, Netherlands [32] Priority Nov. 18, 1968 [33] Netherlands [54] ARRANGEMENT FOlR THE SELECTION OF COLUMNS OF RECORD C i 7 Cs, 9 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 209/110 [51] Int. Cl B07c 5/00 [50] Field ofSearch 235/61]; 209/ll0, lll.7, I 11.8

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,379,828 7/1945 Rubidge et al 209/l 10 2,894,627 7/1959 Kolm Primary Examiner-Allen N. Knowles Assistant E.raminerGene A. Church AttorneyBaldwin, Wight, Diller & Brown ABSTRACT: The invention concerns, in a record-card-sorting machine comprising a sorting device and a device for checking the sorting, a column-selecting device comprising a connection panel combined with a system of two coupled stepping switches, the arrangement being such that the members for exploring the card columns are connected on the one hand to the sorting device through the connection panel and one of the said stepping switches, in order to permit sorting of a series of cards in accordance with the data situated in one of their columns, and on the other hand to the device for checking the sorting, through the connection panel and the other stepping switch, in order to permit simultaneous checking that the data situated in the column which has served for the sorting during the preceding passage do in fact succeed one another in a predetermined order.

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PRIOR ART ARRANGEMENT FOR THE SELECTION OF COLUMNS OF RECORD CARDS The present invention concerns an arrangement for selecting columns of record cards which, on the one hand, has the object of establishing the electric circuit necessary for reading record cards column-by-column in a predetermined column selection order, and which on' the other hand effects the switching essential to make it possible, at the time of the reading of a column which has previously been scanned on this same card.

The arrangement according to the invention is more particularly applicable to machines for sorting record cards, which comprise a checking device for verifying whether a datum on a card is disposed in a predetermined order of succession with the datumof the same column of a preceding card. In sorting machines of this kind, such as, for example, that described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 2,615,568 filed on 17th June l948 the cards, which are initially disposed in a supply magazine, are extracted one-by-one from the magazine and travel past a reading station in order tobe finally selectively deposited in particular receiving compartments, in accordance with the data situated in one of their columns. Simultaneously with the reading of the cards, an additional scanning device checks the succession of the cards, in accordance with the data which are situated in another column. Consequently, a sorting machine of this kind comprisestwo reading brushes. One of these brushes, called the sorting brush, detects the data situated in a card column and controls the sorting device which has the object of routing towards the various receiving compartments the cards which have been extracted from the magazine and are carried towards the said compartments. In accordancewith a well-known sorting principle, when this first passage has been completed, the cards are withdrawn from the receiving compartments and replaced in the supply magazine, in increasing or decreasing order depending upon the desired numerical succession, in order to be redistributed in the receiving compartments, in the course of a second passage, in accordance with the data situated in another card column. The sorting of the cards is thus effected in as many passages as there are columns to be explored. Consequently, between each passage, the sorting brush must be displaced in order to correspond to a further column to be explored. The second brush, called the checking brush, is connected to a checking device which has the object, on the one hand, of verifying whether the cards which have been sorted out in the course of the preceding passage and replaced in the magazine, in increasing or decreasing order, do in fact succeed one another in this order, and on the other hand of stopping the machine if a card is not inits position in the series. Such an inversion may be due to a lack of attention on the part of the operator, when withdrawing the cards from the receiving compartments in order to replace them in the supply magazine. It may in fact happen that the bundles of cards which have been withdrawn from the receiving compartments are not replaced in the magazine in the appropriate order of the values of the data of the column which has been scanned in the course of the preceding passage. In order to permit this verification, the checking brush must be displaced between each passage in order to be brought on to the column which has been explored by the sorting brush in the preceding passage.

In the sorting machine described in the aforesaid patent, which is designed to make it possible to perform a sorting of cards on adjacent columns, the sorting brush and the checking brush are fixed on a common support and are spaced apart at a distance equal to the distance apart of two adjacent columns. Between each passage of cards, the support is displaced perpendicularly to the card track through the distance of one column in order to enable the sorting brush to explore the succeeding column. However, this machine does not make it possible, when it is desired to sort cards on noncontiguous columns, to check at the same time the succession of the cards, since in the course of one and the same passage of cards, the sorting brush and the checking brush necessarily explore twoadjacent columns. Moreover, owing to the fact that each brush must be perfectly positioned in relation to the column which it is to explore, the displacement of the mppon necessitates the use of a precise positioning mechanism, which is relatively costly. Finally, in this machine, the support is manually displaced by the operator, at the end of each passage of cards, which results in stopping of the machine for a relatively long time.

The present invention obviates these disadvantages and proposes an arrangement for the selection of columns of record cards, by means of which it is possible to sort cards in a number of passages, in accordance with the data situated in any columns, while simultaneously checking, in the course of one and the same passage, that the data situated in the column which has been employed for the sorting, in the preceding passage, do in fact succeed one another in a predetermined order. In addition to its simplicity of construction and its high operating reliability, the proposedarrangement may be employed in sorting machines operating with recycling, and it then enables the operation of such machines to be rendered entirely automatic.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided in a record-card-sorting machine, in which the cards are successively conveyed to a sorting mechanisms through a reading station, the said station comprising a plurality of reading members fast with a fixed support and disposed in such manner that each of them explores the data situated in a separate card column, the sorting mechanism being associated with a sorting control circuit itself controlled by one of the said reading members so as tosort a series of cards in accordance with the data situated in the column explored by the said reading member, and the said machine comprising in addition a checking device controlled by another one of the said reading members in order to check the succession of the cards of this series in accordance with the datasituated in the column explored by the said other reading member, a column-selecting arrangement which is characterized in that it comprises in combination a connection panel comprising a set of input terminals, each terminal being connected respectively to the corresponding one of the reading members, a number of output terminals and an equal number of detachable connections being provided to permit interconnection of each output terminal with one of the input terminals in accordance with a predetermined arrangement, and a system of two coupled stepping switches comprising a first stepping switch whose output is connected to the checking device and a second stepping switch whose output is connected to the sorting control circuit, the said stepping switches being connected in addition to the output terminals of the connection panel through a plurality of conductors, the arrangement being such that when the sorting control circuit is connected to the nth output terminal. of thepanel, through the second stepping switch, in order to sort the cards which have been conveyed in the course of a common passage, the checking device is connected to the (nl)th output terminal of the panel, through the first stepping switch, in order to check that the data situated in the column which has been employed in the sorting in the course of the preceding passage, do in fact succeed one another in apredetermined order.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how it may be carried into effect, an embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is the electric circuit diagram of a column-selecting arrangement designed in accordance with one aspect of the invention,

