IBM 84
| Company type | Product line |
|---|---|
| Industry | Data processing equipment |
| Founded | 1925 |
| Headquarters | Armonk, New York , United States |
| Products | Punched card sorters (models 80, 81, 82, 83, 84) |
| Parent | IBM |
A punched card sorter is a device engineered to arrange stacks of punched cards, a fundamental step in data processing with unit record equipment. It organizes cards based on the punched information, facilitating subsequent processing stages. For instance, the IBM 80 series sorters categorized cards into thirteen compartments according to holes punched in a specified column and sorter configurations.
Basic operation
The sorter analyzes one column on each card and channels it into one of thirteen compartments—twelve corresponding to data rows and one reserved for blanks, rejects, or errors. Cards feed into the machine face down with the bottom edge leading. Detection of holes in the selected column is achieved by either a metal brush or an optical sensor, which determines the appropriate output pocket. Metal guides known as "chute blades" steer each card into its designated slot.
Sorting operations
Sorting across multiple columns was generally performed starting from the least significant column and moving toward the most significant, exemplifying the least significant digit radix sort method.
Columns containing numeric data, punched in rows 0 through 9 with potential overpunches for signs, could be sorted in just one pass. Alphabetic columns, which combined zone punches in rows 12, 11, or 0 with digit punches in rows 1 through 9, often required two passes per column. On IBM 082 and earlier models, this involved sorting twice per column: initially by digit punches (rows 1-9), followed by zone punches (rows 12, 11, and 0), with operator-controlled switches disabling certain rows during each pass.
Columns encoding additional characters and punctuation marks used multiple punches per column; advanced models like the IBM 083 and 084 recognized these intricate codes and diverted improperly punched cards to an error pocket. The advent of EBCDIC further complicated punching patterns, allowing up to six punches per column.
Earlier sorters
Manual sorting box from the 1890 census era.
The challenge of sorting cards became prominent during the 1900 agricultural census, which led Herman Hollerith's company to create the 1901 Hollerith Automatic Horizontal Sorter featuring horizontal pockets.
In 1908, Hollerith introduced the more compact Hollerith 070 Vertical Sorting Machine capable of processing 250 cards per minute.
The Type 71 Vertical Sorter appeared in 1928 with twelve pockets holding up to eighty cards each and sorting at a rate of 150 cards per minute.
Subsequent models included the Type 75 Model 1, which could sort 400 cards per minute, and Model 2 with a capacity of 250 cards per minute.
IBM 80 series Sorters
IBM's lineup of 80 series card sorters consisted of:
- IBM 80 Electric Punched Card Sorting Machine, model 1, launched in 1925 with a throughput of 450 cards per minute. This magnetically driven horizontal sorter nearly doubled the speed compared to the earlier Hollerith 70 vertical sorter. By late 1943, over 10,200 units had been leased.
- IBM 80, model 2, introduced in the early 1930s?, operating at a speed of 250 cards per minute.
- IBM 81 Sorter, specifications not detailed.
- IBM 82 Sorter, released in 1949 with a sorting capacity of 650 cards per minute.
- IBM 83 Sorter, debuted in 1955 capable of sorting at a rate of 1000 cards per minute.
- IBM 84 Sorter, introduced in 1959 with a throughput of up to 2000 cards per minute.
As of August 1957, rental fees were $55 monthly for an IBM 082 and twice that amount for an IBM 083. By the year 1969, IBM's rental offerings included only Models 82, 83, and 84.
Contemporary card sorting devices
During the early 2020s, TCG Machines introduced a card sorter specifically designed for trading card game cards. These advanced sorting machines have transitioned from using punched cards and mechanical brushes to employing image sensors (cameras) combined with computer vision systems, while preserving the fundamental design and functionality of their traditional forerunners.
See also
Further reading
- IBM Archives: IBM Type 80
- (descriptions, photos, rental prices)