Manual for Documation TM200 punched card reader

[Warner Losh]

On Sat, Sep 22, 2018, 9:53 PM Ethan Dicks via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
wrote:

> On Sat, Sep 22, 2018 at 10:34 AM, Guy Dunphy via cctalk
> <cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
> > By coincidence, today I started evaluation of a punched/optical card
> reader.
> > Model TM200, made by Documation Inc.
> >
> > Pics here: http://everist.org/pics/TM200/
> >
> > The immediately obvious problems:
> > * Mains input connector is one of those old round locking type. Not sure
> if I have any of these.
>
> I have an M200 and I just had to look up in the docs (on bitsavers)
> that my unit requires a Hubbel
> 7484 for the power cable.  Yours is different but it's likely to be
> some sort of Hubbel product.
>
>
> > * Hose from vacuum pump to pickup heel is hardened. Needs replacement.
> > * Plastic elbow fitting for vacuum to pickup heel is broken in half.
> Make new one.
> > * Plastic mount for status display lights is cracking around brass nut
> inserts.
> > * Four rubber transport rollers have de-vulcanised, melted, and flowed
> gunk. Urrgh, what a mess.
>
> Hmm... I probably need to look into mine for similar things.
>
> > * Ouch, that interface connector.
>
> Fortunately, my M200 came with a factory add-on board that's an RS-232
> interface to the upstream host.
>
> > I wonder where I'm going to find some card stacks for testing it? If I
> get that far.
>
> An old co-worker buddy of mine gave me a box of his punchcards when he
> was in school in 1970.  He's really on me to read them.  I don't want
> to put his in first and have roller goo or something else ruin them so
> I have a bit of exploration to do.
>


How many cards are in the deck?

If it's not a lot, you can carefully number the cards in pencil, then run
them through a document scanner... though the OCR process might be a
challenge.

Warner

I'll be interested to hear how your saga unfolds because I'm expecting
> all of that and more on mine.
>
> -ethan
>