FIG. 2 illustrates a form of construction'of the connection panel forming part of the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a sectional view, along a line indicated by 3-3, of the connection panel of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is the electric circuit diagram of the control circuits forv lighting and extinguishing pilot lamps on the connection panel of FIG. 2,

IOIOIZ097 FIG. 5 illustrates a rotary step-by-step switch performing a function similar to that of the two coupled changeover switches illustrated in the diagram of FIG. 1,

FIG. 6 is a view, partially in section, of the card feeding and sorting mechanism of a known type of sorting machine, and

FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C, assembled along the chain-dotted lines, constitute the wiring diagram of a known type of sorting machine comprising the column-selecting arrangement of the invention.

FIG. 1 is intended to show the main features of an arrangement for selecting card columns in a record-card-sorting machine, said machine comprising a checking device for verifying whether the cards which have been sorted out in the course of a preceding passage and replaced in the supply magazine, in increasing or decreasing order, do in fact succeed one another in this order. Such a machine may be, for example, of the type which has been described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 2,615,568, filed June I7, 1948. As shown in FIG. 6, this machine comprises a supply magazine 10, a card picker 11 for feeding the cards one at a time through a throat l2, and means comprising a linkage 13 operating from a main shaft 14 for actuating the picker. As a record card passes through the throat, it is gripped between a set of rollers 15 and fed to a reading station comprising a metal roller 16 and a series of reading members 17 constituted, for example, of scanning brushes, these reading members being fast with a fixed support 18 and being spaced apart at a distance equal to the distance between two adjacent columns of the cards, as shown in FIG. 1. After having been analyzed by the reading station, the card is advanced along a card track equipped with a sorting mechanism, in order finally to be selectively deposited in receiving compartments, in accordance with the data situated in the card column which has been explored by the reading station. The sorting mechanism may consist, as shown in FIG. 6, of a plurality of guide blades 25 which are provided with upturned edge 24 and which lead to the receiving compartments. As soon as the reading station detects a mark or a perforation in the card column which is explored, a sorting magnet 26 is energized and attracts its armature 27 to cause, in a well-known way, the card to be selected by the guide blades and directed to the compartment corresponding to the position of the perforation in said column. A recordcard-sorting machine generally comprises twelve receiving compartments, each corresponding to the twelve perforations (or marks) which may exist in a card column. When there is no perforation or mark in the explored column of a card, this card is sent into a 13th compartment, called the reject" compartment. The sorting magnet 26 constitutes a part of a sorting control circuit which is itself controlled by the reading station. This sorting control circuit has been diagrammatically represented in FIG. 1 by a rectangle bearing the reference DT. It will be assumed that the sorting control circuit is of known construction and that its construction may be based for example, on that described and illustrated in the aforesaid-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 2,615,568. For this reason, this sorting control circuit will not be described. Nevertheless, its structure has been represented in detail in the circuit of the assembled FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C. However, it is to be remarked that other sorting machines are known in which the sorting mechanism consists of a plurality of selecting members associated each with a respective receiving compartment, In these machines, the selection of a card intended for a receiving compartment is performed by the selecting member associated with the said coinpartment, at the instant when the said card arrives in proximity to the said compartment. Since, in this case, the determination of the compartment in which this card must arrive takes place at the instant when the said card travels through the reading station, known means are provided to record the selection control and to delay the actuation of the selecting member until this card has had time to travel from the reading station to the corresponding compartment. These means may consist, for example, of rotary memory discs of the type described and illustrated in the Fat. application filed in the United States on June 20, I968, Ser.

No. 738,505, for Disc-type memory devices suitable for use more particularly in record-card-sorting machines". Each memory disc associated with a corresponding compartment comprises a series of blades or blocks mounted on a support disc fast with a shaft rotating synchronously with the displacement of the cards along the track, each blade normally occupying on the support disc a position of rest, but being capable of being brought into an active position under the action of an electromagnet which is in turn controlled by the reading station. When it is thus brought into the active position, the said blade, driven by the support disc, shifts in its travel a lever disposed in its path and the displacement of which is imparted to the associated selecting member in order to position it, for a very brief time, in a location in which it brings about the selection of a card towards the corresponding compartment, the electromagnet being angularly offset, around the support disc, in relation to the lever by an amount such that the time taken by the blade in the active position to travel from the electromagnet to the lever is equal to the time taken by the said card to travel from the reading station to the compartment under consideration. In this case, the sorting control circuit DT comprises as many blade-actuating electromagnets as there are receiving compartments, each electromagnet being adapted to be selectively energized in accordance with the position occupied by a perforation or mark in the explored column.

FIG. 1 shows that the metal roller 16 is connected to the positive terminal of a direct current source through a conductor 40 and a contact breaker 30. The said contact breaker is rotated in known manner so as to perform one revolution per card cycle. In addition, each cycle is divided into 15 time intervals or points, most of these points corresponding to the passage of one perforation (or mark) under the reading station. It will be recalled that the points succeed one another in the course of a cycle in the following order: 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2,1, 0, ll, l2, l3, l4 and 15. The brushes 17 of the reading station are insulated from one another and can come into contact with the metal roller 16 through perforations 19 in the cards.

The sorting control circuit DT is connected, on one hand to the negative terminal of the current source through a conductor 43, and on the other hand, to one of the scanning brushes 17 through a conductor 41 and a selecting arrangement which will be described shortly hereafter. Thus, when this brush comes into contact with the roller 16, through a perforation, a circuit is closed, this circuit comprising the positive terminal, the contact breaker 30, the conductor 40, the roller 16, the scanning brush which is connected to the control circuit DT, the selecting arrangement, the conductor 41, the sorting control circuit DT, the conductor 43 and the negative terminal of the source. It is desirable to recall here that the contact breaker 30 closes the circuit only at each of the points 9 to 12 of a cycle, and that the function of this circuit breaker is to permit the closing of the said circuit, at each of the said points, only after the instant when a scanning brush has been able to come into contact with the roller 16 through a perforation in the card, and to reopen the said circuit before this perforation is disengaged from the said brush.

