Static card reader having pulse output

Claim 2

An optical card reader for reading a stationary card of opaque material having a plurality of columns and rows of spaces wherein the spaces along the columns correspond to variable values and the spaces along the rows correspond to constant values and where certain spaces are modified to permit light to pass therethrough, said card reader comprising a stationary souRce of light, a light pulse generator including a movable member of opaque material arranged between the light source and light pulse converting means and having a set of light-passing spaces arranged as a plurality of rows corresponding to the rows of spaces on the card with the number of light-passing spaces in each row of the movable member corresponding to the value of the spaces of each card row, wherein the light-passing spaces of the movable member coact with a light-passing space of the card to produce pulsed light corresponding to a value which is a function of the coaction between the card and the movable member, said light pulse converting means receiving the light pulses and converting same into electrical pulses, and sequencing means causing the sequential reading of each column of spaces on the card.

Claim 3

An optical card reader for reading a stationary card having a plurality of columns and rows of digital spaces wherein the spaces along the columns represent the consecutive digital values of 1 to 10 and the spaces along the rows represent equal digital values and holes are punched in certain of said spaces, said card reader comprising a stationary source of light, a light pulse generator including movable means coacting with the punched holes and said light source for converting the digital value of the punched holes of each column into a series of light pulses of the number equaling the digital value, said movable means being arranged between the light source and stationary photocell means and including a member having a set of holes therethrough arranged as a plurality of rows of holes corresponding to the rows of digital spaces on the card with the number of holes in each row corresponding to the value of the digital spaces of each card row, said stationary photocell means receiving the light pulses and converting same into electrical pulses, means converting said electrical pulses into a digital output, and sequencing means causing the sequential reading and generation of digital outputs for each column of spaces on the card.

Claim 4

An optical card reader for reading a stationary card having a plurality of columns and rows of digital spaces wherein the spaces along the columns represent the consecutive digital values of 1 to 10 and the spaces along the rows represent equal digital values and holes are punched in certain of said spaces, said card reader comprising a stationary source of light, a light pulse generator including movable means coacting with the punched holes and said light source for converting the digital value of the punched holes of each column into a series of light pulses of the number equaling the digital value, said movable means being arranged between the light source and stationary photocell means and including a member having a set of holes therethrough arranged as a plurality of rows of holes corresponding to the rows of digital spaces on the card with the number of holes in each row corresponding to the value of the digital spaces of each card row, said stationary photocell means receiving the light pulses and converting same into electrical pulses, means converting said electrical pulses into a digital output, and sequencing means causing the sequential reading and generation of digital outputs for each column of spaces on the card.

Claim 5

An optical card reader as defined in claim 2, and stationary light collector means arranged between the photocell means and the light pulse generator for receiving the light pulses and feeding them to the photocell means.

Claim 6

An optical card reader as defined in claim 2, and means for moving said member at a constant speed between the source of light and said photocell means, whereby the number of light pulses generated for any column will correspond to the punched digital value.

Claim 7

An optical card reader as defined in claim 4, wherein said light pulse generator member is disc shaped and includes a plurality of sets of holes.

Claim 8

An optical card reader as defined in claim 4, wherein said light pulse generator member is an endless belt and includes at least one set of holes.

Claim 9

An optical card reader as defined in claim 4, wherein said sequential means includes a plurality of sources of light, one for each column, cam means on said member, and switch means responsive to said cam means and controlling the sequential energization of the light sources.

Claim 10

An optical card reader as defined in claim 4, wherein said sequential means includes a source of light, said photocell means defined by a plurality of photocells, one for each column, cam means synchronously driven by said member, and switch means responsive to said cam means and controlling the sequential output of the photocells.

Claim 11

An optical card reader for reading a card having a plurality of columns and rows of digital spaces wherein the columns represent the consecutive digital values of 1 to 10 and the rows represent equal digital values and holes are punched in certain of said spaces, said card reader comprising a light pulse generator adapted to receive a column of coded light, a plurality of individually energizable light sources, one for each column of digital spaces on said card, said light sources being directed toward sAid card to cause a beam of light to be defined by a hole in the card at the punched digital value, said light pulse generator including a rotatably mounted disc positioned below the card to receive the beam of light therefrom, said disc having a plurality of sets of holes circumferentially arranged, each set including a plurality of arcuately arranged rows of holes corresponding to the rows of digital spaces on the card with the number of holes in each row corresponding to the value of the digital spaces of each card row, means for rotating said disc at constant speed, whereby the light beam impinging thereon is divided into light pulses in accordance with the digital value of the punched digital space, cam means on said disc, switch means actuable by said cam means to sequentially energize and deenergize the light sources in synchronism with the sets of holes in the disc, photocell means receiving the light pulse output from the light pulse generator and converting the light pulses into electrical pulses, and means converting the electrical pulses into a digital output.

Claim 12

An optical card reader for reading a card having a plurality of columns and rows of digital spaces wherein the columns represent the consecutive digital values of 1 to 10 and the rows represent equal digital values and holes are punched in certain of said spaces, said card reader comprising a light pulse generator adapted to receive a column of coded light, a plurality of individually energizable light sources, one for each column of digital spaces on said card, said light sources being directed toward sAid card to cause a beam of light to be defined by a hole in the card at the punched digital value, said light pulse generator including a rotatably mounted disc positioned below the card to receive the beam of light therefrom, said disc having a plurality of sets of holes circumferentially arranged, each set including a plurality of arcuately arranged rows of holes corresponding to the rows of digital spaces on the card with the number of holes in each row corresponding to the value of the digital spaces of each card row, means for rotating said disc at constant speed, whereby the light beam impinging thereon is divided into light pulses in accordance with the digital value of the punched digital space, cam means on said disc, switch means actuable by said cam means to sequentially energize and deenergize the light sources in synchronism with the sets of holes in the disc, photocell means receiving the light pulse output from the light pulse generator and converting the light pulses into electrical pulses, and means converting the electrical pulses into a digital output.

Claim 13

An optical card reader as defined in claim 9, detector switch means operable by said card to determine whether the card is properly positioned with respect to the light pulse generator.

Claim 14

An optical card reader as defined in claim 9, detector switch means operable by said card to start said disc drive means to initiate a reading cycle and determine whether the card is properly positioned with respect to the light pulse generator, and stop switch means actuable by said cam means for stopping said disc drive means to complete a reading cycle and to reset said detector switch means.

Claim 15

An optical card reader for reading a card having a plurality of vertically arranged columns and horizontally arranged rows of digital spaces wherein the columns represent the consecutive digital values of 1 to 10 and the rows represent equal digital values, and holes are punched in certain of said spaces, said card reader comprising a source of light, a light pulse generator receiving said source and generating light pulses, said generator including an endless belt trained about a drive pulley and an idler pulley spaced from the drive pulley, said light source being within the belt, said belt including a set of holes having a plurality of horizontally arranged rows of holes corresponding to the rows of digital spaces on the card with the number of holes in each row corresponding to the value of the digital spaces of each card row, said card being aligned with said belt to receive the light pulses at the rows of digital value equal to the number of light pulses generated therefor, means for driving the drive pulley to drive the belt at a constant speed, a plurality of photocells, one receiving the light pulse output of each column of digital spaces, and converting same into electrical pulses, cam means operable from said idler shaft, switch means actuable by said cam means to individually and sequentially operate the output of each photocell thereby sequentially reading the digital outputs of each column, and means converting the electrical pulses into a digital output.

Claim 16

An optical card reader for reading a card having a plurality of vertically arranged columns and horizontally arranged rows of digital spaces wherein the columns represent the consecutive digital values of 1 to 10 and the rows represent equal digital values, and holes are punched in certain of said spaces, said card reader comprising a source of light, a light pulse generator receiving said source and generating light pulses, said generator including an endless belt trained about a drive pulley and an idler pulley spaced from the drive pulley, said light source being within the belt, said belt including a set of holes having a plurality of horizontally arranged rows of holes corresponding to the rows of digital spaces on the card with the number of holes in each row corresponding to the value of the digital spaces of each card row, said card being aligned with said belt to receive the light pulses at the rows of digital value equal to the number of light pulses generated therefor, means for driving the drive pulley to drive the belt at a constant speed, a plurality of photocells, one receiving the light pulse output of each column of digital spaces, and converting same into electrical pulses, cam means operable from said idler shaft, switch means actuable by said cam means to individually and sequentially operate the output of each photocell thereby sequentially reading the digital outputs of each column, and means converting the electrical pulses into a digital output.

Claim 17

An optical card reader as defined in claim 12, start switch means operable b said card to start said drive means to initiate a reading cycle, and stop switch means actuable by said cam means for stopping said drive means to complete a reading cycle and to reset said start switch means.

Claim 18

An optical card reader as defined in claim 12, wherein said last-named converting means includes a relay.