Artifact Details

Description

The object is an IBM 711 card reader which is part of the IBM 709 system. It is a small square machine which reads cards through the top front of the machine. The 711 was relatively slow reading 150 cards per minute. The front left bottom corner has a large black on/ off switch. The top right corner has a row of eight control buttons: three black, three red, one white, and one clear with no text. There is a panel beneath, which opens to reveal the programmable plugboard. The top left corner of the machine has a numerical counter which read "040641".

The plug board was wired to transfer any 72 columns out of the 80 on a card into the computer's memory. This allowed reading only specific fields from the card reducing the data processing the CPU had to perform. Usually, the plug board.was configured to transfer the first 72 columns to the computer.

Date

1958

Manufacturer

International Business Machines (IBM)

Identifying Numbers

Other number	0711 11311	Printed on the frame of the machine to the right of the property label
Other number	2,282,066	First patent number IBM sticker on the inside of the drop down panel that exposes the pulldown plugboard
Other number	2,594,737	Second patent number IBM sticker on the inside of the drop down panel that exposes the pulldown plugboard
Other number	2,624,774	Third patent number found on IBM sticker on the inside of the drop down panel that exposes the pulldown plugboard
Other number	2,779,929	Fourth patent number on IBM sticker on the inside of the drop down panel that exposes the pulldown plugboard
Other number	711 11311 E2	Found on interior of machine on the IBM property label

Dimensions

overall: 32 in x 30 in x 30 in

Category

I/O/punched card device

Collection Title

Paul Pierce Collection

Credit

Gift of Paul Pierce

Lot Number

X7021.2014