US3553436A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Data collection station and static card reader therefor
Assignee: Colorado Instruments Inc
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Filing: 1967-02-09
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Granted: 1971-01-05
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Expires: 1987-02-09
Abstract
Abstract A static card reader comprising a card receiving chamber having spaced-apart, generally parallel inner and outer walls, a switching chamber including a plurality of circuit portions, a first printed circuit board, and other printed circuit boards, means for moving said chambers relative to each other from a card inserting position to a card reading position, said means being disposed in a position not to preclude visual observation of the card to the outer wall of said card chamber, and card ejection means operated in response to the return of the chambers to the card inserting position, said ejection means being engageable with the lower edge of the card for elevating it in said card chamber to a position in which it may be manually removed from same. Each circuit portion contained within the switching chamber has a first part disposed upon said first printed circuit board and a second part disposed upon one of the other printed circuit boards. Each second part of each circuit portion includes a switching contact biased to a normally closed position with a corresponding first part of said circuit portion. Each switch actuator has a corresponding switching contact, both of which are formed from a single piece of electrically conducting material. Each switch actuator is adapted to move through corresponding apertures in a punched card or to be precluded from moving through the punched card when engageable with a nonperforated portion of same. Each switching contact, upon being brought into engagement with a corresponding first part of said circuit portion, is constructed for movement across said corresponding first part of said circuit portion thereby effecting a wiping action thereacross to facilitate maintaining good electrical contact between said first and second circuit portions.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard C Webb
- 👤 Robert T Heath
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 07:30
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K7/00; G06K7/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
315 words
In a static card reader of the type having a stationary switching chamber with an apertured switching chamber wall, said chamber wall having a plurality of rows and columns of apertures extending therethrough and containing ends of movable switch actuators adapted to move through corresponding apertures in a punched card or be precluded to move through the punched card when engageable with unperforated portions of same, and a card chamber disposed adjacent said apertured wall, said switching and card chambers being constructed for relative movement toward and away from each other thereby permitting insertion into or removal of the card from the card chamber and for reading same, said card chamber having an outer wall, parallel spaced inner wall, said inner wall having apertures extending therethrough through which the ends of the actuators may move, the outer wall having corresponding aligned recesses in same into which the actuator ends may move, the improvements, in combination, comprising: a. said outer wall being disposed generally vertically and formed of transparent material through which a card disposed in the chamber may be used; b. manual means for moving, relative to the switching chamber, said card chamber from a card inserting post position to a card reading position, said manual means being disposed in a position such that it does not obscure vision through said outer wall; c. electric means for locking the manual means in the reading position until the card has been read, said electric means being responsive to a signal to unlock the manual means and permit return of the card chamber to the card inserting position; and d. card ejection means operated in response to positioning said manual means to a predetermined position, said card ejection means being engageable with the lower edge of the card for elevating it in the card chamber to a position in which it may be manually removed from same.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
315 words
In a static card reader of the type having a stationary switching chamber with an apertured switching chamber wall, said chamber wall having a plurality of rows and columns of apertures extending therethrough and containing ends of movable switch actuators adapted to move through corresponding apertures in a punched card or be precluded to move through the punched card when engageable with unperforated portions of same, and a card chamber disposed adjacent said apertured wall, said switching and card chambers being constructed for relative movement toward and away from each other thereby permitting insertion into or removal of the card from the card chamber and for reading same, said card chamber having an outer wall, parallel spaced inner wall, said inner wall having apertures extending therethrough through which the ends of the actuators may move, the outer wall having corresponding aligned recesses in same into which the actuator ends may move, the improvements, in combination, comprising: a. said outer wall being disposed generally vertically and formed of transparent material through which a card disposed in the chamber may be used; b. manual means for moving, relative to the switching chamber, said card chamber from a card inserting post position to a card reading position, said manual means being disposed in a position such that it does not obscure vision through said outer wall; c. electric means for locking the manual means in the reading position until the card has been read, said electric means being responsive to a signal to unlock the manual means and permit return of the card chamber to the card inserting position; and d. card ejection means operated in response to positioning said manual means to a predetermined position, said card ejection means being engageable with the lower edge of the card for elevating it in the card chamber to a position in which it may be manually removed from same.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
74 words
said outer wall being disposed generally vertically and formed of a transparent material through which a card disposed in a card chamber may be viewed, said outer wall having a plurality of recesses formed on the inner surface thereof, said recesses corresponding to and being aligned with the apertures formed in said inner wall; b. a switching chamber including a plurality of circuit portIons, a first printed circuit board, and other printed circuit boards;
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
74 words
said outer wall being disposed generally vertically and formed of a transparent material through which a card disposed in a card chamber may be viewed, said outer wall having a plurality of recesses formed on the inner surface thereof, said recesses corresponding to and being aligned with the apertures formed in said inner wall; b. a switching chamber including a plurality of circuit portIons, a first printed circuit board, and other printed circuit boards;
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said manual means comprises a pivoted shaft disposed beneath said switching chamber, and mechanism connecting same to the ends of said card chamber for moving same.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
a first part of each circuit portion being disposed upon said first printed circuit board;
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
a first part of each circuit portion being disposed upon said first printed circuit board;