In order to check that the data situated in the column which has served for the sorting in the preceding passage do in fact succeed one another in a predetermined order of succession, the sorting machine comprises a sorting checking device which, in FIG, 1, has been diagrammatically represented by a rectangle bearing the reference DC. It will be assumed that this sorting checking device is of known type and that its construction is, for example, that described and illustrated in the aforesaid patent. The structure of this device has been represented in detail in the circuit of the assembled FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C. Without entering into detail, it will simply be indicated here that this checking device DC is normally connected to the negative terminal of the current source through a conductor 48, and that it may be electrically connected to one of the scanning brushes 17 through a conductor and through the selecting arrangement referred to in the foregoing. Thus, when the latter brush comes into contact with the roller 16 through aperforation a circuit is closed, this circuit comprising the positive terminal, the contact breaker 30, the conductor 40, the roller 16, the scanning brush connected to the checking device DC, the selecting arrangement, the conductor 70, the checking device DC, the conductor 48 and the negative terminal of the source.

The selecting arrangement illustrated in FIG. 1 is composed essentially of a connection panel 100 associated with a system of two coupled step-by-step switches KC and KT. The connection panel 100 comprises a set of input tenninals, denoted by E, a set of output terminals denoted by S, and detachable-conductor wires F, equal in number to the output terminals, by means of which conductors each output terminal S can be interconnected with one of the input terminals E, in accordance with a predetermined arrangement. Each input terminal is connected respectively to the corresponding one of the scanning brushes 17. It will be assumed that in the described example the number of scanning brushes has been made equal to 80, so as to render possible the exploration of the 80 columnsexisting on each card. Consequently, the connection panel 100 comprises, as shown in FIG. 1, 80 input terminals, each of which is given a number which enables it to be identified on the panel. Thus, for example, the input terminal which is given the number 1 is connected to the scanning brush which has the object of exploring the first column of the cards, the input tenninal which is given the number 2 is connected to the scanning brush which has the object of exploring the second column of the cards, and so on. The number of output terminals S of the connection panel is-generally lower than the number of input terminals E. It will be assumed that, for practical purposes, this numberha's been fixed at 21, each output terminal bearing a number from 0 to 20, which enables it to be identified on the panel.

The switches'KT and KC which are associated with the connection panel 100 in the described example consist of two rotary step-by-step switches of known type, each having contact positions denoted respectively by C1 to C20 for the switch KC and by T1 to T20 for the switch KT. Each of the 20 contact positions T1 to T20 of the switch KT is connected to the corresponding one of the 20 output'terminals S1 to S20 of the connection panel. Each of the 20 contact positions C1 to C20 of the switch KC is connected to the respective one of the 20 output terminals S0 to S19 of the connection panel. The switch KC comprises in addition a wiper PC which is fast with a driving shaft 101 and which can be moved step-by-step by operation of the shaft 101 so as to come into'contact with one of the 20 positions C1 to C20 situated in a circle around the shaft 101. Likewise, the switch KT comprises a wiper FT which is fast with a driving' shaft '102 and which can'be moved step-by-step by operation of the shaft 102 so as to come into contact with one of the 20 positions T1 to T20 situated in a circle around the shaft 102. The conductor'70 is connected to the wiper PC so as to be electrically connected through the switch KC to one of the 20 output terminals S0 to S19 of the connection panel. Likewise, the conductor 4l'is connected to the wiper Fl so as to be electrically connected through the switch KT to one of the 20 output terminals S1 to S20 of the connection panel. As shown in FlG.'1, the shafts 101 and 102 are mechanically coupled to permit simultaneous step-by-step displacement of the two wipers FC and FT. It is to be noted here that in the described example, these two wipers are always situated on a similar contact position, which means that when the wiper FC is on the position C3,'for example, the wiper F1" is on the contact position T3. The simultaneous positioning of the wipers FC and FT may be manually effected by the operator, by rotating one of the two coupled shafts 101 and 102. However, in a more improved form of construction, it will be assumed that this positioning is performed by a stepby-step advance control device CA of known type, which is provided with a control pushbutton PA. This advance control device is so designated as to effect, in response to the depreswhile the wiper FT is on the contact position T1, depression of the pushbutton PA has the effect of bringing the wiper FC to the contact position C2 and the wiper F1 to the contact position T2. It will also be assumed that, before the first passage of a sorting operation, the contact positions on which the wipers FT and PC are situated are the positions T1 and C1 respectively. Under these conditions, the sorting control circuit DT is connected to the output terminal S0 of the panel through the conductor 41, the wiper FT and the contact position Tl, while the checking device DC is connected to the output tenninal S0 of the panel 100 thr'oughthe conductor 70, the wiper FC and the contact position C1. If, as shown in F 16. 1, the conductor wires F have been so arranged that, for example, the terminal S0 is not connected to any of the input terminals, while the terminal S1 is connected to the terminal E2, the terminal S2 is connected to the terminal E5, the terminal S3 is connected to the terminal E6, and the terminal S4 is connected to the terminal E4, it will then be appreciated that the sorting control circuit DT is connected to the scanning brush 17 which has the object of exploring the second column of the cards, while the checking device DC is not connected to any of the brushes 17. passage, the cards extracted from the supply magazine will be sorted in accordance with the data situated in the second column.

When this first passage has been completed, the cards are withdrawn from the receiving compartments and replaced in the supply magazine in an increasing or decreasing order, depending upon the desired numerical sequence. The wipers FT and FC are thereafter place by manual depression of the button PA onthe respective contactpos itions T2 and C2. Under these conditions, the sorting control circuit DT is connected, as shown in FIG. 1, to the output terminal S2, whichis in turn connected through a wire F to the scanning brush 17 which has the object of exploring the fifth column of the cards. Likewise, the checking device DC is connected to the output terminal S1, which is in turn connected to the scanning brush 17 which has the objectof exploring the second column of the cards. Consequently, in the courseof their second passage, the cards will be sorted in accordance with the data situated in the fifth column. Simultaneously, the checking device DC verifies, from the data situated in the second column, whether the cards in fact succeed one another in the order increasing, according to which they should be replaced in the magazine after the firs'tpassage. The device DC is so designed as to stop the machine in the event of a card not being in its correct position in the series.

lfthe cards are in the correct order, they are withdrawn, on completion of the second passage, from the reception compartments by the operator and replaced in the supply magazine in the order previously indicated. Thereafter the operator depresses the button PA in order to bring the wipers FT and PC on to the respective contact positions T3 and C3. The sorting control circuit DT is then connected stud the output terminal S3,which is in turn connected, as shown in FIG. 1, to the scanning brush 17 which has the object of exploring the sixth column of the cards. Likewise, the checking device DC is connected to the output terminal S2, which is in turn connected to the brush which has the object of exploring the fifth column of thecards. Consequently, in the course of their third passage, the cards are sorted in accordance with the data read in the sixth column, while the checking device DC checks the succession of the cards from the data situated in the fifth column, i.e. in the column which has served for the sorting during the preceding passage.

