US3817374A

US3817374A - Reminder system and apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3817374A
Application number: US00357463A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Hill; R Taylor; R Olsen
Original assignee: RECALL SYST Inc
Current assignee: RECALL SYST Inc
Priority date: 1973-05-04
Filing date: 1973-05-04
Publication date: 1974-06-18
Anticipated expiration: 1991-06-18

Abstract

A stack of cards having identifier means at one of a plurality of edge locations are placed into a sorting apparatus adapted serially to feed the cards past a sorting means and separate those cards having their identifier means at a selected location. The balance of the cards are collected in a hopper. The cards can have preprinted messages on them suitable for mailing to a patient or customer. A first embodiment of the sorting apparatus employs a pin for spindling an aperture located on the cards. A second embodiment employs a magnetic head which attracts magnetic material located on the cards.

Description

United States Patent [191 Hill et al.

REMINDER SYSTEM AND APPARATUS Inventors: Robert J. Hill; Ronald K. Taylor;

Ronald N. Olsen, all of Eugene, Oreg.

Assignee: Recall Systems, Inc., Eugene, Oreg.

Filed: May 4, 1973 Appl. No.: 357,463

US. Cl. 209/74 R, 209/110.5, 209/1l1.8 Int. Cl. B07c 3/02 Field of Search 209/110.5, 110, 111.8,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS June 18, 1974 3,642,271 2/1972 Davis 271/116 3,690,670 9/1972 Cassady ..209/110.5

Primary Examiner-Richard A. Schacher Attorney, Agent, or Firml(larquist, Sparkman, Campbell, Leigh, Hall and Whinston [57] ABSTRACT A stack of cards having identifier means at one of a plurality of edge locations are placed into a sorting apparatus adapted serially to feed the cards past a sorting means and separate those cards having their identifier means at a selected location. The balance of the cards are collected in a hopper. The cards can have preprinted messages on them suitable for mailing to a patient or customer. A first embodiment of the sorting apparatus employs a pin for spindling an aperture located on the cards. A second embodiment employs a magnetic head which attracts magnetic material located on the cards.

14 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures SKEW 10F 3 WE; WOULD LIKE TO REMIND YOU THAT IT HAS BEEN.. -MONTHS PLEASE CALL FOR AN APPOINTMENT- loo PATENYEDJUN 18 m4 SHEET 3 0f 3 MESSAGE ADDRESS REMINDER SYSTEM AND APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a system for time recall sorting of precoded cards.

Reminder cards, such as those used by doctors, dentists and salesmen, are usually arranged alphabetically. The problem has been to select those cards for which recall is desired at a given time.

A simple and efficient system has been required to sort cards of this type and then use them as, for example, reminder notices which can be sent to patients requesting that they call for appointments for routine reexamination. Other applications for a time recall system of the present type would include sending out bills where a business operation is too small to justify full scale accounting machines.

Prior sorting systems have been used for various purposes including reminder systems. However, such prior systems generally employ either mechanical or magnetic means which perform a group sort. In some systems a stack of cards is placed on a sorting device. The cards have circular openings along their edges and a thin flat rod is placed in the openings and then rotated 90. Those cards which have had their openings enlarged will remain on the sorting platform while those which have not will be carried upwardly by the rod away from the platform.

Similarly, magnetic devices have been employed which also used a group sort technique. Cards have been provided with magnetic material thereon. Apparatus has been arranged such that cards with magnetic material in a selected location remain in place or alternatively, are displaced slightly from the balance of a stack when the same-is vibrated. Other magnetic techniques have included the use of oppositely poled magnets to cause selected cards within a stack to repel each other, thereby to become separated.

In these prior art systems, however, it has been necessary manually to operate and monitor the sorting device. Also, these prior systems have not advantageously utilized a sorting apparatus serially to feed a stack of cards in a prearranged order past a sorting device which is effective to remove only those cards which have a desired recall identifier means thereon. These prior systems thus do not always retain the original order for the remaining cards.

