US2233662A - Selective card slotting device - Google Patents

Description

March 4, 1941. s. nBusTER, JR. ETAL. 2,233,662

SELECTIVE CARD SLOTTING DEVICE I Filed May 4, 1940' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F'JiE- EA INVENTORS SfiA/FOAD D. BUSTEA J'n gaue: rem/x e- ATTORNEYS March 4, 1941. US JR, sum. 2,233,662-

SELECTIVE cm) SLOTTING DEVICE Filed May 4, 1940 2 Sh t's-Sheefi 2 AT-rdR EYs I FINVENTORS SANFO R0 0. Basra/v.07:

Patented Mar. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES 2,233,662 SELECTIVE'CARD SLOTTING DEVICE Sanford D. Buster, Jr., Mill Valley, and Dallas R.

Trinkle, Oakland, Calif.

Application May 4, 1940, Serial No. 333,372

14 Claims. (Cl. 164-114) The invention relates to card slotters, and has for .one of its objects the provision of an improved device for preparing marginally perforated recv rd cards for sorting by conventional methods employed in the art of sorting marginally slotted cards.

Another object is the provision of improved means for cutting or slotting out the edge of a card thatis formed with holes along one or more of its edges for opening one or more of such holes, as desired.

Another object is improved means for. slotting out to the edge of a card or paper slip, one or' more pro-formed holes along such edge in accordance with one or more openings formed in the edge of another card.

Another object is the provision of improved means for selectively slotting out to the edge of a card one or more'previously punched holes along said edge, which means is controlled by the operator, while at the same time additional means is provided for slotting out'other holes in the same card under the control of a key card or plate.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the specification and drawings secured hereto.

Cards or paper slips or sheets adapted tobe formed for use by our invention are initially provided with a line or lines of spaced holes along one or more edges of the card or paper on which information of one kind or another is to be entered. These holes are identically spaced in great numbers of such cards and are individually numbered or otherwise identified. In the use of these prepared cards the card is cut away between one or more of these holes and the adjacent edge, according w some predetermined system by which the locations or the holes so opened identifies a name, number, or other desired information. When the slotted cards are stacked on edge and in alignment, the holes in;

such stack form open ended passageways through which a rod, needle, or similar instrument may be passed, and then upon moving the rod laterally in the direction toward the card edges adjacent the holes, the cards that are slotted will remain stationary or may be shaken free from the remainder oi the stack, while the holes through which the rod is passed, but which are not slotted, will carry such unslotted cards free from the others. By repetition of this operation on successive holes or combinations, or by using several rods in diilerent passageways at one time, cards may be rapidly and accurately sorted. Also, other systems of sorting marginally slotted cards are employed, such as in the U. S. patent to Grifin, 2,134,715, but most oi these systems have generally the same underlying principle of operation.

Our invention is adapted tor use with the sorting system, generally described above, and utilizes cards of the type described, these cards being previously formed with a line of located and identified holes adjacent one or more of the edges. The improvement herein described and claimed provides for the repetition or duplica tion, in a single operation, of any given combination of slots arranged in accordance with holes that have already been formed in the margin of a card, or by slots that have already been formed by opening certain holes to the edge of the card, More specifically, the invention includes providing a gang outing or slotting device capable of cutting, or slotting out, all the holes in any one side of the'card at a single tions and the like may have the copy which goes to the billing ofice punched along one or more edges with holes representing numbers, or other indicia, in predetermined arrangement as may be desired. Each customer may be assigned an identifying number and is provided with a card, plate or the like, punched or slotted to act as a key plate for that number. Each selling department is provided with one of my devices, hereinafter described, and. which, in addition to the controllable cutters, punches, or the like,

may have additional cutters so located and operated as to identify the department or station from which the sales slip issues, or such cutters may be located to identify the day of the week, month, or the like. When a purchase is made the customer presents his key card, which is inserted in the device and the sales slip slotted. The key card thus not only'positively identitles the customer, acting as a credit card or charge plate, but also permits all sales slips prepared with it to beimmediately sorted out of the mass of sales slips which accumulate during any billing period. The aforesad additional cutters, which are the identification oi the issuing station, or thcdate, or both, permit the sales of any station or department to be sorted out for classification. Many other uses will suggest themselves to persons familiar with selective sorting of cards whether by the direct or indirect method.

