IBM 059
| File:IBM logo.svg IBM logo | |
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Information technology, Computer hardware |
| Founded | June 16, 1911 in Endicott, New York, United States |
| Founder | Charles Ranlett Flint (as Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company) |
| Headquarters | Armonk, New York , United States |
Key people | Arvind Krishna (Chairman & CEO) |
| Products | Keypunch machines, computers, software, hardware |
Number of employees | 288,300 (2023) |
| Website | www |
A keypunch is a device designed to create holes in rigid paper cards at positions specified by keys pressed by an operator. Comparable tools include the gang punch, pantograph punch, and stamp. The term also extends to machines that encode information onto punched tape media.
In the context of Jacquard looms, punched cards were linked together in a "chain" that contained a program controlling the loom’s operation.[1]
For Hollerith machines and other unit record apparatus, punched cards stored data processed by these systems. In computing environments utilizing punched card input/output, these cards held either data or programs that governed machine functions.
Initial Hollerith keypunches operated manually; subsequent versions were electromechanical devices resembling compact desks with keyboards akin to typewriters. These included hoppers for feeding blank cards and stackers for collecting punched ones. Certain models featured printing of the character corresponding to the punched holes above each column. The discarded punched bits fell into a chad container, or at IBM, a chip box or bit bucket.
Many data processing workflows employed two-stage verification—entering data twice to ensure precision. There was significant demand for keypunch operators, predominantly women,[2] who were employed full-time in extensive keypunch departments responsible for data input.
During the 1950s, Remington Rand launched the UNITYPER, which allowed direct data entry onto magnetic tape for UNIVAC systems. In 1965, Mohawk Data Sciences advanced this with a magnetic tape encoder marketed as a keypunch substitute. The emergence of microprocessors and affordable terminals prompted smaller companies such as Inforex and Pertec to create key-to-tape and key-to-disk solutions.[3]
Keypunches and punched cards remained widely used throughout the 1970s but were swiftly supplanted by low-cost CRT computer terminals. Removing the intermediate card-to-tape/disk transfer lowered expenses and enhanced error detection during data entry. The introduction of video display terminals, interactive timeshared systems, and eventually personal computers enabled direct input of data and programs by users themselves, replacing the need for keypunch operators.
Stamping Jacquard cards, 1801 through 1890
Initially, Jacquard cards were manually stamped or cut, sometimes employing guide plates. A development involved placing the card between two perforated metal sheets, inserting punches according to the required pattern, then pressing to produce holes. These manual techniques were later replaced by mechanized processes. 'Piano machines,' named for their keyboard-like keys and resembling unit record keypunches, became the predominant method.
Hollerith and IBM Keypunch Machines, 1890s to 1930s
During the early 1890s, Herman Hollerith developed a device that utilized a standard ticket punch to create round holes near the edges of cards. He later advanced this concept by inventing a more precise Keyboard Punch, which incorporated a pantograph mechanism connecting a punch to a guide pointer over a 12 by 20 grid, allowing operators to manually punch holes aligned within one of 20 columns.
In 1901, Hollerith secured a patent for a keypunch machine where users pressed one of twelve keys to produce holes, accompanied by automatic card feeding. This initial Type 001 keypunch was designed for 45-column cards with round holes. The Tabulating Machine Company introduced the first electrically powered keypunch in 1923—the Type 011 Electric Keypunch—where each keystroke activated a solenoid to punch holes. The 80-column punched card layout was introduced in 1928. Subsequent models included the Type 016 Motor-Driven Electric Duplicating Keypunch (1929), and both the Type 31 Alphabetical Duplicating Punch and Type 32 Alphabetical Printing Punch (1933).