It is thus the primary object of the present invention to provide a recall system which is capable of sorting out data cards having a selected time recall identifier means thereon.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of sorting data cards by serially passing them past a sorting means which will divert only those cards which have identifier means at certain locations thereon and which will retain the order of those cards not so diverted.

It is a further object of the-present invention to provide a simple and efficient sorting apparatus which is capable of serially sorting a stack of data cards without the need for manual intervention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The method of the present invention comprises positioning a time recall identifier means on each of a number of cards at any one of a plurality of locations, placing the cards into a stack and serially feeding each card of the stack past a sorting means positioned at a stationary location and adapted to divert cards having their identifier means at the desired location.

The apparatus of the present invention comprises a sorting apparatus including means for serially feeding a stack of paper cards into a collection hopper, sorting means positionable at a stationary location for diverting from the collection hopper cards having a selected identifier means thereon, and means for positioning the sorting means to correspond to the selected identifier means location.

In a first embodiment, paper cards are employed each of which has an aperture positioned in one of several possible locations on the card corresponding to, for example, the months of the year. Each card will also typically have the name of a patient or client on it, plus other data as desired, including a mailing address. These cards are then alphabetized or otherwise arranged for convenient use and placed in a card magazine.

At selected intervals the cards are sorted. The maga zine is removed from storage and inserted into a sorting apparatus. This apparatus employs a pair of rubber drive rolls which are positioned to correspond with slots or openings in the magazine. Once the magazine has been positioned, the operator then selects the particular hole location corresponding to a desired month. This selection is used to position a selector pin over which each card passes. The machine is then switched on and the cards are serially removed from the magazine by the action of the rotating drive rolls.

Each card passes from the magazine over the selector pin. If the card has the desired hole location, the selector pin will spindle it as it passes over the pin. If the aperture is not in the selected location, the card will continue past the selector pin onto a card support and into a card receptacle or hopper. When the entire stack has been removed from the magazine, those cards which have the desired aperture location will all be spindled on the selector pin, while the balance will end up in the card hopper in their original order.

The nonselected cards are then replaced in the magazine and put back in storage for subsequent use. The selected cards are stamped and mailed to the patient or customer. The cards may have any type of preprinted message thereon, such as one reminding the patient of the time for his checkup or to call for an appointment, or such other information as is useful in the particular system.

An alternate embodiment of the present system employs a magnetic arrangement for sorting the cards. In this embodiment the card stack is again placed in a magazine which is in turn inserted into a sorting apparatus. However, in this embodiment each card has magnetic material located at one of several possible positions thereon. When the sorting apparatus is turned on, the cards are fed serially from the card magazine past a magnetic diverter head. The diverter head is selec 'tively positioned above the cards as they pass out of the magazine.

Those cards having magnetic material in a desired location will be attracted to the head. The cards so attracted are lifted slightly, causing them to pass over a diverter plate where an additional pair of rubber rolls feed them into a first card hopper. Cards which do not have the magnetic material in the desired location pass under the diverter plate, in order, onto the card support and into a second card hopper. As in the first embodiment, the selected cards are prepared for mailing, while the nonselected cards are replaced in the magazine and stored for later use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a representation of the elements of the recall system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a card magazine utilized in the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view with portions cut away of a first embodiment of a sorting machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the sorting machine of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 illustrates a typical reminder card used with the first embodiment of the time recall system of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a view of a full years complement of cards of the FIG. 5 type showing the different placement of the apertures in the cards to represent various months of the year.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view with portions cut away of a second embodiment of a sorting machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged schematic view of the magnetic diverter head of the FIG. 7 machine.

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 showing a card attracted by the magnetic diverter head and passing over the diverter plate.

FIG. 10 is a front view of a card for use with the machine of FIG. 7 and illustrating magnetic material selectively located thereon.

