IBM Type 011 Electrical Card Punch

IBM's Type 011 Electric Punch. Introduced in 1923, when IBM cards had 45 columns and round holes. This was the first punch with electric power; holes are punched by electromagnets rather than muscle power, at a great reduction in operator fatigue. Strictly numeric, the machine also includes a tabbing feature similar to typewriter tab stops.

The keyboard of the Type 011 has 12 keys, one for each of the 12 rows of the card, plus a Release and a Space key. Each key press punches a hole in the corresponding row and advances the card one column. The X (11) key tabs to the next tab stop (if any).

The second image at left shows an 80-column card positioned for punching. Thus one must suppose that after 1928, the Type 011 was re-engineered for 80-column cards with rectangular holes.

Photos: IBM Accounting Machines, Customeer Engineer Manual of Instruction: Electric Punch Type 011, International Business Machines Corporation, New York, New York (undated).

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