Consequently, in the course of the first It may be observed that, in each passage of cards, the checking device DC performs the checking of the cards from the data situated in the column which has served for the sorting during the preceding passage. If it is desired to effect a check on the column which has served for the sorting during the last passage, it is necessary to replace the cards in the magazine, to depress the button PA for the least time and to effect an additional passage of the cards. In this additional passage, however, the output terminal which is connected to the contact position on which the wiper FT is then situated will not have to be connected to any of the input terminals of the connection panel. In this case, all the cards will enter the reject" compartment in the course of this additional passage, while the checking device DC will check that the succession is correct.

FIG. I also shows that the advance control device CA is provided with a second pushbutton PR which serves, when actuated at the end of a sorting operation, to produce in known manner the retum-to-zero of the two switches, i.e. the return of the two wipers FC and F1 to their initial contact positions C1 and T1 respectively. It should be noted that in a more improved fonn of construction the pushbutton PA and PR may be actuated not manually, but by an appropriate control system, for example of pneumatic or electromagnetic form, which is connected to the general controls of the machine and designed to initiate the advance of the two wipers FC and FT from one contact position to the next, after each passage of cards, or the retum-to-zero of the two switches when the sort ing has been completed. Under these conditions, the columnselecting arrangement just described operates entirely automatically, so that any sorting program can be prepared in advance. This arrangement may then be advantageously employed in automatic sorting machines in which the manual operations are reduced to a minimum, such as sorting machines in which the cards are automatically recycled.

FIG. I also shows that the checking device DC is connected on the one hand to the switch KC through the conductor 70 and an on-off switch 44 and on the other hand to the switch KT through the conductor 41 and an on-off switch 54. As may be seen on reference to the aforesaid patent, this second connection has the object of permitting repositioning of a card situated in the wrong order, which has already been sent into a receiving compartment at the time of the detection of the positioning error. However, it is possible by opening the switches 44 and 54 to employ the machine for ordinary sorting operations without the checking device DC being used.

There will now be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 a preferred form of construction of the connection panel. FIG. 3 shows that this panel comprises two

support plates

200 and 201 of insulating material, which are parallel to one another and maintained in spaced relationship by uprights 203. These two support plates form a front plate 200 and a rear plate 201. As is shown by FIGS. 2 and 3, the front plate 200 is formed with rows of equidistant round holes J which, in the described example, are distributed in eight rows of holes each. Each hole is marked by one of the numbers I to 80, so that it can be identified on the panel. The rear plate 201 is provided with a series of socket contacts 204 equal in number to the holes in the front plate, each socket contact being disposed opposite a corresponding hole. Each socket contact comprises a screwthreaded rod 205 by means of which it can be secured to the rear plate 201 with the aid of a nut 206. Each of the socket contacts is connected to the respective one of the scanning brushes of the reading station, through a conductor wire soldered to the free end of the corresponding screw-threaded rod. Thus, the socket contact disposed opposite the hole J 1 is connected to the brush which has the object of exploring the first card column, that disposed opposite the hole J2 is connected to the brush which has the object of exploring the second card column, and so on. The connection panel which has been illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 comprises in addition a set of conductor cables serving to establish the necessary connections between the coupled changeover switches and the socket contacts electrically connected to the scanning brushes. As shown in FIG. 3, each conductor cable is composed of a screened cable, such as F13, one of the ends of which is provided with a contact plug, such as M13, while the other end is secured to one of two connecting

bars

207 and 208. In the described example, the number of such conductor cables is equal to 21. In the following description, each of these conductor cables will be denoted by the same reference as its screened cable, that is to say, by the letter F followed by one of the numbers 0 to 20. FIGS. 2 and 3 show that the connecting bar to which the ends of the cables F0 to F10 are connected is the bar 208, the ends of the cables F11 to F20 consequently being secured to the connecting bar 207. Also secured to the connecting

bars

207 and 208 are the ends of the conductor wires which connect the connection panel to the contact positions C1 to C20 and T1 to T20 of the two switches KC and KT. In FIG. 3, only one of these conductor wires, denoted by CK, has been shown, obviously for the sake of clarity. The connections are so made that the cable F0 is connected to the contact position C], while the cable F1 is connected to the contact positions C2 and T1, the cable F2 is connected to the contact positions C3 and T2, and so on in accordance with the circuit diagram of FIG. 1. Consequently, if the operator desires to connect, for example, the contact position T1 to the scanning brush intended to scan the 41st column, it is sufficient to introduce the plug of the cable F1 into the socket contact situated opposite the hole J41.

FIG. 3 also shows that the connection panel is provided with rest sockets denoted by R0 and R20, each rest socket serving to receive the corresponding plug when the latter is not introduced into one of the socket contacts. The end of each rest socket is formed with a circular hole to permit the passage of the corresponding screened cable. Associated with each of the rest sockets is one of a series of lever-type microcontacts K0 and K20. Each lever-type microcontact is connected to the corresponding one of a series of pilot lamps V0 to V20 so as to light up the said pilot lamp when the plug situated in the associated rest socket is withdrawn from this socket. For this purpose, each of the levers of the microcontacts is partly engaged in the associated rest socket in order to be pushed back by the plug when the latter is engaged in the socket, and to be disengaged from the said plug when the latter is withdrawn from the socket. FIGS. 2 and 3 also show that each of the connecting

bars

207 and 208 is provided with a separating comb, denoted by 209 and 210 respectively, which separates the screened cables leading to the corresponding bar.