FIG. 11 is a rear view of the card of FIG. 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to FIG. 1, there is disclosed a flow diagram of the manner of operation of the present recall system. As indicated by the arrows, when it is desired to make a time recall of selected cards from among a large set of such cards, a card magazine is removed from a storage file 21. The selected card magazine 20 is placed into a sorting machine 22, and the sorting machine is then operated.

After the sorting machine has processed the cards contained in the magazine 20, the result will be a smaller stack of cards 23 having the desired identifier means located thereon with the balance of the cards 24 remaining unsorted, but still in their original order. The stack 24 is then replaced in the magazine 20 which is returned to the file. Additional sorts, as desired, are accomplished in the same manner.

FIG. 2 illustrates a card magazine 30 adapted to receive and store approximately 500 cards 36 having apertures adjacent one edge thereof. The magazine 30 is rectangular in cross section and has a slidable cover 25 retained in place by

guides

26 and 28. At the bottom end 31 of the magazine there are provided

drive roll slots

32 and 34. These slots are portions cut out from end 31. The magazine is filled with a stack 38 of the cards 36 by sliding the cover 25 upwardly so that access is provided to the interior. The cards are inserted into the magazine with their apertured edges first. The magazine is loaded until the stack 38 almost fills the magazine. The cover 25 is then returned to its original position to retain the cards in the magazine.

To improve the reliability of the card feeding system, a feed weight 40 may be placed in the magazine at the top of the card stack. This weight is shaped similarly to a card but is thicker and heavier, thereby to keep the cards compressed and flat.

Referring now to FIGS. 3'and 4, a first embodiment of a sorting machine according to the present invention is disclosed. The machine is electrically operated and is provided power via cord 42. The machine is installed in a protective case 44 having

side panels

46 and 48, bottom panel 50 and rear panel 52. The power for operating the machine is wired through a pilot light 54 and a switch 56. At the front of the case 44 are

card retainers

58 and 60 which are suitably formed from a single sheet of metal and are part of a receiver plate 62. The

retainers

58 and 60 and the receiver plate 62 form a card receptacle or hopper 63 into which non-selected cards discharged from the magazine 30 are collected at the end of a sorting operation.

The drive mechanism for the sorting machine consists of an electric motor 64 having a drive shaft 66 which is suitably geared by means of

gears

68, 70 and 72 to a drive shaft 74. Mounted on the shaft 74 are a set of drive rolls 76 and 78, which are suitably formed of a ribbed rubber material adapted for surface friction when in contact with the cards. By appropriately choosing the pitch and diameter of the

gears

68, 70 and 72, many small commercially available electric motors may be used, however a 100 rpm motor has been found to be preferable. When power switch 56 is in the ON position, the pilot light 54 will indicate that the machine is operating. In this mode the motor 64 will turn gear 68 counterclockwise causing the drive rolls 76 and 78 to rotate counterclockwise on the drive shaft 74, frictionally to engage cards in the magazine 30.

As best seen in FIG. 4, the card magazine 30 is inserted into a magazine receptacle 80 which includes a back plate 82, a bottom support plate 84 and a front plate 85. The magazine 30 is inserted with its bottom end 31 flush against the support surface 84 and with

slots

32 and 34 directly above the drive rolls 76 and 78. When the magazine is so positioned in the sorting machine, the drive rolls 76 and 78 protrude up through the slots 32 and 34 (FIG. 2) into the interior of the magazine 30 and contact the bottom card therein. When the drive rolls are energized by the motor 64, they are effective for serially withdrawing the bottom card from the magazine. As each card is withdrawn, the drive rolls engage the following card and in this manner all the cards in the magazine will be engaged by the drive rolls and drawn from the magazine through a narrow opening 86 at the bottom end thereof. See FIG. 4. Opening 86 results from the magazine cover 25 being slightly shorter than the vertical length of the magazine itself.

