301,920. British Tabulating Machine Co., (Assignees of Tabulating Machine Co.). Dec. 8, 1927, [Convention date]. Verifying perforations in cards or sheets.-In machines with key operated verifying members such as described in Specification 108,313 means are provided to cause a warning to be given to the operator when a hole or holes is or are present other than the hole or holes engaged by the verifying member. In the form shown, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the means consist of a plurality of yieldingly pressed plungers or control pins 45, one for each hole position, arranged on the side of the card remote from the verifying members or pins 9 and adapted to protrude through the holes and to be pressed back by the operative pins 9. A plunger not being prassed back through the presence of an incorrect perforation will position a device for disabling the cardfeeding mechanism thus notifying the operator of the error in the card column. The card 4 is mounted on a spring-controlled carriage 2 guided on a frame 1 and moved from one column position to the next by an escapement ratchet wheel 8 on a screwed spindle 7 with which engages a nut 6 on the carriage 2. The verifying pins 9 are slidably mounted in a frame 10 and resting on the upper end 15 of each pin is a lever 12 pivoted at 13 to a beam member 14 and cooperating at its free end with a corresponding depressible key 16. The member 14 is held by a spring 22 in the position shown in Fig. 1, and the levers 12 rest upon a pivoted cross-beam 23 to the axis of which is secured an arm 27 cooperating at its free end with plungers 28, 29 adapted to control the escapement pawls 34, 38 through arms and levers 31, 35, 36. If, through an error, the pin in its downward travel is stopped by the card surface the lever 12 pivots about the point 15, thereby raising the beam-member 14 which is locked in its raised position by a latch 41 to prevent co-operation of the other keys with their pins. Movement of the lever about the point 15 is not sufficient to cause displacement of the beam 23 so that the feeding mechanism is inoperative. Directly underneath the verifying pins is a casing 44 with a row of control pins 45 slidably mounted in a frame 46 and each supported by a lever 47 passing freely through a slot in the pin. Each lever 47 has an enlarged end slotted to receive a shaft 49 and is urged forwardly by a spring 50 and co-operates with the teeth of a push bar 52. The forward end of each lever 47 is urged upwardly by a spring 53 and a shoulder 55 on the lever coacts with a bar 56 to prevent displacement thereof when the bar 52 is moved to the left by the depression of the arm 27 through a bell crank 74, 76. A projection 78 on the plunger 29 coacts with a locking lever 79 to prevent movement of the bar 52 until the beam 23 has been restored. The shoulder also serves to hold the control pin down when the wide part of the lever 47 is under the bar 56. A locking bar 57 slidably mounted on the frame has a series of grooves 58 and its movement to the right or left determines whether or not the control pins shall be raised. When the bar 52 is moved to the right and with it the locking bar 57 through the overlapping projections 90 and spring 77 the grooves 58 of the bar 57 are opposite the levers 47 so that the control pins will be raised by the springs 53 but only such pins as are opposite holes in the card column will protrude. If a key 16 is depressed corresponding to an index point the pin 9 will press down the control pin and lock it under the bar 56. If an additional hole is present in the card column the control pin will not be depressed and consequently the locking bar 57 cannot be moved from its right hand position. The locking bar 57 is connected at one end to a lever 60 that co-operates with a lug 89 on a pivoted arm 86 which arm carries a latch member 85 co-operating with a latch member 84 on the lever 27 so that in the right hand position of the lever 57 the latch members are engaged to hold the lever 27 depressed to prevent escapement of the carriage. A restoring bar 65 is provided to restore the control pins to the lower position and at the same time through a lever 66 and rod 69 operates the lever 36 to withdraw the retaining pawl 38 of the escapement whereupon the carriage moves to its extreme left hand position to facilitate removal of the erroneous card. At the same time a projection 72 on the bar 65 withdraws the latch 41 to permit the beam member 14 to drop back to normal position. The restoration of the control pins moves the levers 47 out of the notches 58 thereby permitting the locking bar 57 and arm 60 to move to the left to free the latch members 84, 85 and permit the arm 27 to be raised. The restoring bar 65 and with it the locking bar 57 are locked so that they cannot be moved if a card is not present, or until a card has been moved to the first column to be verified, by means of an arm 91 on a shaft 92 projecting into the path of depending members 94, 95 on the carriage. At the end of the shaft 92 is a cross arm 96 one end 97 of which co-operates with the end 98 of a bell crank 99 and the other end with a link 103 having a slotted end engaging an arm 104. The upper arm 101 of the bell crank 99 and the arm 104 coact with slots in the locking bar and restoring bar respectively; a clockwise movement of the arm 96 frees the bars.