【NEC】 Card Input/Output Devices for the NEAC Series 2200

In May 1965, NEC announced card input/output devices for the NEAC Series 2200, including the N223 card reader, the N224A-1 and N214-1 card punch, and the N214-2 card reader/punch. These devices were for punching or reading 80-column statistical cards.
1) N223 card reader
This unit had a unique design, as you can see in the photograph, to facilitate operation and increase the capacity of the hopper (where cards were placed to be read) and the stacker (where cards were held after being read). Reading was done photoelectrically, column by column, using 12 solar cells. The timing signals for controlling transmission of the read data and card feed were generated using card movement. Thus a distinguishing feature of this device was that it was not affected by lack of synchronization of rollers feeding cards, or by slippage of cards. The system could also read 51-column cards when equipped with an additional mechanism.
2) N224A-1 card punch
Cards were sent in from the hopper on the right side of the photograph, and when punching was finished, they were sent to the stacker in the center of the equipment. After punching data column by column, the system checked for errors using read correlation, and cards with errors were stacked in an offset fashion. The system also had capabilities like punching copies on blank cards.
3) N214-1 card punch
This had the same appearance as the N214-2 card reader/punch on the next page. Cards were punched column by column, but the system had a number of distinctive features, such as higher speed due to simultaneous two column punching, and electronification (for example, using DC servomotors for intermittent feeding of cards) to enable skip control for skipping unnecessary columns at high-speed.
4) N214-2 card reader/punch
Structurally, this unit combined the reading mechanism of the N223 card reader, and the punching mechanism of the N214-1 card punch. Cards fed out from the hopper passed through a reader section and punch section, and were stacked in the stacker. Therefore, the unit functioned not just as a reader or punch; it also made it possible to read a previously punched card, and punch additional information on the same card.