As the cards are removed from the magazine 30, they pass a sorting means which is responsive to the identitier means, i.e., the apertures, in each of the cards. Those cards which do not have their apertures positioned at a selected location continue past the sorting means onto a card guide 88 and into the collection hopper 63.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4, the sorting means is a generally vertical selector pin 90 which is adjustably positioned with respect to the cards as they are discharged from the magazine. As has been mentioned hereinabove, the machine of FIG. 3 employs cards having an aperture at one of several possible locations adjacent one edge thereof. Pin 90 is thus adapted to engage the apertures when the same are in a preselected location.

As seen in FIG. 3, selector pin 90 is adjustable and the assembly for supporting and moving the selector pin 90 comprises a rectangular guide track 92 mounted transversely of the machine by screws 95 on each side thereof. Mounted concentrically with the guide track 92 for horizontal movement along its length is a slide assembly 94. Pin 90 is mounted on the top of the slide assembly 94 and is supported by lateral braces 96 and 98. Mounted on the underside of the slide assembly 94 is a hinge pin 100 adapted to engage an elongated aperture 102 at oneend of a selector arm 104.

Selector arm 104 extends under bottom receiver plate 62 and extends to the front of the machine. At approximately the midpoint of arm 104 there is a circular aperture which is engaged by a pivot pin 106. Pin 106 passes upwardly through an aperture in the plate 62 to which it is secured. See FIG. 4. Attached to the end of the selector arm 104 remote from the slide assembly 94 is a semicircular selector'knob 108 which rests against and ismovable along a curved calibrated guide 110. In this manner the positionof knob 108 can be accurately determined.

In positioning the selector pin 90 the knob 108 is moved to a position on the guide 110 corresponding to a desired operative location on the cards. For example, moving knob 108 to the left in FIG. 3 causes lever 104 to rotate about pin 106 and move the slide assembly 94 to the right. Correspondingly, moving knob 108 to the right causes the pin 90 to move toward the left. Once in position, the pin 90' remains stationary during the operation of the sorting machine.

The selector pin 90 extends up through an elongated narrow rectangular aperture 112 in a card support 114. Pin 90 extends to the level of the cards being removed from the magazine 30 and isnarrowed at its tip and bent toward the magazine 30. As the cards are withdrawn from the magazine, they pass over the pin. Since pin 90 is smaller in diameter then the apertures on the cards, those cards having their aperture at a location corresponding to the pin location will be engaged by and received on the pin.

The spindled cards pass downwardly on the pin 90 onto the card support 114 where they are retained. Those cards not spindled continue past the pin 90 onto card guide 88 and into the hopper 63. As shown in FIG.

4, after a stack of cards has passed over the pin 90, a number of cards will be spindled and retained on the plate 114 while the balance will be in the collection hopper 63.

FIG. 6 indicates the preferred positioning of the aper tures on the cards. The aperture is located adjacent one edge of the card and different data is represented by different hole positions along such edge portion. Thus, if it is desired to sort all cards which are coded for September, the selector pin 90. would be moved to a stationary position corresponding to the location of the aperture for that month.

Summarizing the operation of the sorting machine of the first embodiment, the sorting is accomplished by placing the magazine 30 containing a stack of cards into the receptacle 80 at the top of the machine. The knob 108 is then set to position the selector pin 90 at a stationary location to spindle those cards having an identifier means, in the form of an aperture thereon, at a selected edge location which represents some desired category such as a particular month of the year. The machine is then switched on and the drive rolls 76 and 78 begin serially removing the cards from the magazine 30 and passing them over the pin 90. Those cards having apertures which correspond with the location of the pin will be spindled on the pin and received on the support 114, while the balance will pass into the collection hopper 63. When all of the cards in the magazine have been withdrawn, the machine is switched off and the cards in the hopper 63 are replaced in the magazine 30 for subsequent use, while those spindled by the pin 90 are prepared for mailing or other use.