Alphabetical duplicating keypunches recorded alphabetic data on tabulating cards so that full words and names, alongside numerical information, could be printed by an alphabetical accounting machine. IBM introduced the Type 31 Alphabetical Duplicating Punch in 1933; it automatically ejected one card and fed another within 0.65 seconds. These devices featured separate keyboards for alphabetic and numeric input; the alphabetic keyboard resembled a manual typewriter but omitted shift, tab, backspace, and character keys, while adding skip, release, stacker, and '1' keys. – IBM Archives
Post-World War II IBM Keypunches and Verifiers for 80-Column Cards
Most IBM keypunch and verifier models employed an electromechanical keyboard design that encoded keystrokes through linked bails closing electrical contacts. Each key press activated magnets that reset the mechanism, delivering tactile feedback to the operator. The responsiveness varied depending on wear and contact calibration, with special function keys relying solely on electrical contacts.
Devices such as the IBM 024, 026, and 029 supported program cards that controlled tabbing functions and automatic duplication; the subsequent IBM 129 model utilized electronic circuit cards enabling operator-written programming.
IBM 024 and IBM 026 Card Punches
Launched in 1949, the IBM 024 Card Punch and IBM 026 Printing Card Punch were nearly identical except that the latter included printing capabilities. Both machines used twelve precision punches capable of processing cards with 51, 60, 66, or 80 columns, producing a characteristic sound as each column was punched.
The IBM 026 printed characters above each column using a 5×7 dot matrix formed by a metal "code plate" containing up to 1,960 pins shaping each character. By 1964, ten variants existed featuring different character sets; scientific versions replaced some commercial characters with symbols such as parentheses and plus signs.
The logic circuitry combined diodes, 25L6 vacuum tubes, and relays; punch-clutch magnets operated at 150 volts DC while most other circuits ran at 48 volts DC.
The printing system was intricate and susceptible to damage from irregular punch patterns or attempts to duplicate "binary" cards, which could misalign the code plate. Turning off printing halted pin pressing but did not disengage the code plate mechanism itself.
Renowned industrial designer Raymond Loewy, famous for streamlined aesthetics and railway car designs, created the acclaimed external appearance of the IBM 024/026 punches. Their robust steel construction with rounded edges embodied an industrial Art Deco style.
IBM 056 Card Verifier
The IBM 056 functioned as a verification device paired with the 024 Card Punch and the 026 Printing Card Punch. Like the 026 keypunch, it was equipped with a red error indicator lens on its cover. The operator re-entered the data, and the machine compared it against the existing punched information. Cards that passed verification received a small notch along their right edge.
Most mechanical and electrical parts of the 056 were identical to those in the 024/026 models, except for the punch assembly and print head. Instead of punching holes, its punch unit contained sensing pins designed to detect existing perforations; if discrepancies were found, card movement ceased and a red error light illuminated. The notching mechanism, powered by solenoids, took the place of the 026’s printing apparatus.
When errors were identified, operators were allowed up to three attempts to input correct data. After three unsuccessful tries, an error notch was punched above the incorrect column, and the "OK" punch at the card’s trailing edge was disabled. Errors could stem from either operator, but multiple attempts helped reduce repeated mistakes. Some operators tried to bypass verification by guessing errors, which led to machine modifications restricting data entry to a single attempt before notching.
Cards marked with error notches were typically re-punched—often using an 024 or 026—by duplicating all columns up to the error point and then correcting subsequent fields. Duplication involved reading existing holes via sensing pins and transferring them onto a blank card. Once corrected, these cards underwent re-verification and received an "OK" notch if accurate.
Typewriter Card Punches
The earliest device merging card punching with typewriter input for selected text was created by Powers in 1925. IBM’s 824 Typewriter Card Punch replaced the traditional 024 keyboard with an IBM electric typewriter, while the IBM 826 combined an IBM 026 Keypunch with a typewriter interface. These innovations improved data entry speed by integrating typing and punching into one operation.
IBM 029 Card Punch
Launched alongside System/360 in 1964, the IBM 029 introduced new character codes for symbols such as parentheses, equal signs, and plus signs within the EBCDIC character set. Though mechanically akin to the IBM 026, it printed punched characters atop cards using a larger code plate featuring 2240 printing-pin positions to support EBCDIC's expanded repertoire.