Heretoiore applicants have made attempts to accomplish the described results of this invention by use of reciprocable punches arranged in gangs and selectively actuated by portions of a key plate or card for punching out portions of a card or sheet. Such punches have been pivoted for swinging certain punches out of registering engagement with a female die plate for rendering such punches inoperative, and in other instances applicants have attempted to hold back certain punches by blank portions of a key plate or card while permitting others to pass unobstructed portions of the key card to cut out the desired parts of another card or sheet. These attempts have proven the inoperability of reciprocating punches for manual operation thereof due to the excessive power required and the impossibility of cutting stock of various thicknesses. Applicants have overcome all of the objections to the use of reciprocating punches. hence the use of the term cutters herein used, does not relate to punches. I

Another important point to bear in mind is the fact that applicants device is adapted to use a key card or paper stock of any desired degree of thinness, the one preferably employed being relatively light, such as single or double ply material. Also applicants device is adapted to function with a key card having pre-punched openings therein as distinguished from notches in the margins. The use of notched margins on key cards is not practical since these cards are ordinarily subjected to 'much use and abuse, and the portions between adjacent notches are readily torn, bent, or mutilated, rendering the key cards worse than useless.

The following is a brief description of the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view of our device with certain parts-in section and others in elevation.

Fig. 2 isa sectional view along line 2-2 of Fi 1.

Fig. 2A is a sectional view along line 2A-2A of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of our device with the cover in section.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of one end of a key card and a sales slip or card as slotted by the device, using said key card or plate.

Fig. is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view illustrating the key card and card to be slotted in position for slotting the latter.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, our preferred device comprises a horizontal base member I which is in the form of a rectangular plate, on which is supported all of the elements of the device. Secured to base I is a pair of arms 2 extending rearwardly and then slantingly upwardly and rearwardly from the forward portion of said base, the forward portion of said base being designated F, which letter also refers generally to the front side of the device, hence the terms forwardly, rearwardly, or the like, are used with respect to the forward or front side of the device. The upper ends of said arms 2 are connected by a horizontal bar 3 while the lower ends are formed with axially aligned openings in which are fixedly secured sleeves 4 and 5. Said sleeves also serve as bearings for opposite ends of a rotatable, horizontal shaft 6.

I. The screws I extend through openings in the ends of said plate, and into the upper ends of extend slantingly downwardly from rod I0 to rest I at their lower edges on the upper side of plate 1 adiacent the upper edge of said latter plate.

These plates II are secured to rod II) by means of set screws I2 that extend through projections I3 carried on the under side of the upper margins of the plates II, as best indicated in Fig. 2.

v The plate 1 extends along its lower margin beyond the lower edge of bar 3, and the edge of said plate so overhanging said bar, is formed with a row of equally spaced outwardly opening recesses IA. The opposite'sides of each recess I4 extends slightly convergently from said lower edge (Fig. l). The plate I and plates II are disposed in substantially the same plane, and together comprise the support for a card or sales slip to be slotted out. The plates I I are relatively thin, hence she upper sides of plates II and 'I are substantially planar. The outermost edge. of each plate II, relative to their adjacent edges, is formed with a right angle flange I5 extending from the forwardly and generally upwardly facing side thereof to provide guides for the opposite edges of a cardor paper sheet supported on the plates I I, and as the said plates I I are adjustable, longitudinally of rod II), it will be seen that the guide flanges I5 may be'spaced apart any desired distance and the said plates II may be moved to various adjusted positions on rod I0.