Referring now to FIG. 7, there is disclosed an alternate embodiment of a sorting machine which employs magnetic means for serially sorting the data cards. In this embodiment, like elements have been given the same numbers as the embodiment of FIG. 3. Thus, the magazine 30 is receivable in a receptacle 80 having a back plate 82 and a support plate 84 identical with the FIG. 3 embodiment. Similarly, a motor 64 drives gears 68, 70 and 72 to rotate

rolls

76 and 78 for serially removing data cards from the card magazine 30. In this embodiment, however, the cards have a different type of indentifier means located thereon. Instead of having apertures located along one edge, the cards have a small rectangular shaped amount of magnetic material 116 positioned along such edge. See FIGS. 10 and 11.

The sorting machine sorts the cards according to the position of the magnetic material 116. Sorting is accomplished by means of a magnetic diverter head 118 and a diverter plate 120. Referring to FIG. 8, a card 122 is removed from the magazine 30 by means of the drive rolls 76 and 78. If the diverter head 118 is positioned such that the magnetic material 1 16 on the card is not directly under the head, then the card 122 will tip slightly downwardly as it passes out of the magazine since the leading end is not supported. This slight tipping is sufficient to permit the card to pass under the diverter plate 120, onto the card guide 88 and into the collection hopper 63.

If on the other hand the diverter head 118 is positioned directly above the magnetic material on card 123, the card will be attracted to the head. This will prevent the leading end from tipping downwardly, and the card will instead be attracted upwardly toward the diverter head 118. The card thus passes over the diverter plate and into engagement with a second set of drive rolls 124 and 126. See FIG. 9.

The second set of drive rolls 124, 126 are connected to the first set of drive rolls 76, 78 by

gears

128 and 129 which drive the shaft'132 on which the

rolls

124, 126 are mounted. The

rolls

124, 126 rotate in the same direction as the

rolls

76, 78 and are adapted to engage those cards attracted to diverter head 118. The

rolls

124, 126 pull the selected cards away from the diverter head and into a second card hopper 127 constructed in a manner similar to that of the lower hopper 63. When all of the cards have been removed from the magazine, those cards having the magnetic material in the selected location will be in the upper hopper 127, while all the remaining cards will be in the lower hopper 63.

As shown in FIG. 7, the diverter head 1 18 is mounted on a positioning slide 130 mounted transversely of the machine adjacent the magazine 30 and immediately above the first set of drive rolls 76, 78. As best seen in H68. 8 and 9, the slide 130 is T-shaped in cross section thereby to be receivable in a corresponding T-shaped slot in the diverter head 118. The positioning slide 130 is calibrated along its length in a manner similar to that of the guide 110 in the HO. 3 embodiment. By these means the diverter head 118 can be selectively positioned at a given location along the slide 130.

The diverter head 118 is positioned to select cards having a particular magnetic material location by moving it in either direction along the slide 130. Operation of the FIG. 7 embodiment is in all other respects identical to the operation of the machine of the first embodiment.

We claim:

1. A method of separating cards having identifier means in the form of magnetic material positioned at a selected location thereon from a stack of such cards each having such identifier means at any one of a plurality of locations comprising:

a. placing a stack of cards into a card magazine;

b. positioning a sorting means at a stationary location corresponding to said selected location;

c. serially feeding said stack from said magazine past said sorting means; and

d. diverting cards selected by said sorting means, cards not selected passing into a collection hopper, said diverting comprising magnetically attracting those cards having said magnetic material at said selected location.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising passing said diverted cards into a separate hopper.

3. A method of separating cards having identifier means in the form of an aperture positioned at a selected location adjacent one edge thereof from a stack of such cards each having such identifier means at any one of a plurality of locations comprising:

a. placing a stack of cards into a card magazine;

c. serially feeding said stack from said magazine past said sorting means; and

d. diverting cards selected by said sorting means, cards not selected passing into a collection hopper, said diverting comprising spindling those cards having an aperture at said selected location.