FIG. 4 is an electric circuit diagram intended to illustrate the principle of the ignition and extinction of the pilot lamps V1 to V20 in a sorting operation comprising a number of card passages. In FIG. 4, only the circuits controlling the illumination of the pilot lamps V1 and V2 are shown, but it will be appreciated that the circuits controlling the pilot lamps V3 to V20 are identical to those illustrated. These circuits comprise manually controlled contacts comprising relays, designed for use under the conditions which have been described. The relay contacts are denoted by the same reference as the winding by which they are controlled, preceded by the letter C. A contact which is normally closed, when the coil control member is not energized, is represented in this drawing by a black triangle.

The pilot lamps are extinguished in a manner which will hereinafter be explained by means of a rotary step-by-step switch KL which comprises 20 contact positions L1 to L20 and a wiper FL fast with a driving shaft 103. The shaft 103 is mechanically coupled to the shaft 101 and 102 to enable the advance control device CA (FIG. 1) to control the displacement of the wiper FL, the latter being shifted by one position, in the direction corresponding to the increasing numbers of the contact positions, each time the operator depresses the pushbutton PA.

In order to illustrate one example of application, it will be assumed that the operator desires to perform a sorting operation in accordance with the data situated, for example, in the fourth and fifth card columns. For this purpose, the operator 7 must, before the first card passage, introduce the contact plug of the cable Fl into the socket contact of the hole J4 and must introduce the contact plug of the cable F2 into socket contact of the hole J5. Owing to the fact that these plugs are withdrawn from the sockets Rl to R2, the levers of the microcontacts K1 and K2 are released and permit closing of the said contacts K1 and K2. The wiper FL of the switch KL is initially situated on the position L1 and does not permit energization of the two coils B01 and 802 shown in FIG. 4. The contacts C801 and C802 which they control are therefore at rest. Consequently, an electric circuit is closed, this circuit comprising the positive terminal of a current source, a normally closed contact Nil, the contact C801 at rest, the pilot lamp V1, the closed contact K1 and the negative terminal of the current source. The pilot lamp V1 is therefore lit up. Likewise, a second electric circuit is close, this circuit comprising the positive terminal of the current source, a nonnally closed contact N2, the contact C802 at rest, the pilot lamp V2, the closed contact K2 and the negative terminal of the current source. The pilot lamp V2 is therefore lit up. The pilot lamps V3 to V remain extinguished, since the plugs of the cables F3 to F20 have not been withdrawn from the corresponding rest sockets and consequently the contacts K3 to K20 have remained open.

When the first passage of cards has been completed, depression of the button PA of the advance control device CA produces displacement of the wiper FL so as to bring it to the contact position L2. Under these conditions, a direct current flows from the positive terminal, through the wiper FL situated on the position L2, and energizes the coil 801. The energized coil 801 changes over its contact C801 to the operative position and establishes a holding circuit for itself, through the closed contact N1 and the contact C801. In changing over, the contact C801 breaks the circuit of the pilot lamp Vl, so that the latter is extinguished. The pilot lamp V2 remains lit up.

When the second passage of cards has been completed, depression of the button PA produces displacement of the wiper FL, so that it is brought to the contact position L3. It is to be noted here that, although two passages of cards are sufficient in the example under consideration for sorting the cards, an additional passage becomes necessary for checking the succession of the cards, from the data situated in the fifth column which has served for the sorting in the second passage. Actuation of the button PA is thus justified. Under these conditions, a direct current flows from the positive terminal, through the wiper FL situated on the position L3, and energizes the coil 802. The energized coil 802 changes over its contact C802 to the operative position and establishes a holding circuit for itself, through the closed contact N2 and the contact C802. In changing over, the contact C802 breaks the circuit of the pilot lamp V2, so that the latter is extinguished.

It may be appreciated from the example thus given that, be fore any sorting operation, as many pilot lamps are lit up as there are plugs introduced into the socket contacts of the connection panel, i.e. as there are passages of cards to be performed. After each passage, one pilot lamp will be extinguished, the pilot lamps being extinguished in the order V1, V2, V3, etc. Consequently, the number of pilot lamps remaining lit up after each passage indicates to the operator the number of passages remaining to be performed for completing the sorting operation, with the exception of the additional passage intended for the checking.

The circuit controlling the lighting up of the pilot lamps V1 to V20 comprises 20 contacts N1 to N20, each of which is disposed in the control circuit of the corresponding pilot lamp. When the additional passage intended for the last checking of the cards has been completed, the pushbutton PR is actuated. Actuation of this button has the efiect not only of effecting the return-to-zeno of the switches KC, KT and KL, i.e. the return of the wipers FC, FT and FL to the respective contact positions C1, T1 and L1, but also of opening the contacts N1 to N20, which results in deenergization of those of the coils 801 to 820 which were energized. Consequently, those of the contacts C801 to C820 which were in the operative position change over into the inoperative position. Under these conditions, when the contacts N1 to N20 have been closed again, the pilot lamps V1 to V20 corresponding to the plugs which have been withdrawn from the rest sockets are again lit up and remain lit up as long as these plugs have not been replaced in their respective rest sockets.

However, it may be noted that the coil 820 of the circuit controlling the illumination of the pilot lamp V20 is normally connected to the contact position Lll of the switch KL, which comprises 20 positions. This coil 820, which is connected to the rest position of the switch KL, should then normally be energized before any sorting operation and should then normally be energized before any sorting operation and should being about the extinction of the pilot lamp V20 before the sorting has commenced. In order to avoid energization of this coil 820 as long as the sorting operation has not been commenced, there is provided a contact CBI which is disposed on the conductor connecting the contact position L1 to the coil 820, this contact, which is normally open, being controlled by a coil BI connected in parallel with the coil B01, in order to be closed only during the time when the coil B01 is energized. Consequently, if the sorting has not yet started, the coil B20 cannot be energized, owing to the fact that the contact CBI is open, and the pilot lamp V20 can light up when the plug of the cable F20 is withdrawn from its rest socket.

Of course, the coil BI and the contact CBI which it controls could be omitted, and a stepping switch having 21 positions denoted by L0 to L20 could be employed, the position L0 corresponding to the inoperative position and consequently not being connected to any of the coils 801 to 820.