Above plates 1 and I I, and positioned to extend past the lower edge of plate I I, is a key card supporting plate I6, which plate I6 is'pivoted at its ends to bracket extensions 9, as at H. The pivots H are forwardly of rod I0, and plate I6 is suspended from said pivots at a slightly steeper incline than the slant of plates 1 and I I. The plate I6 also terminates at its lower edge above plate 1 and spaced from the inner ends of recesses I4 in the latter. The lower edge of plate I6 may be yieldably held slightly spaced from the upper surface'of plate I by any suitable means, such as by a spring IS'secured at one end to bracket 8 and resiliently bearing against a lateral projection IS on one of the pivots I'I, said pivots being projecting stub shafts integral with the ends of plate I6 adjacent its upper edge. Thus a paper slip or card is free to be slipped downwardly on plates I and II below plate I6, but a slight pressure against plate I6 at the lower margin of the latter will move the lower edge of plate I6 to frictionally grip the paper or card against plate I.- However, plate I6 may be freely pivoted on its pivots I'I without spring I8. I

Over plate I6 is a pair of plates (Figs. 1 and, 2), which plates are spaced from the upper and forwardly facing side of plate I6. From the outer edges of plates 20 (with respect to their ad jacentedges) extend right angle flanges 2| in a direction rearwardly toward plate I6, which flanges constitute guides for a key card, or the like, that is adapted to be supported on plate I6. Said plates 20 are adjustably supported for movement on rod 22, which rod'is secured at its end to brackets 8, and set screws 23 extend through bosses 24 through which the.rod 22 extends. These plates 20 are therefore movable to wardly opening slot (Fig. 3) just above the spacer as plates H.

The key card, or the like, that is adapted for use with my device, is adapted to be positioned against the upper and forwardly facing side of plate l6, and is supported in said position 'on pins 25 that project forwardly from the lower edge of said plate at points below a horizontal row of openings 26 formed in the lower margin of plate I6 (Figs. 2, 3 and The sides 2| also insure exact positioning of said card.

Each of the openings 26 is above one of the slots H in plate 1, for a reason later described.

The shaft 6 is slotted at opposite sides for receiving a strip 28 in one slot and the shorter leg 295 of an angle strip in the other slot. The longer leg 29 of said angle strip extends transversely thereof below shaft 6 and rearwardly. Strip 28 extends transversely thereof slantingly upwardly and rearwardly from shaft 6 (Figs. 2 and 5) The exterior of shaft 6 is formed with equally spaced sets of grooves 30 extending transversely thereof, each of which sets comprises a pair of such grooves equally spaced apart. Each of the grooves 30 carries one of the cutter blades 3|, said blades being also formed in sets corresponding to the sets of grooves, and each set of blades forms one of the cutting elements for slotting out one of the openings in the edge of the card.

In order to simplify the description of the cutters, only one of the sets of blades, comprising a pair thereof, will be described.

Each blade 3| is preferably of resilient, spring metal, and may be stamped from sheet metal. The blades are disposed, in vertical planes and are elongated with one end split or slotted generally longitudinally of the blade to form an upper arm 32 and a lower arm 33, the blade being attached to the shaft 6 by slipping the arms 32 and 33 laterally of shaft 6 into the grooves 38 that are above and below the leg 29 of the angle strip in a manner so that the upwardly projecting portion of strip 28 extends into slot 35 that forms the arms. Grooves 30 are formed circum ferentially ofv the shaft 6 and the edges of the arms in said slots are slightly curved to conform to the circular contour of the grooves, thus enabling the blades to rotate on the shaft.

From grooves 30 the blades 3| of each set extend upwardly and slightly rearwardly of shaft 5 in parallel planes to line 34 that extends transversely of the blades, and from line 34 (Fig. 1) the blades of the set extend convergently toward each other to engagement at their upper ends. A spacer 36 is disposed between the blades of the set, said spacer being reduced at its ends for fitting said reduced ends in openings in the blades. Each spacer is connected to leg 29 of the angle strip by a coil spring 31; which spring yieldably holds the set of blades in a position with the inner edge of upper arm 32 adjacent the upper side of strip 28 projecting upwardly from shaft 6. However, if the set of blades is held while the shaft 8 is turned in a clockwise direction (Fig. 2) the spring will stretch to permit the holding of the set of blades against rotating with the shaft.