4. An apparatus for separating cards having identifier means at a selected location thereon from a stack of such cards having identifier means at any one of a plurality of locations, comprising;

a. a collection hopper;

b. means for serially feeding the cards in said stack through said apparatus into said collection hopper, said serially feeding means comprising a card magazine in which said cards are placed, said magazine having a slot and an opening therein, card drive means extending into said slot for serially withdrawing said cards from said magazine through said opening, said card drive means comprising at least one rotating drive roll for frictionally engaging said cards serially to withdraw them from said magazine, and an inclined card guide for directing the cards removed by said drive means into said collecting hopper;

c. sorting means positionable at a stationary location for diverting from said collection hopper cards having said identifier means at said selected location; and d. means for positioning said sorting means to correspond to said selected identifier means location. 5. An apparatus for separating cards having identifier means in the form of magnetic material positioned at a selected location thereon from a stack of such cards having such identifier means at any one of a plurality of locations, comprising: a. a collection hopper; b. means for serially feeding the cards in said stack through said apparatus into said collection hopper;

c. sorting means positionable at a stationary location for diverting from said collection hopper cards having said magnetic material at said selected location, said sorting means comprising magnetic means for selectively attracting said magnetic material; and

d. means for positioning said sorting means to correspond to said selected identifier means location.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said sorting means further includes a diverting plate positioned such that cards having the magnetic material at other than the selected location pass under said plate.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said magnetic means is selectively positioned above said cards for magnetically attracting cards having said magnetic material at said selected location to divert such cards over said plate.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further including:

a. a second hopper; and

b. second feeding means for serially passing cards diverted over said plate into said second hopper.

9. An apparatus for separating cards having identifier means in the form of an aperture positioned at a selected location adjacent one edge thereof from a stack of such cards having such identifier means at any one of a plurality of locations, comprising:

a. a collection hopper;

b. means for serially feeding the cards in said stack through said apparatus into said collection hopper;

c. sorting means positionable at a stationary location for diverting from said collection hopper cards having said aperture at said selected location, said sorting means comprising pin means for spindling cards having said aperture at said selected location; and

d. means for positioning said sorting means to correspond to said selected identifier means location. 10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said pin means includes a generally vertical pin extending to the level at which said cards are fed through said apparatus.

11. An apparatus for separating cards having identifier means at a selected location thereon from a stack of such cards having identifier means at any one of a plurality of locations, comprising:

a. a collection hopper; b. means for serially feeding the cards in said stack through said apparatus into said collection hopper;

c. sorting means positionable at a stationary location for diverting from said collection hopper cards having said identifier means at said selected location; and

d. means for positioning said sorting means to correspond to said selected identifier means location,

said positioning means comprising a positioning slide on which said sorting means is slidably mounted.

12. An apparatus for separating cards having identifier means at a selected location thereon from a stack of such cards having identifier means at any one of a plurality of locations, comprising:

a. a collection hopper;

cl. means for positioning said sorting means to correspond to said selected identifier means location, said positioning means comprising: a selector arm pivotable about a central point thereon, a horizontally mounted guide track, and a selector slide assembly concentric with said guide track and adapted for movement therealong, said sorting means being mounted on said slide assembly, one end of said selector arm engaging said slide assembly for positioning said slide assembly on said track as said selector arm is pivoted about said central point.