The logic circuitry of later 029 models utilized wire contact relays, whereas early versions employed reed relays combined with diodes mounted on SMS cards. Due to reliability concerns with reed relays, IBM reverted to wire-contact relay designs. Operating at 48 volts DC, this model eliminated vacuum tubes used in predecessors like the 024/026. An optional "Left-Zero" feature—implemented through additional SMS cards—automatically punched leading zeros to right-justify numeric fields, streamlining data entry.
IBM 5924 Key Punch
The IBM 5924 Key Punch was a variant of the 029 model T01 adapted with a specialized keyboard tailored for IBM’s 1971 IBM Kanji System. Operators employed one hand to select among fifteen shift keys and the other to choose from up to 240 Kanji characters per shift. This advancement enabled computers to process complex East Asian languages—Chinese, Japanese, and Korean—that require character sets exceeding ten thousand symbols.
IBM 059 Card Verifier
The IBM 059 functioned as the verification unit paired with the IBM 029 Card Punch. Unlike the earlier 056 verifier, it utilized optical detection of punched holes rather than mechanical pins, which greatly diminished operational noise levels. This optical system relied on a single light source distributed through fiber-optic lightpipes, preserving similar verification capabilities.
Interestingly, some operators favored the louder tactile feedback of the older 056 model and sometimes compensated for the quieter IBM 059 by pressing keys more forcefully, occasionally leading to accelerated keyboard wear.
IBM 129 Card Data Recorder
Released alongside the System/370 in 1971, the IBM 129 integrated card punching, verification, and online reading/punching of 80-column cards for specific computer systems. A keyboard switch allowed users to alternate between punch and verify modes.
The transistor-based IBM 129's primary improvement over previous keypunch models was its electronic buffer capable of storing an entire 80-column card image. Prior to this, errors during keystroking necessitated manual card ejection and correction. With the 129, mistakes could be corrected using a Backspace key and re-entered before automatic punching was finalized upon pressing the Release key.
Its logic circuits were constructed with SLT modules mounted on a swing-out wire-wrapped backplane. The keying rate was no longer constrained by punching each column immediately after keystroke input.
The machine could store up to six programs selectable via a rotary switch. Unlike earlier models that read program cards from a drum, the IBM 129 loaded programs into memory through the standard card-feed path.
Thanks to its electronic memory, it did not require a dedicated "read station" for data duplication; instead, duplication was performed using the stored image of the previously processed card. Additionally, cards could be optically read through a built-in reading unit.
Program Card
IBM keypunch and verifier models such as the 024, 026, 029, and verifiers like the 056 and 059 could be programmed using a Program Card—sometimes called a drum card. This innovation enabled automated field advancement, default character insertion, field duplication, and other functions that improved upon earlier Skip Bars.
Program cards were punched on any compatible keypunch and wrapped around a rotating drum equipped with starwheels that detected holes by activating electrical contacts. Programs were encoded within the top six rows [12,11,0,1,2,3], while an optional "Second Program" was located in the bottom six rows [4-9], selectable via a switch. The program drum was designed to be removable for easy replacement.
Key program functions included defining fields, initiating automatic skip or duplication sequences, alphabetic shifting, leading zero printing, and suppressing print output:
| Function | #1 | Char. | #2 | Char. | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Field Definition | 12 | & | 4 | 4 | Punch all columns except the first in a field |
| Start Automatic Skip | 11 | ||||
| 5 | 5 | Punch first column of fields to skip automatically | |||
| Start Automatic Duplication | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 | Punch first column of fields to duplicate automatically |
| Alphabetic Shift | 1 | 1 | 7 | 7 | Enable Alphabetic mode for keyboard input in column |
| Left Zero Print | 2 | 2 | 8 | 8 | Force printing of leading zeros or signs in column |
| Print Suppression | 3 | 3 | 9 | 9 | Suppress printing output for specified column |
Programming languages such as FORTRAN, RPG, and IBM Assembly language designated particular columns on punched cards for specific operations (for example: columns 1,10,16,36,72). Program cards automated tabbing to these columns and defined whether fields were numeric or alphabetic.
