KEY PUNCH CARDS

                                                   By Ted Peterson

 

I have to make a speech about the old computer systems that used key

punch cards and then  I found out that others wanted to know about these

cards.   This article is about  them. 

 

The key punch cards comes in boxes of 2200. They are 3 ¼ X 7 ¼, 110 lb

index with  the top Left corner cut.  The cards lower 5/6 are printed with 1

to 0.  The top 1/6 is blank.   Most  of the people called the top as #11 and

under  this as #12.   You then had 12 numbers down on each card.   To

read, if nothing is punched in the top 1/6 the number is correct.   If there

were a hold at the top  and a number punch below, it is a-j.  If the lower

spot is punched the item was k-t.   If both it is u-z.  Te last 4 on what

you have your computer set up for.  We used  . , ? /.  Some equipment

had * “ : : etc.

 

None

 

 

Top

 

 

Lower

 

 

Both

 

with

 

 

with

 

 

With

 

 

With

 

1

1

 

1

A

 

1

K

 

1

U

2

2

 

2

B

 

2

L

 

2

V

3

3

 

3

C

 

3

M

 

3

W

4

4

 

4

D

 

4

N

 

4

X

5

5

 

5

E

 

5

O

 

5

Y

6

6

 

6

F

 

6

P

 

6

Z

7

7

 

7

G

 

7

Q

 

7

Below

8

8

 

8

H

 

8

R

 

8

Below

9

9

 

9

I

 

9

S

 

9

Below

0

0

 

0

J

 

0

T

 

0

Below

 

We gave the key punch person some thing to punch.   She would punch that

item.    She could not read the card and as it was all most all the time

numbers she was able to punch up to 5,000 key entry each hour. She would

then take it to another girl and she would then place the cards into her

machine and re punch the same items.  Her machine would not punch a hold

in the card but would check if the other girl punched a hold.  If not her

machine would kick out  the card and then the 2nd girl would take back to the

first girl the cards for her to re punch.  The only one that had a machine that

would print out what was on the card on top of the card was the machine by

my desk I used this some time when I would punch out items that we would

not like other people to see.

 

These card system computers went out in 1980s.   If you would like to see

them  there are some shows around.  There is a extra large display covering

2 complete floors in one of  Portland building.

 

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If you would like to contact the web master  w7wwg@jps.net   Ted Peterson