13. An apparatus for separating cards having magnetic material at a selected edge location thereon from a stack of such cards having magnetic material at any one of a plurality of edge locations comprising:

a. a card magazine in which said cards are placed,

said magazine having at least one slot and an opening therein;

b. at least one rotating drive roll extending into said slot for frictionally engaging said cards and serially withdrawing them from said magazine through said opening;

0. a first collecting hopper;

d. an inclined card guide for directing the cards removed by said drive roll into said first collecting hopper;

e. a positioning slide mounted adjacent said magazine and immediately above said rotating drive roll;

f. a magnetic head mounted on said slide and positionable to a selected location thereon for diverting from said first collecting hopper, cards having said magnetic material at said selected edge location;

g. a diverter plate positioned such that cards having magnetic material at other than said selected location pass under said plate while cards having magnetic material at said selected location are attracted by said head and pass over said plate;

h. a second hopper for collecting cards passing over said plate; and

i. a second drive roll for serially passing cards diverted over said plate into said second hopper.

14. An apparatus for separating cards having an aperture at a selected edge location thereon from a stack of such cards having apertures at any one of a plurality of edge locations comprising:

a. a card magazine in which said cards are placed,

said magazine having at least one slot and an opening therein;

b. first drive roll means extending into said slot for frictionally engaging said cards and serially withdrawing them from said magazine through said opening;

c. a collecting hopper,

d. an inclined card guide for directing the cards removed by said first drive roll means into said collecting hopper;

e. a vertically extending pin positionable at a stationary location for engaging the apertures in said cards having their apertures at said selected location; and

f. means for positioning said pin to correspond to said selected aperture location, said positioning means comprising a selector arm pivotable about a central point thereon, a horizontally mounted guide track, and a selector slide assembly concentric with said guide track and adapted for sliding movement therealong, said pin being mounted on said slide assembly, one end of said selector arm engaging said slide assembly for positioning the same on said track as said selector arm is pivoted about said central point thereon, the other end of said selector arm being manually operable for positioning said pin as desired.

Claims

1. A method of separating cards having identifier means in the form of magnetic material positioned at a selected location thereon from a stack of such cards each having such identifier means at any one of a plurality of locations comprising: a. placing a stack of cards into a card magazine; b. positioning a sorting means at a stationary location corresponding to said selected location; c. serially feeding said stack from said magazine past said sorting means; and d. diverting cards selected by said sorting means, cards not selected passing into a collection hopper, said diverting comprising magnetically attracting those cards having said magnetic material at said selected location.

3. A method of separating cards having identifier means in the form of an aperture positioned at a selected location adjacent one edge thereof from a stack of such cards each having such identifier means at any one of a plurality of locations comprising: a. placing a stack of cards into a card magazine; b. positioning a sorting means at a stationary location corresponding to said selected location; c. serially feeding said stack from said magazine past said sorting means; and d. diverting cards selected by said sorting means, cards not selected passing into a collection hopper, said diverting comprising spindling those cards having an aperture at said selected location.

4. An apparatus for separating cards having identifier means at a selected location thereon from a stack of such cards having identifier means at any one of a plurality of locAtions, comprising; a. a collection hopper; b. means for serially feeding the cards in said stack through said apparatus into said collection hopper, said serially feeding means comprising a card magazine in which said cards are placed, said magazine having a slot and an opening therein, card drive means extending into said slot for serially withdrawing said cards from said magazine through said opening, said card drive means comprising at least one rotating drive roll for frictionally engaging said cards serially to withdraw them from said magazine, and an inclined card guide for directing the cards removed by said drive means into said collecting hopper; c. sorting means positionable at a stationary location for diverting from said collection hopper cards having said identifier means at said selected location; and d. means for positioning said sorting means to correspond to said selected identifier means location.

5. An apparatus for separating cards having identifier means in the form of magnetic material positioned at a selected location thereon from a stack of such cards having such identifier means at any one of a plurality of locations, comprising: a. a collection hopper; b. means for serially feeding the cards in said stack through said apparatus into said collection hopper; c. sorting means positionable at a stationary location for diverting from said collection hopper cards having said magnetic material at said selected location, said sorting means comprising magnetic means for selectively attracting said magnetic material; and d. means for positioning said sorting means to correspond to said selected identifier means location.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further including: a. a second hopper; and b. second feeding means for serially passing cards diverted over said plate into said second hopper.