An example layout might appear as:
1.......10........20........30........40........50........60........70........80 1AAAAAAAA1AAAAA1AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA1AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA &&&&&&&&
In this case, after entering initial characters, pressing skip would advance input directly to column 10. Columns from 72 to 80 could specify numeric shift fields used for special symbols or sequence numbering.
Note that "Field Definition" (12) and "Alphabetic Shift" (1) characters print as A. Invalid codes from the secondary program might generate unprintable characters potentially harmful to printers.
Program cards streamlined operations such as gang punching constant data fields across multiple decks. They were also creatively employed to "play music" by punching rhythmic patterns of noisy characters.
IBM 5496 Data Recorder for 96-Column Cards
In 1969, IBM introduced the System/3 series of entry-level business computers that utilized a more compact 96-column punched card. The IBM 5496 Data Recorder, a keypunch device equipped with print and verification capabilities, along with the IBM 5486 Card Sorter, were specifically engineered to handle these cards.
Powers and Remington Rand (UNIVAC) Keypunch Machines
Circa 1906, James Powers from the United States Census Bureau created the Powers Keypunch, designed especially for census data processing and featuring 240 keys. Powers established the Powers Accounting Machine Company in 1911, which was later acquired by Remington Rand in 1927. Remington Rand’s UNIVAC division manufactured keypunch machines compatible with their own 90-column cards as well as models suited for IBM’s 80-column format. Their 90-column keypunches incorporated a distinctive mechanical design to circumvent IBM’s patents.
UNIVAC keypunches buffered the entire card’s character sequence before punching all holes simultaneously, allowing for corrections without wasting physical cards. Notable models included the UNIVAC Card Code Punch Type 306-5 (90 Column Alphabetical), Types 306-2 and 306-3, Types 204-2 and 204-3 (90 Column Numerical), Portable Electric Punch Type 202, Spot Punch Type 301, and Automatic Verifying Machine Type 313.
The Type 306-2 model enabled verification by reprocessing cards through the keypunch; correctly punched data produced elongated holes, whereas circular holes signified errors detected mechanically by the Automatic Verifying Machine. The UNIVAC 1710 Verifying Interpreting Punch was introduced in 1969.
Keypunch as a Verb
The word keypunched (from to keypunch) originally described the act of inputting data onto punched cards via a keypunch machine. Although these devices are now obsolete, the term endures as a synonym for data entry, reflecting the transition from mechanical input methods to contemporary electronic data capture.
Shift to Direct Data Entry
During the 1950s, Remington Rand released the UNITYPER, an input apparatus that allowed direct data entry onto magnetic tape for use with UNIVAC systems. Subsequently, in 1965, Mohawk Data Sciences introduced an enhanced magnetic tape encoder marketed as a replacement for traditional keypunch machines. By the mid-1970s, improvements in microprocessor technology and affordable computer terminals prompted companies such as Inforex and Pertec to develop key-to-tape and key-to-disk solutions.
While punched cards remained widely used for data input and programming until approximately the mid-1980s, bypassing intermediate tape or disk transfers reduced costs and enhanced error detection during entry. The advent of video display terminals, interactive timeshared systems, and eventually personal computers empowered data creators to enter information directly, streamlining processes and diminishing dependence on specialized data entry clerk roles.
See also
- Punched card
- Punched card input/output
- Hollerith code
- Unit record equipment
- Computer programming in the punched card era
- List of IBM products
- Chad (paper)
Additional resources
External resources
- Columbia University Computing History: IBM Keypunch Machines
- IBM Archives: IBM 029 — Card Punch Device
- IBM Archives: Railroad Applications (001 Keypunch)
- IBM Punched Card Accounting Machines (circa 1955)
- ↑ Bell, T.F. (1895) Jacquard Weaving and Designing, Longmans, Green And Co.
- ↑ IBM Archive: Keypunch operators, 1934, Stockholm
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).