Punched card sorter
| Company type | Product line |
|---|---|
| Industry | Data processing equipment |
| Founded | 1925 |
| Headquarters | Armonk , United States |
| Products | Punched card sorters (models 80, 81, 82, 83, 84) |
| Parent | IBM |
A punched card sorter refers to a device engineered to organize stacks of punched cards, an essential step within environments utilizing unit record equipment for data manipulation. These card decks frequently underwent multiple rearrangements throughout various processing stages. Among the notable machines, the IBM 80 series sorters were capable of distributing cards into one of 13 compartments based on the perforations in a specified column and the machine’s configuration.
Basic operation
These sorters function by examining a single column on each punched card and channeling it into one of thirteen designated pockets—twelve allocated for data sorting and one reserved for blanks or error cards. Cards travel face down with the bottom edge leading, passing beneath a metal brush or an optical sensor that identifies holes in the targeted column. The detected hole patterns, combined with settings on the sorter, direct metal chutes to guide each card into its corresponding output slot.
Sorting operations
When sorting across multiple columns, the process generally advances from the least significant digit to the most significant digit, employing what is known as a least significant digit radix sort. Numeric columns, which use punches in rows 0 through 9 and may include sign overpunches, can be sorted in just one pass. Alphabetic data, represented by zone punches, often requires two passes per column for accurate sorting.
Approaches to alphabetic sorting differed depending on the sorter model and the nature of the data. For instance, IBM 082 and earlier versions performed alphabetic sorting in two stages: initially by digit rows (1-9), followed by zone rows (12, 11, 0). Operators could adjust controls to selectively sort specific rows, thereby optimizing the number of passes needed.
Complex characters and punctuation marks involved multiple punches in a single column—up to three or even six with the adoption of EBCDIC codes starting in 1964. The IBM 083 and 084 models were equipped to recognize these intricate punch patterns and would divert any problematic cards to the error pocket.
Earlier sorters
The challenge of sorting cards first emerged during the 1900 agricultural census, leading Herman Hollerith’s company to create the 1901 Hollerith Automatic Horizontal Sorter, which featured horizontal output pockets.
In 1908, Hollerith introduced a more compact option—the 070 Vertical Sorting Machine—capable of processing 250 cards per minute.
The Type 71 Vertical Sorter was released in 1928, featuring twelve pockets that each held up to 80 cards and operating at a speed of 150 cards per minute.
Subsequent models included the Type 75 Model 1 and Model 2, which achieved speeds of 400 and 250 cards per minute respectively.
IBM 80 series Sorters
The IBM 80 series encompassed several card sorter models:
- IBM 80 Electric Punched Card Sorting Machine, model 1, launched in 1925 with a throughput of 450 cards per minute. This horizontally oriented machine used magnetic operation and nearly doubled the speed compared to earlier vertical sorters. By late 1943, over 10,200 units had been leased by IBM.
- IBM 80, model 2, introduced in the early 1930s, capable of sorting at a rate of 250 cards per minute.
- IBM 81 Sorter
- IBM 82 Sorter, released in 1949, increased processing speed to 650 cards per minute.
- IBM 83 Sorter, debuted in 1955 with a capacity of sorting up to 1000 cards per minute.
- IBM 84 Sorter, introduced in 1959, able to handle up to 2000 cards per minute.
As of August 1957, rental fees were about $55 monthly for an IBM 082 sorter and roughly twice that amount for an IBM 083. By the year 1969, IBM’s rental offerings consisted solely of 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 modern sorting machines have transitioned from using punched cards and mechanical brushes to employing image sensors combined with computer vision systems, all while preserving the classic design and functionality characteristic of earlier models.
See also
Further reading
- IBM Archives: IBM Type 80
- (descriptions, photos, rental prices)