IBM 1442

IBM 1442^[1][2] is a combination IBM card reader and card punch. It reads and punches 80-column IBM-format punched cards^[3] and is used on the IBM 1440, the IBM 1130, the IBM 1800^[4] and System/360^[5] and is an option on the IBM System/3.^[6]

IBM 1442

IBM 1442 (also available in blue)
Type	Punch card reader, or reader/writer (punch), or punch only
Release date	1962; 62 years ago (1962)
Related	IBM 1402 reader/punch; IBM 2501 reader

Overview

The 1442^[7] can read up to 400 cards per minute. Cards are read and punched one column at a time and binary cards are permitted. Cards are read using photocells,^[8] illuminated by fiber optics, unlike the IBM 1402, which uses wire brushes to read cards. It is even possible to create (but not read, except in Binary Mode^[9]) "IBM Doilies," cards with every possible hole punched. Few other pieces of IBM equipment could do this without sustaining damage.

There are two output stackers, located in the photo on the left lower side. One could program to select the output stacker for each card read, so it is possible to read cards and separate them into two groups. Cards are placed in the top hopper ("face down, nine-edge leading") and a plate is added on the top of the cards. They are read thru and come out to one of the left lower stackers.

The 1442 does not print on the top of the cards; it just punches what characters the columns contains. An older unit record machine, the IBM 557 interpreter, can be used off-line for this function.

Models

Not all models have both read and punch features.^[10]

Reader/Punch models

• The 1442 Model 1 reads cards at 80 cards per minute (cpm) and punches at 50 to 270 cpm, depending on the number of columns punched. One stacker is standard and a second is optional.
• The 1442 Model 2 reads cards at 400 cpm and punches from 91 to 360 cpm. Two stackers are standard.
• The 1442 Model 6 attaches to an IBM System/3 or IBM 1130, reads 300 cpm^[11] and punches 80 columns per second.^[12]
• The 1442 Model 7 attaches to an IBM System/3 or IBM 1130, reads 400 cpm and punches 180 columns per second.
• The 1442 Model N1 attaches to the IBM System/360 and IBM System/370, reads 400 cards per minute and punches 160 columns per second.^[13][14]

Reader models

The following units were not designed to punch cards:

• The 1442 Model 3 attaches to an IBM 1410 or IBM 7010 computer system. It reads cards at 400 cpm. One stacker is standard on the Model 3.
• The 1442 Model 4 attaches to an IBM 1440 computer system. It reads cards at 400 cpm. Two stackers are standard on the Model 4.

Punch only

• The 1442 Model 5 is a punch-only device that attaches to the IBM 2922 Programmable Terminal^[15] and to the IBM System/360 Model 20.^[16] It has one stacker and can punch at a maximum rate of 160 columns per second, which is 91 to 355 cards per minute.^[17]
• The 1442 Model N2 is a punch-only device that attaches to the IBM System/360 (except the model 20)^[13] and IBM System/370.^[14] It punches at 160 columns per second.

2501/1442 combination

The 1442 has two weaknesses for those wanting more throughput:

• Maximum input speed is 400 cards per minute
• The 1442 needs attention for every column of data.

By combining the higher speed IBM 2501 card reader and a punch-only IBM 1442,^[5][18] the 1442's limitations are overcome:

• faster input
• the 2501 is buffered and therefore will not overrun if the channel is too busy with other devices to give it attention whenever a column has been read.

See also

• IBM 2501
• IBM 2540

References

1. In a European museum "Genstand:11000594 IBM 1442 Card read/punch". DataMuseum.dk.
2. In an American museum: "IBM 1130 system restoration during 2011". TNMOC (The National Museum Of Comput..). Archived from the original on 2019-04-04. Retrieved 2018-10-17.
3. "IBM Computers: The Photos You Need to See". Remember when computers ran on punch cards?
4. "Corestore collection: IBM 1800". The CoreStore. The load device that came with the system is the IBM 1442 card reader/punch
5. "Trinity College Dublin installed an IBM 360/44 in 1968/69". ... drives 7.25MB capacity each 2 IBM 2415 magtape drives 9-track 800/1600-BPI, 1 IBM 2501 card reader, 1 IBM 1442 card punch, 1 IBM 2921 printer controller ...
6. "IBM System 3". Museum van de 20e eeuw Computers. ... cards were the IBM 2560 Multifunction Card Machine (MFCM) which could read, punch, interpret and sort, and the IBM 1442 which could only read and punch.
7. "SECTION I DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE". IBM 1442 @ 212/mo. IBM 029 @ 62/mo. IBM 7720 @ 125/mo. maintenance @ lTl/mo.
8. "IBM 1442 - 1442 combination IBM card reader". SMJohn.com. IBM 1442 was a combination IBM card reader, card punch. Cards were read punched one column at a time, were read using photocells
9. IBM 1130 Functional Characteristics (PDF). IBM Systems Reference Library. Page 136 of the Functional Characteristics, Figure 40, shows how each of the 12 holes on a punched card fill the 16 bits of a memory word, when doing an IPL (Initial Program Load), using "Load Mode Read."
10. IBM 1442 Card Read-Punch Models 1 and 2 IBM 1442 Card Reader Models 3 and 4 (PDF). IBM. Retrieved 2021-03-12.
11. "IBM 1130". EdThelen.org. IBM 1442 card reader ... 300 cards per minute.
12. IBM Corporation (1972). IBM System/3 Model 10 Configurator (PDF).
13. IBM Corporation. IBM System/360 Input Output Configurator (PDF).
14. IBM Corporation (1980). IBM Input/Output Device Summary (PDF).
15. IBM Corporation (1972). IBM 2922 Programmable Terminal RPQ 810563, 810564, 810565 Component Description (PDF).
16. IBM Corporation (1969). IBM System/360 Model 20 Disk Programming System System Generation and Maintenance (PDF).
17. IBM Corporation (1965). IBM Field Engineering Manual of Instruction 1442 Card Read Punch Models 5, 6, and 7 (PDF).
18. 1442 ... and/or (emphasis added) IBM 2501 "Punched Card Input/Output Devices". Eighty-column punched card input and output is provided to the 1130 system by the IBM 1442 Card Read Punch, Model 5, 6, or 7, and/or the IBM 2501 Card

External links

• http://ibm1130.org/hw/punchcard
• Photo courtesy of Mike Ross of corestore.com
• 1442 card reader restoration at the Center for Technology & Innovation