Apparatus for coordinating the operations of various sections of data processing systems

Claim 1

IN A CYCLICALLY OPERATING RECORD CARD SYSTEM COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SYNCHRONOUS CYLICALLY OPERATING SECTIONS, EACH HAVING A CONTROL INPUT AND BEING SO ADAPTED AS TO PERFORM AN ASSIGNED OPERATION IN THE COURSE OF A CYCLE AT THE BEGINNING OF WHICH A CONTROL PULSE IS APPLIED TO ITS CONTROL INPUT, AN ARRANGEMENT FOR CAUSING ANY GIVEN ONE OF SAID SECTIONS TO PERFROM ITS ASSIGNED OPERATION ONLY DURING SUCH CYCLES AT THE BEGINNING OF WHICH A PARTICULAR SET OF CONDITIONS IS FOUND TO EXIST IN THE SYSTEM, SAID ARRANGEMENT COMPRISING: A PLURALITY OF CONDITION SIGNALLING MEANS, EACH ASSIGNED TO A DIFFERENT ONE OF SAID CONDITIONS, EACH HAVING A MONITOR OUTPUT AND EACH ADAPTED TO PROVIDE AT ITS OUTPUT A MONITOR PULSE OVERLAPPING SAID CONTROL PULSE AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH CYCLE WHEN THAT CONDITION TO WHICH IT IS ASSIGNED IS NOT FOUND TO EXIST IN THE SYSTEM; A PLURALITY OF CONTROL ELEMENTS, EACH COMPRISING A CONTROL OUTPUT, A CONTROL PULSE GENERATOR ADAPTED TO PROVIDE A CONTROL PULSE AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH CYCLE, A RELAY HAVING A WINDING AND NORMALLY CLOSED CONTACTS, A MONITOR INPUT CONNECTED TO SAID WINDING, AND MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID CONTRO, PULSE GENERATOR TO SAID CONTROL OUTPUT THROUGH SAID NORMALLY CLOSED CONTACTS OF SAID RELAY; SAID ARRANGEMENT FURTHER COMPRISING MEANS FOR CONNECTING THE CONTROL INPUT OF EACH SECTION TO THE CONTROL OUTPUT OF SELECTED ONES OF SAID CONTROL ELEMENTS, AND MEANS FOR CONNECTING THE MONITOR OUTPUT OF CONTROL ELEMENT IN PARALLEL TO THE MONITOR OUTPUT OF THE SEVERAL CONDITION SIGNALLING MEANS ASSIGNED TO A PARTICULAR SET OF CONDITIONS.