Each blade 3| is formed with a generally rear- 36 that is between each set of blades, thus providing parallel, opposed marginal portions 38 'defining part of the lower edge of said slot, the

s'aid'slot being indicated at 48. The margins 38 of each set of blades is disposed within one of the recesses I 4 (Fig. 5) at all times, the outer sidesshaft in the position indicated in Fig. 2 in which of said margins fitting firmly, but slidably, against the opposite sides of the recess, and thus firm contact between the margins and sides of the recess is maintained by reason of the inherent resiliency of the blades. The upper edges 5 of the set of margins 38 in each set of blades are beveled along their opposed sides to form cutting edges 39. This cutting edge on each blade is of a lengthto freely move into recess l4 longitudinally of the sides of said recess upon rotating shaft 6, the movement relative to the sides of the recess being a. shearing movement. In Fig. 5 the dotted position of the cutting edge is indicated at 38f, when the shaft 6 is rotated clockwise, and there is nothing to impede rotation of the blades with the shaft.

Since cutting edges 39 of each set of blades is carried by the converging upper portions of the blades, it will be seen that said edges also extend convergently, and the degree of convergence of 2 the said edges is such that the cutting edges will substantially follow the converging sides of recess l4.

The upper side of recess 48 is relatively narrow in width, and since these upper sides on each set of blades are in engagement, the result is the formation of a single finger 4| extending generally rearwardly and downwardly (Fig. 3) when the blades are in their normal position before rotation of shaft 6. The fingers 4| are each adapted to pass into one of the openings 26 in plate l8 when the shaft 6 is rotated, the fingers moving in an are about the shaft 6 as a central axis.

Enclosed within an enlarged end of sleeve 4 through which one end of shaft 5 passes, is a torsion spring 42 (Fig. 1), one end of which is secured to the shaft and the other to the sleeve, in the conventional manner to yieldably hold the the fingers it are completely out of holes 26 and the cutting edges 39 are spaced from recesses I 4. The sleeve 5 is slotted at its end adjacent'strip 28 to receive one end of said strip, and in the 4 position shown in Fig. 2 the upper side of said strip engages one side of said slot, being held against said side by torsion spring 42. The width of the slot circumferentially of the sleeve is such as to permit sufficient rotation of the shaft 5 to carry the blades to slightly beyond the dotted position indicated in Fig. 5. The length of said slot being indicated at 44 in Fig. 5.

The end of shaft 6 projecting outwardly of sleeve 4 carries a laterally projecting handle 45 for rotating shaft 8, and a housing 48 encloses the elements of the device, except for the handle 45 and a portion of sleeve 4. The top of said housing is provided with an opening ll that extends generally the length of the plate It and which opening .is of a width extending between the upper edges of plates l I and 20.

In operation, assuming the device is to be used in connection with conventional credit cards, as used by customers of gasoline companies, the salesman first fills out a sales slip, indicated at 48 in Fig. 4, which slip is formed at one end with a row of holes 48 in positions corresponding to areas at the inner ends of recesses Hi, enclosed by the sides and ends of the recesses, respectively. After making out the slip, it is slipped through opening 81 in housing 66 and passes downwardly on plates H and 1 until the lower edge engages against the edges of margins 38 iusted, so that the slip, when it engages the blades 3| 'will be positioned so that holes 49 register exactly over the areas at the inner ends of recesses l4. The credit card, indicated'at 50 in Fig. 4, has one or several holes 51 punched along one margin, the arrangement of the hole or holes so punched being peculiar to .each customer, but in each instance when the card 50 'is slipped downwardly onto plate 15 and between guides 2| until'supported on pins 25, the hole or.

holes 5i so punched and guided byv guides 2|, will register exactly with holes 26 in plate [6.

Upon moving the handle 45 to rotate shaft 5 clockwise (Fig. 5), the fingers 4| that are over the holes 5| in card 50 will freely pass through said holes, but the other fingers of the row will be held by the imperforate portions of said -card,

hence as the shaft 6 continues to be rotated, cutting edges 39 of the blades 3| that carry the fingers passing through holes 5!, will slot out the corresponding holes 41 in the sales slip, to the edge of the sales slip along convergent lines, and when the sales slips are turned in to the main oflice for billing these slips are readily sorted out by the method already described.

