GB418228A - Improvements in or relating to record card controlled printing mechanisms - Google Patents

Abstract

418,228. Statistical machines. BRITISH TABULATING MACHINE CO., Ltd., Victoria House, Vernon Place, Southampton Row, London. April 21, 1933, No. 11716. Convention date, April 23,1932. [Class 106 (i).] In selective-printing mechanism wherein certain characters are represented by two holes in a column of a record-card, the type-member is normally stationary in a home position, and is associated with arresting-means under control of one of the holes, and with a movable controlling-member which, at a point in its travel determined by the other hole, is coupled to the type-member. In the apparatus shown in the Figure, type-bars 43, having alphabetical types arranged in groups of three between the numeral types 0-9, are provided with coupling-pawls 42 for engaging projections 9-0, 10, 11 on controlling-members 38 which are mounted on bars 39 on a cross-head 36 and are held in normal position by springs 40. The cross-head is connected to a cam-operated rock-shaft 33 so arranged that when the cross-head rises the projections on the controlling-members pass the coupling-pawls synchronously with the passage over the reading-brushes of the corresponding hole-position in the record-card. The projections 0, 10, 11 are spaced closely to compensate for slowing down of the cross-head at the end of its stroke. The coupling-pawls are normally restrained by latches 44 connected to the armatures 49 of magnets 46 in circuit with the reading-brushes. The type-bars are formed with teeth 58 for co-operating with pawls 57 co-operating with latches 56 which are connected to the armatures 54 of magnets 53 in circuit with the reading-brushes, commutators being provided for connecting these magnets to the reading-brushes only during the passage of hole positions 0, 10, 11 over the reading-brushes. If a character is represented by two holes, for instance 8 and 11, the type-bar is coupled to the associated controlling-member 38 when the 8 hole is read, and when the 11 hole is read the type-bar and controlling-member are arrested by the pawl 57 two tooth-spaces before the 8 type reaches the printing line, the character corresponding to the 8 and 11 holes being thereby positioned at the printing line. When a character is represented by a single hole 0, 10, or 11, the type-bars rise less than four toothspaces, the teeth do not co-operate with the pawls 57, and character-selection is effected by the projection 0, 10, or 11. Restoring-bails 67, 68 for the latches 56 and pawls 57 are connected to a rock-arm 63 in the path of an arm 61 on a shaft 60. When the cross-head descends, a bar 77 thereon returns the type-bars, and the pawls 42 are released by abutting on the latches 44, these having been restored by means of a bail 76 connected to a rock-arm 72 operated by a cam 71. The pawls 57 may be arranged to co-operate with teeth on the bars 38. Specification 247,200, [Class 106 (i)], is referred to.