IBM Punched Card Processing Stan Paddock Computer History

IBM Punched Card Processing Stan Paddock Computer History Museum

Herman Hollerith’s Punched Cards • It was determined that the census of 1890 would take 12 years to complete • Herman Hollerith invented a machine for the census that could read data stored in punched cards • Hollerith's machines proved themselves to be extremely useful for a wide variety of statistical applications • The punched card as we know it today was invented by IBM in 1925 Computer History Museum 2

IBM Punched Card • The figure above shows one of the 80 column IBM cards. • Each card contains 12 rows of 80 columns, and each column is typically used to represent a single piece of data such as a character or numeric digit. Computer History Museum 3

IBM 026 Keypunch • The IBM 026 Printing Card Punch (left), introduced in July 1949. • Punched cards with numeric and alphabetic data • The data punched in the card was printed across the top of the card • The keypunch was the input device for most of the data processing industry prior to 1980 Computer History Museum 4

IBM 082 Sorter • To process the data contained in the punched cards, they needed to be sorted in a particular order • This is a picture of an IBM 082 sorter • The operator would select the column to be sorted and feed in a deck of cards. • The cards would fall into the pocket according to the punch in a column • If sorting a 9 column numeric field such as SSN, 9 passes had to be made. Computer History Museum 5

IBM 085 Collator • When new cards were to be added to an existing sorted deck, the collator would read the old deck and the new deck and place the new cards in the proper sequence within the old deck • Otherwise, all of the cards would have to be sorted from the beginning Computer History Museum 6

IBM 407 Accounting Machine • The IBM 407 Accounting Machine was the closest thing to an a computer for the business community prior to the IBM 1401 • Decks of cards could be read in, processed, and printed on paper reports. • The programming was performed via patch panels placed in the end of the machine • The IBM 407 had the capability of punching cards with the summary of the calculations it had performed. Computer History Museum 7

Introduction of IBM 1401 Computer System 1402 Card Reader / Punch Computer History Museum 1401 computer IBM 1403 Printer 8

IBM 1401 Processor • The IBM 1401 came onto the market in the early 1960's. • It was called the Model T of the computer business, because it was the first massproduced digital, all-transistorized, business computer that could be afforded by many businesses worldwide. • It came in just a few basic models and they were all gray with IBM blue trim. Computer History Museum 9

IBM 1406 Additional Memory • The base model of the IBM 1401 would support a maximum of 4 k of memory • With the addition of an IBM 1406, you could add 4 k, 8 k, or 12 k of additional memory Computer History Museum 10

IBM 1402 • The IBM 1402 reads card information into the processing unit at a rate of 800 cards per minute. • The IBM 1402 also punches cards from the processor at a rate of 200 250 cards per minute. • Reading and punching can be performed simultaneously. Computer History Museum 11

IBM 1403 • The IBM 1403 printer was introduced in October 1959 • The 1403 printer launched the era of high-speed and high volume printing • Even today, it remains the standard of quality for high-speed impact printing • The last IBM 1403, of more than 23, 000 shipped, was delivered in 1983 Computer History Museum 12

IBM 1403 Print Chain • The IBM 1403 "chain" printer for computers was introduced with the IBM 1401 computer in 1959. • The IBM 1403 printer's "chainloop" of characters traveled horizontally at 90 inches a second and printed 600 lines a minute as it was struck by 132 hammers positioned across the paper. Computer History Museum 13

IBM 729 Magnetic Tape • Up to six IBM 729 magnetic tape units (model II or IV) may be added to the an IBM 1401 system • Used ½ inch wide magnetic tape up to 2400 feet long • Provided high speed read and write capability Computer History Museum 14

End of Presentation Computer History Museum