It is important to note that the engagement between the fingers 4i and card 50 will cause the plate iii to be moved downwardly against slip 48 so as to firmly hold said slip in place against slippage during cutting by the cutting edges 39, and as soon as this pressure is released by release of the handle 45, the slip is released for being freely withdrawn from the device.

In some instances, 'it is desirable to provideone or a plurality of cutters adapted to be set .in any desired arrangement or combination, for

cutting out one or more openings in' slipsor cards independently of the key card, or the like, in which case the two cutters 52 indicated at the left end of the row (Fig. 1), are provided. These cutters each are best indicated in Fig. 2A, each being identical with the blades 3!, except for the portion above the cutting edge 39. Above edge 39 the blade is formed with an arcuate,

rearwardly opening slot 40' adapted to receive a horizontal pin 53 carried on the lower end of an arm 54. Arm 54 is pivotally supported intermediate its upper and lower ends on a horizontal shaft 55. bracket 8.

The arcuate slot 48' is disposed and shapec. with reference to pin 53 so that the set of blades is free to swing with shaft 5 so long as the pin 53 is swung to be in the path of travel of said slot, but the upper side of slot 40, or theportion generally corresponding to finger 4| of the other blades, already described, is formed at the rear end with a downwardly opening recess 55 into which pin 53 may be swung upon movement, of the arrn.54 counterclockwise when looking at the arm as shown in Fig. 2A. The upper end 54 of arm 54 is manipulated by the finger of the operator to swing'pin 53 into recess 55, and when the pin is soyswung, the blades cannot move with shaft 5, hence are inoperative.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. In a device for slotting cards; a plurality of slotting cutters arranged. in a substantially straight line movably supp ted for arcuate cutting action thereof for slotting; a plate formed with recesses cooperating with said cutters; a common means for simultaneously actuating all of said cutters through' the slotting stroke; an independent resilient element interposed between each of' said cutters and said actuating a Shaft 55 is supported on means, and a key card or the like arrangedto be interposed between a portion of said cutters and a card to be slotted and having at least one enclosed opening therein,- through which said portion of a cutter may freely operate, the blank "areas of said key card rendering other of said cutters inoperative by engaging portions of said other cutters and thereby causing distortion of the corresponding interposed resilient members.

2. In a device for slotting cards, a plurality of sets-of cutter spaced,individual, cutting blades arranged in a substantially straight line, each of said sets comprising a pair of blades, each of 3. In a construction as described in claim 2,

said openings beirg fullysurrounded by the ma- .terial of said key card and arranged in a row along one edge of said key card.

4. A device for slotting cards comprising a plurality of pairs of spaced individual cutting blades arranged in a row with their flat sides in opposed relation, a shear plate formed with a plurality of outwardly opening recesses along one edge respectively positioned to receive a pair of said blades for movement of the respective blades of each pair transversely of the plane of said plate in shearing relation to the opposite sides of said recesses, means for, so moving the blades, means for supporting a card in position against said plate withone of its edges over said recesses for vcutting by said blades, means for causing said movement of the said plurality of pairs simultaneously and means for obstructing 4 the movement of any of said pairs as desired.

5. A device for slotting cards comprising, a plurality of pairs of spaced cutting blades ar- I ranged in a row with their flat sides in opposed relation, a shear plate formed with a plurality of outwardly opening recesses along one edge respectively positioned to receive a pair of saidblades for movement of the respectiveblades of each pair transversely of the plane of saidplate in' shearing relationto the opposite sides of said recesses, means for so moving the blades, means for supporting a card'in position against said plate with one of its edges over said recesses for cutting by said blades, means for causing said movement of said plurality of pairs of blades simultaneously, means for obstructing the movement of any of said pairs as desired, the blades of each pair being of resilientmetal and yieldably follow said sides upon movement of the blades into each recess.

6. In a construction as defined in claim 4, means actuated by actuation of the means for causing simultaneous movement of said pairs of blades arranged and adapted to grip a card adapted to be positioned against said shear plate for holding such card stationary against movement during cutting thereof by said blades.