9. An apparatus for separating cards having identifier means in the form of an aperture positioned at a selected location adjacent one edge thereof from a stack of such cards having such identifier means at any one of a plurality of locations, comprising: a. a collection hopper; b. means for serially feeding the cards in said stack through said apparatus into said collection hopper; c. sorting means positionable at a stationary location for diverting from said collection hopper cards having said aperture at said selected location, said sorting means comprising pin means for spindling cards having said aperture at said selected location; and d. means for positioning said sorting means to correspond to said selected identifier means location.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said pin means includes a generally vertical pin extending to the level at which said cards are fed through said apparatus.

11. An apparatus for separating cards having identifier means at a selected location thereon from a stack of such cards having identifier means at any one of a plurality of locations, comprising: a. a collection hopper; b. means for serially feeding the cards in said stack through said apparatus into said collection hopper; c. sorting means positionable at a stationary location for diverting from said collection hopper cards having said identifier means at said selected location; and d. means for positioning said sorting means to correspond to said selected identifier means location, said positioning means comprising a positioning slide on which said sorting means is slidably mounted.

12. An apparatus for separating cards having identifier meaNs at a selected location thereon from a stack of such cards having identifier means at any one of a plurality of locations, comprising: a. a collection hopper; b. means for serially feeding the cards in said stack through said apparatus into said collection hopper; c. sorting means positionable at a stationary location for diverting from said collection hopper cards having said identifier means at said selected location; and d. means for positioning said sorting means to correspond to said selected identifier means location, said positioning means comprising: a selector arm pivotable about a central point thereon, a horizontally mounted guide track, and a selector slide assembly concentric with said guide track and adapted for movement therealong, said sorting means being mounted on said slide assembly, one end of said selector arm engaging said slide assembly for positioning said slide assembly on said track as said selector arm is pivoted about said central point.

13. An apparatus for separating cards having magnetic material at a selected edge location thereon from a stack of such cards having magnetic material at any one of a plurality of edge locations comprising: a. a card magazine in which said cards are placed, said magazine having at least one slot and an opening therein; b. at least one rotating drive roll extending into said slot for frictionally engaging said cards and serially withdrawing them from said magazine through said opening; c. a first collecting hopper; d. an inclined card guide for directing the cards removed by said drive roll into said first collecting hopper; e. a positioning slide mounted adjacent said magazine and immediately above said rotating drive roll; f. a magnetic head mounted on said slide and positionable to a selected location thereon for diverting from said first collecting hopper, cards having said magnetic material at said selected edge location; g. a diverter plate positioned such that cards having magnetic material at other than said selected location pass under said plate while cards having magnetic material at said selected location are attracted by said head and pass over said plate; h. a second hopper for collecting cards passing over said plate; and i. a second drive roll for serially passing cards diverted over said plate into said second hopper.

14. An apparatus for separating cards having an aperture at a selected edge location thereon from a stack of such cards having apertures at any one of a plurality of edge locations comprising: a. a card magazine in which said cards are placed, said magazine having at least one slot and an opening therein; b. first drive roll means extending into said slot for frictionally engaging said cards and serially withdrawing them from said magazine through said opening; c. a collecting hopper, d. an inclined card guide for directing the cards removed by said first drive roll means into said collecting hopper; e. a vertically extending pin positionable at a stationary location for engaging the apertures in said cards having their apertures at said selected location; and f. means for positioning said pin to correspond to said selected aperture location, said positioning means comprising a selector arm pivotable about a central point thereon, a horizontally mounted guide track, and a selector slide assembly concentric with said guide track and adapted for sliding movement therealong, said pin being mounted on said slide assembly, one end of said selector arm engaging said slide assembly for positioning the same on said track as said selector arm is pivoted about said central point thereon, the other end of said selector arm being manually operable for positioning said pin as desired.