On Thu, Jan 12, 2017 at 8:10 PM, Cory Heisterkamp <coryheisterk...@gmail.com> wrote: > Given the topic, I have this rather *unique* punch card reader, if you want > to call it that. It is marked EAI but that's where the trail turns cold. > Perhaps used as a microcode source? All holes are read simultaneously via > individual switches. If someone has seen one before, please speak up. -C > > > http://www.radar58.com/reader/IMG_2894.jpg > http://www.radar58.com/reader/IMG_2895.jpg > http://www.radar58.com/reader/IMG_2896.jpg > http://www.radar58.com/reader/IMG_2897.jpg > >
Not that exact one, but I have something similar. It reads half a card (40 columns) at a time. You turn the card round and put the other end in to read the other 40 columns I guessed. It has 40 PCBs each with spring contacts and diodes stacked up over the card slot. And a pair of BIG solenoids underneath to lift the card holder to the switches.I think it said 'Feedback Data' on it somewhere, a company I have never heard of. I got mine as just the bare mechanism with a little PCB on the back containing the decoder ICs to select a column and a ROM to turn the Hollerith code into ASCII. About 30 years ago I boxed it up and added a board of ICs to scan through the columns and output the data serially. And yes, I did get it to scan 1-40 and then 40-1 on successive insertions. so that by inserting each card twice you got all 80 columns in the right order. -tony