| Collection |
APH Collection |
| Credit line |
APH Collection |
| Date |
1960 |
| Description |
Gray enameled steel table with gray, aluminum-trimmed formica top; green-gray aluminum keyboard in front with plastic QWERTY keyboard, three steel toggle switches on plate above keyboard labeled, "AUTO FEED", "AUTO SKIP", and "PRINT"; keyboard is free to move, but connected to desk by heavy insulated gray cable; trapezoidal card punch unit on back of tabletop, molded from same gray-green enameled aluminum, bright aluminum card feeding, manipulation, and out put trays; auto feed toggle switch on upper left; black foot pedal on cable; power strip screwed to left side of table stand. |
| Dimensions |
H-38 W-48 D-25 inches |
| Inscription text |
IBM 826 Printing Card Punch |
| Made |
International Business Machines, Inc. |
| Material |
Steel, aluminum, plastic |
| Object ID |
2006.19.8 |
| Object Name |
Punch, Keyboard |
| People |
Davis, Finis E.
Haynes, Robert
Shack, Ann |
| Provenance/History |
In 1957 APH began a research project with IBM to produce braille using computer technology. The system was fully operative by the fall of 1964. An operator typed text onto key-punch computer cards (or later onto special computer tapes). By 1972, APH had 22 key-punch operators on staff. The cards were fed into an IBM computer (first a 709, later a 7040) which transcribed the braille and produced braille and English texts side by side for ease of proofreading. After corrections were made, the cards were fed into an embossing machine which stamped the braille on zinc embossing plates. The operation eliminated manual stereotype machines. It reduced the translation of a 300-page book from six days of work by a skilled braille translator to one hour by an ordinary key-punch operator. |
| Search Terms |
American Printing House for the Blind
APH braille production
APH special projects
Braille production
Braille transcription |
| Subjects |
Braille
Computerized typesetting
Computers
Punched card systems |
| Title |
IBM 826 Printing Card Keypunch |
| Used |
American Printing House for the Blind, Louisville, KY |
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