The switches KC and KT which have been illustrated in FIG. 1 may be replaced by any other type of switch which performs the same function as has been previously described. Thus, each rotary step-by-step switch may be replaced, for example, by an electronic switch advancing step-by-step, of known type, such as, for example, a cathode-ray tube rotating past a multiplicity of output electrodes, or a sequential progressively acting switch comprising a chain of flip-flops or magnetic cores.

FIG. 5 shows a rotary step-by-step switch which may be em ployed to replace the two coupled switches KC and KT. This switch comprises two

arms

300 and 301 fast with a common driving shaft denoted by 302. The

arms

300 and 301 are each provided with a double-contact brush 303 and 304 respectively. The double-contact brush 303 circulates, in the course of the rotation of the shaft 302, over a contact sector 305 and over contact studs P0, P1, P2, P3, etc. It will be assumed that, in the described example, the number of such contact studs is 2l, each stud being denoted by a reference consisting of the letter P followed by an index consisting of one of the numbers 0 to 20. The double contact brush 304 circulates, in the course of the rotation of the shaft 302, over a contact sector 306 and over the 21 contact studs P0 to F20. The two

arms

300 and 301 are so offset that when the double-contact brush 303 is brought on to a contact stud by operation of the shaft 302, the double-contact brush 304 is situated on a neighboring contact stud, the latter stud being that whose reference index is lower by one unit than the reference index of the stud on which the double brush 303 is situated. Thus, for example, when the double-brush 303 is situated on the stud P3, the double-brush 304 is situated on the stud P2. It will be assumed that, before any sorting operation, the double brushes 303 and 304 are situated on the studs PI and P0 respectively. When the switch of FIG. 5 is employed, in combination with the connection panel of FIG. 1, for connecting the checking device DC and the sorting control circuit DT to the scanning brushes 17, the contact studs P0 to P20 are connected to the output terminals S0 to S20 respectively of the connection panel, while the contact sector 305 is connected to the sorting control circuit DT through the conductor 41 and the contact sector 306 lll is connected to the checking device DC through the conductor 70. It will thus be seen that when the sorting control circuit is connected to the nth output terminal of the connection panel, through the conductor 41, the contact sector 305, the double brush 303 and one of the conductors which connect the studs of the switch to the output terminals of the panel, the checking device is connected to the (n-l )th output terminal, through the conductor 70, the contact sector 306, the doublebrush 304 and one of the conductors which connect the studs of the switch to the output terminals of the panel.

It is to be noted that the same result would be obtained with the switches KC and KT of FIG. 1 if the contact positions C1 to C20 of the switch KC were connected to the output terminals S1 to $20 respectively of the panel, instead of the output terminals S to $19, the wiper FC having previously been shifted by one position in relation to the wiper FT in such manner that when the wiper PC is brought to a particular contact position, the wiper PC is situated on a contact position whose index is lower by one unit than that of the contact position on which the wiper F1 is simultaneously situated. This mode of connection has nevertheless the result of leaving unutilized the output terminal S0 of the connection panel,

It is also to be noted that the connection panel comprising conductor wires which has been shown in FIG. 1 may be replaced by any other type of connection panel, for example by a panel comprising plugs and an intercrossing system of conductors of known type.

Although the essential features of the invention have been described in the foregoing and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it is obvious that the person skilled in the art may make therein any modifications of form and of detail which are considered desirable, without departing from the scope of the invention.

lclaim:

1. In a record-card-sorting machine having a sorting mechanism for diverting cards having data representations, and means for successively carrying said cards towards said sorting mechanism, said cards each having a plurality of columns in which the data are represented indications situated in different positions in said columns, a combination comprismg:

l. a reading means including a plurality of reading members for respectively exploring data in separate card columns as cards pass in a path toward said sorting mechanism;

2. a column-selecting means responsive to respective outputs from said plurality of reading members for providing a sorting output and a checking output, said checking output being indicative of sorting output in the course of a preceding passage ofcards;

3. a sorting means responsive to said sorting output for sorting the cards conveyed in the course of a common passage, in accordance with the position of the indications on said cards; and

4. a checking means responsive to said checking output for checking data on said cards to determine that the explored data do in fact succeed one another in predetermined order.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein 1. said reading means in a reading station disposed on the path followed by the cards carried towards the sorting mechanism, said station comprising a plurality of reading members which are fast with a fixed support and are each arranged to explore the data situated in a separate card column;

2. said column-selecting means is a column-selecting device comprising in combination:

a connection panel having a set of input terminals, each terminal being connected respectively to the corresponding one of the reading members, a set of output terminals and an equal number of detachable connections for interconnecting each output terminal with one of the input terminals in accordance with a predetermined arrangement,

a system of two identical step-by-step switches mechanically coupled, each switch comprising a number of contact studs at least equal to the number of output terminals of the connection panel, a wiper member and a common output segment, the wiper members of the two switches always occupying identical positions, in the course of the scanning, on contact studs of corresponding numbers,

a plurality of first conductor wires for respectively connecting each output terminal of the connection panel to the corresponding one of the contact studs of the first switch, and

a plurality of second conductor wires for respectively connecting each output terminal of number p+l of the connection panel to each contact stud of number p of the second switch;

. said sorting means is a sorting control circuit associated with the sorting mechanism and connected to the output of the second switch for sorting the cards conveyed in the course of a common passage, in accordance with the position of the indications situated in the column explored by the reading which is connected to said sorting control circuit by means of the connection panel and the second switch; and

4. said checking means is a checking device connected to the output of the first switch, said checking device being thus connected to the reading member which was connected to the sorting control circuit in the course of a preceding passage of cards, in order to check that the data situated in the column explored by this last-reading member, do in fact succeed one another in a predetermined order.

. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said reading means is a reading station disposed on the path followed by the cards carried towards the sorting mechanism, said station comprising a plurality of reading members which are fast with a fixed support and are each arranged to explore the data situated in a separate card column;

2. said column-selecting means is a column-selecting device comprising in combination;

a system of two identical step-by-step switches mechanically coupled, each switch comprising a number of contact studs at least equal to the number of output terminals of the connection panel, a wiper member and a common output segment, the wiper members of the two switches being constantly offset by one interval between two consecutive studs in such manner that, in the course of the scanning, the wiper member of the first switch contacts the stud of number p when the wiper member of the second switch contacts the stud of numberp+l, and

a plurality of conductor wires for respectively connecting each output terminal of the connection panel, on one hand to the corresponding one of the contacts studs of the first switch and, on the other hand, to the corresponding one of the contact studs of the second switch;

. said sorting means is a sorting control circuit associated with the sorting mechanism and connected to the output of the second switch for sorting the cards conveyed in the course of a common passage, in accordance with the position of the indications situated in the column explored by the reading member which is connected to said sorting control circuit by means of the connection panel and the second switch; and

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said reading means is a reading station disposed on the path followed by the cards carried towards the sorting mechanism, said station comprising a plurality of reading members which are fast with a fixed support and are each arranged to explore the data situated in a separate card column;

a connection panelhaving a set of input terminals, each terminal being connected respectively to the corresponding one of the reading members, a set of output terminals and an equal number of detachable connections for interconnecting each output terminal with one of the input terminalsin accordance with a predetermined arrangement;

a system of two step-by-step switches mechanically coupled, each switch comprising a wiper member and a common output segment, these switches further comprisinga number of common contact studs at least equal to the number of output terminals of the connection panel, the wiper members of the two switches being constantly offset by one interval between two consecutive studs in such manner that, in the course of the scanning, the wiper member of the first switch con- 7 tacts the stud of number p when the wiper member of the second switch contacts the stud of number p-H and a plurality of conductor wires for respectively connecting each output terminal of the connection panel to the corresponding one of said contact studs;

3. said sorting means is a sorting control circuit associated with the sorting mechanism and connected to the output of the second switch for sorting the cards conveyed in the course of a common passage, in accordance with the position of the indications situated in the column explored by the reading member which is connected to said sorting control circuit by means of the connection panel and the second switch, and

4. said checking means is a checking device connected to the output of the first switch, said checking device being thus connected to the reading member which was-connected to the sorting control circuit-in the course of a preceding passage of cards, in order to check that the data situated in the column explored by this last reading member, do in fact succeed one another in a predetermined order.

. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said reading means is a reading station disposed on the path followed by the cards carried towards the sorting mechanism, said stationcomprising a plurality of reading members whichare fast with a fixed support and are each arranged to explore the data situated in a separate card column;

. said column-selecting means is a column-selecting device comprising in combination:

a connection panel having a set of input terminals, each terminal being connected respectively to the corresponding one of the reading members, a set of output terminals and an equal number of conductor wires, each conductor wire-having one end fixed to an associated output terminal and the other end provided with a plug adapted to be manually brought into contact with one of the input terminals, in accordance with a predetermined arrangement,

a system of two identical step-by-step switches mechanically coupled, each switch comprising a number of contact studs at least equal to the number of output terminals of the connection panel, a wiper member and a common output segment, the wiper members of the two switches always'occupying identical positions, in the course'of the scanning, on contact studs of corresponding numbers,

plurality of first conductorwires for respectively connecting each output terminal of the connection panel to the corresponding one of the contact studs of the first switch, and

plurality of second conductor wires for respectively connecting each output terminal of number p+l of the connection panel to each contact stud of number p of the second switch;

3. said sorting means is a sorting control circuit associated with the sorting mechanism and connected to the output of the second switch for sorting the cards conveyed in the course of a common passage, in accordance with the position of the indications situated in the column explored by the reading member which is connected to said sorting control circuit by means of the connection panel and the second switch; and

4. said checking means is a checking device connected to the output of the first switch, said checking device being thus connected to the reading member which was connected to the sorting control circuit in the course of a preceding passage of cards in order to check that the data situated in the column explored by this last reading member, do in fact succeed one another in a predetermined order.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said reading means is a reading station disposed on the path followed by the cards carried towards the sorting mechanism, said station comprising a plurality of reading members which are fast with a fixed support and are each arranged to explore the data situated in a separate card column;

aconnection panel having a set of input terminals, each terminal being connected respectively to the corresponding one of the reading members, a set of output terminals and an equal number of conductor wires, each conductor wire having one end fixed to an as sociated output terminal and the other end provided with a plug adapted to be manually brought into contact with one of the input terminals, in accordance with a predetermined arrangement,

a system of two identical step-by-step switches mechanically coupled, each switch comprising a number of contact studs at least equal to the number of contact studs at least equal to the number of output terminals of the connection panel, a wiper member and a common output segment, the wiper members of the two switches being constantly offset by one interval between two consecutive studs in such manner that, in the course of the scanning, the wiper member of the first switch contacts the stud of number p when the wiper member of the second switch contacts the stud of number p+l and a plurality of conductor wires for respectively connecting each output terminal of the connection panel, on one hand to the corresponding one of-the contact studs of the first'switch, and, on the other hand, to the corresponding one of the contact studs of the second switch;

3. said sorting means is a sorting control circuit associated with the sorting mechanism and connected to the output of the seco d switch for sorting the cards conveyed in the course of a common passage, in accordance with the position of the indications situated in the column explored by the reading member which is connected to said sorting lOlOMOJ control circuit by means of the connection panel and the second switch; and 4. said checking means is a checking device connected to the output of the first switch, said checking device being thus connected to the reading member which was connected to the sorting control circuit in the course of a preceding passage of cards, in order to check that the data situated in the column explored by this last-reading member, do in fact succeed one another in a predetermined order. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said reading means is a reading station disposed on the path followed by the cards carried towards the sorting mechanism, said station comprising a plurality of reading members which are fast with a fixed support and are each arranged to explore the data situated in a separate card column; 2. said column-selecting means is a column-selecting device comprising in combination:

a connection panel having a set of input terminals, each terminal being connected respectively to the corresponding one of the reading members, a set of output terminals and an equal number of conductor wires, each conductor wire having one end fixed to an associated output terminal and the other end provided with a plug adapted to be manually brought into contact with one of the input terminals, in accordance with a predetermined arrangement,

system of two step-by-step switches mechanically coupled, each switch comprising a wiper member and a common output segment, these switches further comprising a wiper member and a common output segment, these switches further comprising a number of common contact studs at least equal to the number of output terminals of the connection panel, the wiper members of the two switches being constantly offset by the interval between two consecutive studs in such manner that, in the course of the scanning, the wiper member of the first switch contacts the stud of number p when the wiper member of the second switch contacts the stud of number pl-l and a plurality of conductor wires for respectively connecting each output terminal of the connection panel to the corresponding one of said contact studs;

4. said checking means is a checking device connected to the output of the first switch, said checking device being thus connected to the reading member which was connected to the sorting control circuit in the course of a preceding passage of cards, in order to check that the data situated in the column explored by this last reading member, do in fact succeed one another in a predetermined order.