7. A device for slotting cards comprising a plurality of pairs of spaced individual cutting blades" and a shear plate cooperative therewith for shear cutting by the blades upon actuation thereof, means for actuating said blades to cause said cutting, means for obstructing the movement of at least one of said blades upon cutting,

movement of said blades and means for simultaneously actuating all of the pairs not obstructed by said last mentioned means.

8. In a construct-ionas defined in claim '7, the means for obstructing said movement comprising an element positioned adjacent each pair of a plurality of said pairs, each element being individually movable to a position obstructing cutting movement of the pair of blades adjacent thereto.

9. In a card-slotter, a horizontal shaft supporting a row of spaced cutting devices projecting radially from one side thereof relative to the longitudinal axis of said shaft, means mounting said shaft for rotation on said axis for revolving said devices in paths about said axis, said devices having cutting edges facing-generally in the direction of revolution of said devices, means for positioning and supporting a card or the like with one of its edges in said paths whereby such card will be cut inwardly from said one of itsedges upon rotating said shaft and revolving of said devices in said paths.

10. In a construction as defined in claim 9, I

tioned card when such latter card is positioned with one of its edges in said path and when the said shaft is rotated for revolving said devices, means yieldably holding said devices in alignment in said row, means securing said devices to said shaft for movement relatively in their respective paths upon obstruction to rotation of one or more of said projections by said key card, and a key card adapted to be rearwardly supported in said position formed with one or more openings in the path of one or more of said projections for freely passing such projections when the said devices are revolved whereby said first mentioned card will be cut by the cutting edge of only such devices having projections unobstructed by said key card.

12. In a card slotter for slotting cards, a row of cutting devices arranged in a substantially straight line, each of said' cutters including a pair of cutting edges and the cutting edges of the devices of said row being co-planar and facing outwardl of said row, a plate formed with a row of recesses each having opposed edges cooperating with the cutting edges of said devices respectively, means mounting said devices formovement of said edges through a slotting stroke. means capable of simultaneously actuating all of said edges through said stroke, a fiat key card adapted for insertion in said device leaving solid portions arranged to render the cutting edges of at least one of said devices inoperative by interrupting its movement in said stroke and said card having openings formed therein to permit normal operation-of the remainder of said devices and edges thereof, and interruptable elements secured to said devices in the path of movement of said edges in said stroke, and between at least one or more pairs of openings in said row.

13. In a card slotter, a horizontal shaft supporting a row of spaced cutting devices projecting radially from one side'thereof relative to the longitudinal axis of said'shaft, means mounting said shaft for rotation on said axis, said devices having cutting edges facing generally in the direction of revolution 'of said devices, a card, or the like, positioning means for positioning and supportirrg said card, or the like, with one of its margins including the edge therealong in said paths whereby such margin will be cut inwardly from said edge upon, rotation of said shaft and revolving said devices in said paths, said margin of said card being formed with a row of openings spaced from said edge and from each other, said openings being positioned to correspond to one of each of said paths and said cutting edges of each pair positioned to out said card from said edge to one of each of the openings of said row whereby slots will be cut in said margin to said openings, control means for selectively restricting movement of one or more ofsaid devices, and means for simultaneously actuating the devices free from restriction by said control means.

14. A card slotter comprising a row of individual, spaced cutters each provided with a finger projecting therefrom and rigidly secured thereto for movement therewithpmeans supporting said cutters and the fingers respectively secured thereto for movement of said cutters and said fingers, respectively, in individual spaced paths of travel across two separate planes; means for" simultaneously actuating said cutters and the fingers secured thereto for said movement; separate, spaced means for respectively removably supporting a flat card or the like in each of said planes in a position with one of the margins of one card disposed across the paths of travel of said cutters for slotting thereby during a slotting stroke thereof and with one of the margins of the other card disposed across the paths of travel of said fingers; a fiat key card adapted to be removably positioned on the said means for supporting the same with one of its margins across the paths of travel of said fingers; said key card being formed along said one of its margins with openings and imperfoby said key card for rendering the cutters secured to said latter fingers inoperative for movement through said slotting stroke.

SANFORD D. BUS'I'ER, JR. DALLAS R. TRINKIE.

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