IBM 81
| Company type | Product line |
|---|---|
| Industry | Data processing equipment |
| Founded | 1925 |
| Products | Punched card sorters (models 80, 81, 82, 83, 84) |
| Parent | IBM |
A punched card sorter is a device engineered to organize stacks of punched cards, playing a vital role in data processing environments utilizing unit record equipment. These stacks often needed to be arranged according to specific punched information, with sorting criteria varying depending on the processing phase. The IBM 80 series sorters, a prominent product lineup, categorized cards into one of thirteen pockets based on the holes punched in a chosen column and the machine’s configuration.
Basic operation
Card sorters function by inspecting a single column on each punched card and directing it into one of thirteen pockets—twelve corresponding to the card’s rows and an additional pocket for blanks, rejects, or errors.
Cards feed through face down with the bottom edge leading. A metal brush or optical sensor scans one column per card; the detected hole pattern combined with sorter settings determines the target pocket. Cards are then guided by metal strips called "chute blades," which align with each pocket to efficiently funnel cards into their respective stacks.
Sorting operations
Sorting across multiple columns is generally performed using a least significant digit radix sort, beginning with the least significant column and progressing toward the most significant.
Numeric columns contain single punches in rows 0 through 9, sometimes accompanied by sign punches, allowing sorting in a single pass. Alphabetic columns involve zone punches (rows 12, 11, or 0) along with digit punches (rows 1–9), requiring one or two passes per column. Alphabetical sorting techniques differed based on sorter models and data specifics; for instance, the IBM 082 utilized a two-pass approach on the same column—initially sorting digit rows 1–9, followed by zone rows 12, 11, and 0—facilitated by operator controls that disabled certain rows during the second pass.
Subsequent improvements catered to more complex character sets and punctuation involving multiple punches per column. The IBM 083 and 084 models handled these multi-punch codes by channeling invalid combinations into the error pocket, supporting expanded coding schemes like EBCDIC introduced in 1964.
Earlier sorters
The challenge of sorting cards emerged during the 1900 agricultural census, leading Herman Hollerith's company to develop the 1901 Hollerith Automatic Horizontal Sorter featuring horizontal pockets.
In 1908, Hollerith launched the more compact Hollerith 070 Vertical Sorting Machine capable of processing 250 cards per minute.
The Type 71 Vertical Sorter appeared in 1928, equipped with twelve pockets holding eighty cards each and operating at a speed of 150 cards per minute.
Later iterations included the Type 75 Model 1, which sorted 400 cards per minute, and Model 2, with a throughput of 250 cards per minute.
IBM 80 series Sorters
IBM's lineup of 80 series card sorters comprised:
- IBM 80 Electric Punched Card Sorting Machine, model 1, released in 1925, capable of sorting 450 cards per minute. This magnetically driven horizontal sorter nearly doubled the speed of earlier Hollerith vertical machines. By late 1943, IBM had leased over 10,200 units.
- IBM 80, model 2, introduced around the early 1930s?, operating at a speed of 250 cards per minute.
- IBM 81 Sorter, specifications not detailed.
- IBM 82 Sorter, launched in 1949, achieving speeds of up to 650 cards per minute.
- IBM 83 Sorter, from 1955 onward, capable of sorting at a rate of 1000 cards per minute.
- IBM 84 Sorter, introduced in 1959, reaching speeds as high as 2000 cards per minute.
In August 1957, rental fees were $55 monthly for an IBM 082 and twice that amount for an IBM 083. By 1969, IBM’s rental offerings included only models 82, 83, and 84.
Modern card sorting machines
During the early 2020s, TCG Machines introduced a card sorter specifically created for trading card game cards. Contemporary sorting devices have replaced the earlier use of punched cards and mechanical brushes with advanced image sensors (cameras) and computer vision techniques, all while preserving the classic design and functionality of traditional models.
See also
Further reading
- IBM Archives: IBM Type 80
- (includes descriptions, photographs, and rental fees)