Claims

1. In a record-card sorting machine having a sorting mechanism for diverting cards having data representations, and means for successively carrying said cards towards said sorting mechanism, said cards each having a plurality of columns in which the data are represented indications situated in different positions in said columns, a combination comprising: 1. a reading means including a plurality of reading members for respectively exploring data in separate card columns as cards pass in a path toward said sorting mechanism; 2. a column-selecting means responsive to respective outputs from said plurality of reading members for providing a sorting outpUt and a checking output, said checking output being indicative of sorting output in the course of a preceding passage of cards; 3. a sorting means responsive to said sorting output for sorting the cards conveyed in the course of a common passage, in accordance with the position of the indications on said cards; and 4. a checking means responsive to said checking output for checking data on said cards to determine that the explored data do in fact succeed one another in predetermined order.

2. a column-selecting means responsive to respective outputs from said plurality of reading members for providing a sorting outpUt and a checking output, said checking output being indicative of sorting output in the course of a preceding passage of cards;

2. said column-selecting means is a column-selecting device comprising in combination: a connection panel having a set of input terminals, each terminal being connected respectively to the corresponding one of the reading members, a set of output terminals and an equal number of detachable connections for interconnecting each output terminal with one of the input terminals in accordance with a predetermined arrangement, a system of two identical step-by-step switches mechanically coupled, each switch comprising a number of contact studs at least equal to the number of output terminals of the connection panel, a wiper member and a common output segment, the wiper members of the two switches always occupying identical positions, in the course of the scanning, on contact studs of corresponding numbers, a plurality of first conductor wires for respectively connecting each output terminal of the connection panel to the corresponding one of the contact studs of the first switch, and a plurality of second conductor wires for respectively connecting each output terminal of number p+1 of the connection panel to each contact stud of number p of the second switch;

2. said column-selecting means is a column-selecting device comprising in combination: a connection panel having a set of input terminals, each terminal being connected respectively to the corresponding one of the reading members, a set of output terminals and an equal number of detachable connections for interconnecting each output terminal with one of the input terminals in accordance with a predetermined arrangement, a system of two identical step-by-step switches mechanically coupled, each switch comprising a number of contact studs at least equal to the number of output terminals of the connection panel, a wiper member and a common output segment, the wiper members of the two switches being constantly offset by one interval betwEen two consecutive studs in such manner that, in the course of the scanning, the wiper member of the first switch contacts the stud of number p when the wiper member of the second switch contacts the stud of number p+1, and a plurality of conductor wires for respectively connecting each output terminal of the connection panel, on one hand to the corresponding one of the contact studs of the first switch and, on the other hand, to the corresponding one of the contact studs of the second switch;

2. said column-selecting means is a column-selecting device comprising in combination: a connection panel having a set of input terminals, each terminal being connected respectively to the corresponding one of the reading members, a set of output terminals and an equal number of detachable connections for interconnecting each output terminal with one of the input terminals in accordance with a predetermined arrangement; a system of two step-by-step switches mechanically coupled, each switch comprising a wiper member and a common output segment, these switches further comprising a number of common contact studs at least equal to the number of output terminals of the connection panel, the wiper members of the two switches being constantly offset by one interval between two consecutive studs in such manner that, in the course of the scanning, the wiper member of the first switch contacts the stud of number p when the wiper member of the second switch contacts the stud of number p+1, and a plurality of conductor wires for respectively connecting each output terminal of the connection panel to the corresponding one of said contact studs;

2. said column-selecting means is a column-selecting device comprising in combination: a connection panel having a set of input terminals, each terminal being connected respectively to the corresponding one of the reading members, a set of output terminals and an equal number of conductor wires, each conductor wire having one end fixed to an associated output terminal and the other end provided with a plug adapted to be manually brought into contact with one of the input terminals, in accordance with a predetermined arrangement, a system of two identical step-by-step switches mechanically coupled, each switch comprising a number of contact studs at least equal to the number of output terminals of the connection panel, a wiper member and a common output segment, the wiper members of the two switches always occupying identical positions, in the course of the scanning, on contact studs of corresponding numbers, a plurality of first conductor wires for respectively connecting each output terminal of the connection panel to the corresponding one of the contact studs of the first switch, and a plurality of second conductor wires for respectively connecting each output terminal of number p+1 of the connection panel to each contact stud of number p of the second switch;

2. said column-selecting means is a column-selecting device comprising in combination: a connection panel having a set of input terminals, each terminal being connected respectively to the corresponding one of the reading members, a set of output terminals and an equal number of conductor wires, each conductor wire having one end fixed to an associated output terminal and the other end provided with a plug adapted to be manually brought into contact with one of the input terminals, in accordance with a predetermined arrangement, a system of two identical step-by-step switches mechanically coupled, each switch comprising a number of contact studs at least equal to the number of output terminals of the connection panel, a wiper member and a common output segment, the wiper members of the two switches being constantly offset by one interval between two consecutive studs in such manner that, in the course of the scanning, the wiper member of the first switch contacts the stud of number p when the wiper member of the second switch contacts the stud of number p+1, and a plurality of conductor wires for respectively connecting each output terminal of the connection panel, on one hand to the corresponding one of the contact studs of the first switch, and, on the other hand, to the corresponding one of the contact studs of the second switch;

2. said column-selecting means is a column-selecting device comprising in combination: a connection panel having a set of input terminals, each terminal being connected respectively to the corresponding one of the reading members, a set of output terminals and an equal number of conductor wires, each conductor wire having one end fixed to an associated output terminal and the other end provided with a plug adapted to be manually brought into contact with one of the input terminals, in accordance with a predetermined arrangement, a system of two step-by-step switches mechanically coupled, each switch comprising a wiper member and a common output segment, these switches further comprising a number of common contact studs at least equal to the number of output terminals of the connection panel, the wiper members of the two switches being constantly offset by one interval between two consecutive studs in such manner that, in the course of the scanning, the wiper member of the first switch contacts the stud of number p when the wiper member of the second switch contacts the stud of number p+1, and a plurality of conductor wires for respectively connecting each output terminal of the connection panel to the corresponding one of said contact studs;

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein