Tape punching device

A tape punching device comprising a travel passage for a tape to be provided with signal holes, a punching tool having a row of needle guides across the travel passage corresponding to the maximum number of holes to be punched across the tape, a punching needle in each needle guide, a rocking arm mounted for rocking movement about a stationary axis at a distance from the row of punching needles, means for continuously causing said rocking arm to rock forth and back to perform alternate operative and return strokes, said rocking arm extending from said stationary axis to the vicinity of the rear ends of the punching needles, a number of selector strips corresponding to the number of punching needles being slidably mounted in the rocking arm, each selector strip having a free rear end adjacent the rocking axis of the rocking arm and a free front end adjacent the rear end of a corresponding one of the punching needles, a stationary selector magnet having an armature with a free end adapted to act on the free rear end of each selector strip to displace same from a retracted position in which its front end is retracted from a supporting edge formed adjacent the front end of the rocking arm and is not engageable with the rear end of the corresponding punching needle, to an advanced position in which its front end extends freely beyond said supporting edge behind the rear end of the corresponding punching needle and is engageable therewith by the operative stroke of the rocking arm to advance the respective punching needle to punch a hole in the tape, restoring spring means for restoring any selector strip to its retracted position when no longer acted upon by the armature of the respective selector magnet, means on said rocking arm engageable during the return stroke thereof with shoulder faces of any and all punching needles that have been advanced during the preceding operative stroke, tape feeding means, and electronic means for producing signals suitable for controlling the admission of punching data to said selector magnets and the transmission of feeding pulses to said tape feeding means.