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said mechanism includes springs for urging the card chamber toward the switching chamber, and a lever connected to said shaft and including detent means for overriding the urge of the spring means or for permitting same to operate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
a second part of each circuit portion being disposed upon one of the other printed circuit boards;
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
a second part of each circuit portion being disposed upon one of the other printed circuit boards;
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
each second part of each circuit portion including a switching contact biased to a normally closed position with a corresponding first part of said circuit portion;
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
each second part of each circuit portion including a switching contact biased to a normally closed position with a corresponding first part of said circuit portion;
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
51 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said card ejection means includes means disposed beneath the card chamber and constrained for movement in a generally vertical direction, and at least two spaced pins carried by same extending into the chamber having upper ends engageable with the lower edge of the card.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
43 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said apertured switching chamber wall is provided with horizontally extending bus bars within the chamber, one for each row of apertures in same, each actuator being affixed to a switching contact engageable with a bus bar.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
81 words
a switch actuator for each switching contact, each actuator and its corresponding switching contact being formed from a single piece of electrically conducting material, each actuator being disposed within corresponding aligned apertures formed in said first printed circuit board and the inner wall of said card chamber, each actuator being adapted to move through corresponding apertures in a punched card into a corresponding recess or be precluded from moving through the punched card when engageable with a nonperforated portion of same;
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
81 words
a switch actuator for each switching contact, each actuator and its corresponding switching contact being formed from a single piece of electrically conducting material, each actuator being disposed within corresponding aligned apertures formed in said first printed circuit board and the inner wall of said card chamber, each actuator being adapted to move through corresponding apertures in a punched card into a corresponding recess or be precluded from moving through the punched card when engageable with a nonperforated portion of same;
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
143 words
each switching contact, upon being removed out of contacting engagement with a corresponding first part of said circuit portion, being constructed for movement across said corresponding first part of said circuit portion thereby effecting a wiping action thereacross to facilitate maintaining good electrical contact between said first and second circuit portions; c. means for moving said chambers relative to each other from a card inserting position to a card reading position, said means being disposed in a position not to preclude visual observation of the card through the outer wall of said card chamber; and d. card ejection means operated in response to positioning said chambers moving means to a predetermined position, said ejection means being engageable with the lower edge of the card for elevating it in said card chamber to a position in which it may be manually removed from same.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
143 words
each switching contact, upon being removed out of contacting engagement with a corresponding first part of said circuit portion, being constructed for movement across said corresponding first part of said circuit portion thereby effecting a wiping action thereacross to facilitate maintaining good electrical contact between said first and second circuit portions; c. means for moving said chambers relative to each other from a card inserting position to a card reading position, said means being disposed in a position not to preclude visual observation of the card through the outer wall of said card chamber; and d. card ejection means operated in response to positioning said chambers moving means to a predetermined position, said ejection means being engageable with the lower edge of the card for elevating it in said card chamber to a position in which it may be manually removed from same.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
49 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein said switching contact is connected to one end of a pair of divergent members, such as V-shaped, the other end being rigidly affixed within the switching chamber, the divergent members adapted to converge when the actuating end moves toward the affixed end.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 wherein said switching contact is curved in generally S-shape one of the convex curved portions of which is adapted to engage a bus bar.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including at least one like card reader, longitudinally spaced from the first named card reader, and operable by the same manual means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 8 wherein said like card reader is so constructed to read a card having a different number of columns of apertures in same.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
18 words
A static card reader comprising: a. a card receiving chamber having spaced-apart; generally parallel inner and outer walls;
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
18 words
A static card reader comprising: a. a card receiving chamber having spaced-apart; generally parallel inner and outer walls;
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
60 words
A static card reader as described in claim 10 including electric means for locking in the card reading position the means for moving said chambers relative to each other until the card has been read, said electric locking means being responsive to a signal to unlock said moving means and permit the chambers to return to the card inserting position.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
43 words
A static card reader as described in claim 10 in which the first parts of said circuit portions formed upon said first printed circuit board compromise horizontally extending bus bars disposed within the switching chamber, one for each row of apertures formed therein.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
80 words
A static card reader as described in claim 12 in which each switching contact is connected to one end of a pair of divergent members, such as V-shaped the other end of said divergent members being rigidly affixed within the switching chamber, the divergent members being adapted to converge when the actuator corresponding to said switching contact moves toward the affixed end, said switching contact and its corresponding divergent members being formed from a single piece of electrically conducting material.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
32 words
A static card reader as described in claim 13 in which each switching contact is curved in generally S-shape one of the convex curved portions adapted to engage a corresponding bus bar.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-01-04 | 1974-07-06 | 1975-01-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-01-04 | 1978-07-06 | 1979-01-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-01-04 | 1982-07-06 | 1983-01-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |