Selective addressing machine for preparing a list of selected addresses from a group of master cards

Claim 2

A machine for preparing a list of selected addresses on an elongate master tape from a group of master cards each carrying a visible address and machine information pertaining to the address, a selEcted plurality of which master cards carry the selected addresses, said machine comprising: a frame; means for holding the group of master cards; means for holding a supply of master tape; an imaging station on the frame; means on the frame for sequentially advancing each of the group of master cards along a path of travel from the master card holding means to the imaging station; means on the frame for advancing the master tape from the master tape supply to the imaging station, the master tape advancing means including intermittent tape feed means for sequentially providing stationary fixed increments of the master tape at the imaging station; imaging means at the imaging station; a sensing station on the frame along said path of travel and located between the master card holding means and the imaging station; sensing means at the sensing station for sensing the machine information carried by each advanced master card; selector means responsive to the sensing means for determining when each one of the plurality of selected master cards is present at the sensing station; means on the frame and operated in timed relationship with the travel of the advanced master cards for momentarily halting at least each selected master card in a prescribed position at the imaging station with the address carried thereby juxtaposed with a stationary increment of the master tape at the imaging station; and means responsive to the travel of said one selected master card along said path of travel and operated in timed relationship with the master card halting means for operating the imaging means and the intermittent tape feed means only when said one selected master card is in said prescribed position to establish upon the juxtaposed increment of master tape an image of the address carried by the selected master card and for operating the intermittent tape feed means to advance the master tape relative to the imaging station through one complete fixed increment for each such operation of the imaging means.

Claim 3

The machine of claim 1 wherein said means for operating the imaging means and the intermittent tape feed means include detector means located along the path of travel of the master cards between the sensing station and the imaging station in predetermined spaced relationship with the sensing station and the imaging station for detecting the travel of each master card past the detector means location; timing means operated in timed relationship with the travel of the master cards; and means responsive to the selector means, the detector means and the timing means for operating the imaging means and the intermittent tape feed means only when said one selected master card has passed through the detector means location and is in said prescribed position.

Claim 4

The machine of claim 2 wherein: drive means are provided on the frame; the master card advancing means is engageable with the drive means for operation in timed relationship with the drive means; the intermittent tape feed means is engageable with the drive means for operation in timed relationship with the drive means; and the timing means is coupled with the drive means for operation in timed relationship with the drive means.

Claim 5

A machine for preparing a list of selected addresses on an elongate master tape from a group of master tab cards, each card carrying a visible address on a portion thereof and machine information pertaining to the address, the machine information being in the form of holes located at predetermined positions on the card, a selected plurality of which master cards carry the selected addresses, said machine comprising: a frame; drive means on the frame; means on the frame for holding the group of master cards; means on the frame for holding a supply of master tape; an imaging station on the frame; means on the frame and engageable with the drive means for sequentially advancing eaCh of the group of master cards along a path of travel from the master card holding means to the imaging station; means on the frame for advancing the master tape from the master tape supply to the imaging station, the master tape advancing means including intermittent tape feed means engageable with the drive means for sequentially providing stationary fixed increments of the master tape at the imaging station; imaging means at the imaging station; a card reader assembly on the frame at a reader station located between the card advancing means and the imaging station for sensing the presence or absence of holes at predetermined locations on each advanced master card; selector means on the frame and responsive to the card reader assembly for determining when each one of the plurality of selected master cards is present at the reader station; stop fingers mounted on the frame for movement in timed relationship with the drive means for momentarily halting each master tab card in a prescribed position at the imaging station with the address carried thereby juxtaposed with a stationary increment of the master tape at the imaging station; a pressure pad mounted on the frame for movement in timed relationship with the drive means for pressing at least the address-carrying portion of the halted master card against the stationary increment of master tape at the imaging station; card detectors at predetermined locations along the path of travel of the master cards between the reader station and the imaging station in predetermined spaced relationship with the reader station and the imaging station for detecting the travel of each master card past the predetermined locations; timing means coupled with the drive means for operation in timed relationship with the movement of the stop fingers and the pressure pad; and means responsive to the selector means, the card detectors and the timing means for operating the imaging means and the intermittent tape feed means only when said one selected master card has passed through the predetermined card detector locations and the address-carrying portion thereof is pressed against the stationary increment of master tape at the imaging station to establish upon the juxtaposed increment of master tape an image of the address carried by the selected master card and for operating the intermittent tape feed means to advance the master tape through one complete fixed increment subsequent to each such operation of the imaging means.

Claim 6

A machine for preparing a list of selected addresses on an elongate master tape from a group of master tab cards, each card carrying a visible address on a portion thereof and machine information pertaining to the address, the machine information being in the form of holes located at predetermined positions on the card, a selected plurality of which master cards carry the selected addresses, said machine comprising: a frame; drive means on the frame; means on the frame for holding the group of master cards; means on the frame for holding a supply of master tape; an imaging station on the frame; means on the frame and engageable with the drive means for sequentially advancing eaCh of the group of master cards along a path of travel from the master card holding means to the imaging station; means on the frame for advancing the master tape from the master tape supply to the imaging station, the master tape advancing means including intermittent tape feed means engageable with the drive means for sequentially providing stationary fixed increments of the master tape at the imaging station; imaging means at the imaging station; a card reader assembly on the frame at a reader station located between the card advancing means and the imaging station for sensing the presence or absence of holes at predetermined locations on each advanced master card; selector means on the frame and responsive to the card reader assembly for determining when each one of the plurality of selected master cards is present at the reader station; stop fingers mounted on the frame for movement in timed relationship with the drive means for momentarily halting each master tab card in a prescribed position at the imaging station with the address carried thereby juxtaposed with a stationary increment of the master tape at the imaging station; a pressure pad mounted on the frame for movement in timed relationship with the drive means for pressing at least the address-carrying portion of the halted master card against the stationary increment of master tape at the imaging station; card detectors at predetermined locations along the path of travel of the master cards between the reader station and the imaging station in predetermined spaced relationship with the reader station and the imaging station for detecting the travel of each master card past the predetermined locations; timing means coupled with the drive means for operation in timed relationship with the movement of the stop fingers and the pressure pad; and means responsive to the selector means, the card detectors and the timing means for operating the imaging means and the intermittent tape feed means only when said one selected master card has passed through the predetermined card detector locations and the address-carrying portion thereof is pressed against the stationary increment of master tape at the imaging station to establish upon the juxtaposed increment of master tape an image of the address carried by the selected master card and for operating the intermittent tape feed means to advance the master tape through one complete fixed increment subsequent to each such operation of the imaging means.

Claim 7

The machine of claim 1 wherein the image established upon the master tape by the imaging means is a latent image and wherein the machine includes means for subsequently converting the latent images so established into a visible list of selected addresses on the master tape.

Claim 8

The machine of claim 5 wherein: the address carried by each master card is comprised of characters of infrared absorbing material and the master card carries vaporizable material in the area of the characters; the master tape is transparent to infrared radiation; the imaging means includes a source of infrared radiation; each halted master card is juxtaposed with the increment of master tape at the imaging station such that the increment of master tape lies between at least the portion of the master card carrying the address and the source of infrared radiation, with the characters of the address facing the master tape; the means for operating the imaging means operates the source of infrared radiation to vaporize from the master card a portion of the vaporizable material from areas corresponding to the characters of the address and to deposit the vaporizable material onto the surface of the juxtaposed increment of master tape to establish said latent image; and the means for converting the latent images to a visible list of selected addresses includes means on the frame for applying a toner to said surface of the master tape to adhere toner to the vaporizable material Deposited thereon in areas corresponding to the characters of the addresses and means for advancing the master tape through the toner applying means.

Claim 9

The machine of claim 6 wherein the toner is a fusible particulate material and the means for applying the toner to the surface of the master tape includes means for fusing the toner while in place on the master tape to establish integral characters adhered to the master tape such that the master tape is provided with a list of selected addresses having characters of fusible material carried upon said surface in reverse image with respect to the corresponding characters of the visible addresses carried by the selected master cards.

Claim 10

The machine of claim 4 wherein the image established upon the master tape by the imaging means is a latent image and wherein the machine includes means for subsequently converting the latent images so established into a visible list of selected addresses on the master tape.

Claim 11

The machine of claim 8 wherein: the address carried by each master card is comprised of characters of infrared absorbing material and the master card carries vaporizable material in the area of the characters; the master tape is transparent to infrared radiation; the imaging means includes a source of infrared radiation; each halted master card is juxtaposed with the increment of master tape at the imaging station such that the increment of master tape lies between at least the portion of the master card carrying the address and the source of infrared radiation, with the characters of the address facing the master tape; the means for operating the imaging means operates the source of infrared radiation to vaporize from the master card a portion of the vaporizable material from areas corresponding to the characters of the address and to deposit the vaporizable material onto the surface of the juxtaposed increment of master tape to establish said latent image; and the means for converting the latent images to a visible list of selected addresses includes means on the frame for applying a toner to said surface of the master tape to adhere toner to the vaporizable material deposited thereon in areas corresponding to the characters of the addresses and means for advancing the master tape through the toner applying means.

Claim 12

The machine of claim 9 wherein the toner is a fusible particulate material and the means for and the toner to the surface of the master tape includes means for fusing the toner while in place on the master tape to establish integral characters adhered to the master tape such that the master tape is provided with a list of selected addresses having characters of fusible material carried upon said surface in reverse image with respect to the corresponding characters of the visible addresses carried by the selected master cards.

Claim 13

The machine of claim 9 wherein: the master tape follows a prescribed path of travel extending from the master tape supply to the imaging station and they beyond the imaging station to the means for applying toner to the master tape, said path of travel including a storage loop of prescribed length lying between the imaging means and the toner applying means such that the storage loop is fed by said intermittent feed means and said prescribed length is comprised of a plurality of said fixed increments of the master tape; and the means for advancing the master tape through the toner applying means lies along said path of travel beyond the storage loop and includes means responsive to the attainment of said prescribed length in the storage loop for advancing the master tape from said storage loop and through the toner applying means until the storage loop is depleted.

Claim 14

The machine of claim 11 wherein the means for advancing the master tape through the toner applying means lies along said prescribed path beyond the toner applying means such that the master tape is drawn through the toner applying means by said advancing means.

Claim 15

The machine of claim 12 including means located along said path of travel between the storage loop and the means for advancing the master tape through the toner applying means for braking the tape as the tape passes from the storage loop through the toner applying means.

Claim 16

The machine of claim 13 wherein said braking means includes an arbor affixed to said frame and having a surface over which the tape passes with a portion of the surface of the tape opposite to that surface which carries the latent image contacting an area of the surface of the arbor, said arbor including at least one passage communicating with the area of the arbor surface contacted by the tape, and means for maintaining a pressure below atmospheric pressure within said passage to press the tape against the arbor surface at the area of contact therewith and thereby establish a frictional drag upon the tape without marring the latent image.

Claim 17

The machine of claim 1 wherein: the master tape follows a prescribed path of travel extending from the master tape supply to the imaging station and then beyond the imaging station, the path including a first storage loop located between the master tape supply and the imaging station; the intermittent tape feed means lies along said path beyond the first storage loop such that operation of the intermittent feed means will freely draw the master tape from said first storage loop and pass the tape across said imaging station in accurately fixed increments; and the master tape advancing means includes means for advancing tape from said master tape supply to said first storage loop in response to the depletion of said first storage loop by the intermittent feed means to replenish said first storage loop.

Claim 18

The machine of claim 15 wherein the intermittent feed means lies along said path beyond the imaging station.

Claim 19

The machine of claim 15 wherein: the master tape advancing means includes means located along said path of travel between the master tape supply tape said first storage loop for punching longitudinally spaced apertures in said mister tape in response to operation of the master tape advancing means to replenish said first storage loop so that said first storage loop is supplied with apertured tape; the intermittent feed means includes a feed mechanism having spaced projections for engaging the spaced apertures to accurately advance said increments of master tape; the path of travel includes a second storage loop lying between the punching means and the master tape supply such that operation of the tape advancing means and punching means will freely draw the master tape from the second storage loop and pass the tape through the punching means to attain accurate uniform spacing between said apertures; and the master tape advancing means includes further means for advancing tape from said master tape supply to said second storage loop in response to the depletion of the second storage loop by the tape advancing means and punching means to replenish said second storage loop.

Claim 20

The machine of claim 16 wherein the intermittent feed means includes: a feed drum mounted for intermittent rotation and having an external surface, a portion of which surface will engage the surface of the master tape opposite to that surface which carries the latent image to advance the tape in said fixed increments; a plurality of passages within the feed drum, each communicating with a portion of the periphery of the external surface of the drum; and means for maintaining a pressure below atmospheric pressure within each said passage when the portion of the periphery of the external surface communicating with said passage engages the surface of the tape.

Claim 21

The machine of claim 6 wherein the master tape follows a prescribed path of travel extending from the master tape supply to the imaging station, then beyond the imaging station to the means for applying toner to the master tape, and then beyond the toner applying meAns, the machine including takeup means for collecting the master tape with the list of addresses thereon, said takeup means comprising: a takeup reel mounted for rotation upon the frame and receiving the master tape; an arm mounted on the frame for movement between a first position and a second position; means carried by said arm for intercepting the path of travel of the tape adjacent the first position of the arm and ahead of the takeup reel; means resiliently biasing the arm toward the second position so that, with the takeup reel stationary, the tape advanced beyond the toner applying means will be drawn toward the second position by the resilient bias of the arm to establish a loop in said path of travel between said first and second positions; means operating in response to the arrival of the arm at the second position for rotating the takeup reel and drawing the tape in said loop and the arm toward the first position against the bias of the arm to deplete said loop by winding the tape therefrom onto said takeup reel; and means operating in response to the depletion of said loop and the arrival of the arm at the first position to stop the rotation of the takeup reel.

Claim 22

In a machine in which a relatively delicate elongate tape is advanced from a tape supply along a path of travel passing through the machine to a tape storage means, a takeup mechanism comprising: a frame; a takeup reel mounted for rotation upon the frame and for receiving the tape; an arm mounted on the frame for movement between a first position and a second position; means carried by said arm for intercepting the path of travel of the tape adjacent the first position of the arm and ahead of the takeup reel; means resiliently biasing the arm toward the second position so that, with the takeup reel stationary, the tape advanced to the takeup mechanism will be drawn toward the second position by the resilient bias of the arm to establish a loop in said path of travel between said first and second positions; means operating in response to the arrival of the arm at the second position for rotating the takeup reel and drawing the tape in said loop and the arm toward the first position against the bias of the arm to deplete said loop by winding the tape therefrom onto said takeup reel; and means operating in response to the depletion of said loop and the arrival of the arm at the first position to stop the rotation of the takeup reel.

Claim 23

In a machine in which a relatively delicate elongate tape is advanced from a tape supply along a path of travel passing through the machine to a tape storage means, a takeup mechanism comprising: a frame; a takeup reel mounted for rotation upon the frame and for receiving the tape; an arm mounted on the frame for movement between a first position and a second position; means carried by said arm for intercepting the path of travel of the tape adjacent the first position of the arm and ahead of the takeup reel; means resiliently biasing the arm toward the second position so that, with the takeup reel stationary, the tape advanced to the takeup mechanism will be drawn toward the second position by the resilient bias of the arm to establish a loop in said path of travel between said first and second positions; means operating in response to the arrival of the arm at the second position for rotating the takeup reel and drawing the tape in said loop and the arm toward the first position against the bias of the arm to deplete said loop by winding the tape therefrom onto said takeup reel; and means operating in response to the depletion of said loop and the arrival of the arm at the first position to stop the rotation of the takeup reel.

Claim 24

The machine of claim 1 wherein the imaging means operates through a cycle of predetermined duration and the master card advancing means includes: card drive means operating continuously through repeating cycles of operation, the duration of each cycle of operation of the card drive means being less than the predetermined duration of the cycle of operation of the imaging means; card feed means engageable with the card drive means for advancing one card from the card holding means during each cycle of operation of the card drive means; and means for engaging the card feed means with the card drive means to advance each card and for disengaging the card feed means from the card drive means in response to the selector means for one complete cycle of operation of the card drive means immediately following the advancement of one of said selected cards such that no card is advanced during said one complete cycle and the duration of the cycle of operation of the card drive means during which no card is advanced will allow the imaging means to complete said cycle of predetermined duration prior to the delivery of the next consecutive selected master card to the prescribed position at the imaging station.

Claim 25

The machine of claim 21 wherein: the card holding means hold said group of cards in a generally vertical stack; the card drive means include a drive shaft mounted on the frame for oscillating movement; the card feed means include a transverse shaft mounted on the framE for oscillating movement and fingers mounted for rocking movement below the stack, each finger having a member for engaging the lowermost card in the stack and advancing the engaged card from the stack during said rocking movement; and the engaging and disengaging means include a clutch between said drive shaft and said transverse shaft and means for selectively operating the clutch in timed relationship with the oscillation of the drive shaft.

Claim 26

The machine of claim 4 wherein the imaging means operates through a cycle of predetermined duration and the master card advancing means includes: card drive means coupled with the drive means for operating continuously through repeating cycles of operation, the duration of each cycle of operation of the card drive means being less than the predetermined duration of the cycle of operation of the imaging means; card feed means engageable with the card drive means for advancing one card from the card holding means during each cycle of operation of the card drive means; and means for engaging the card feed means with the card drive means to advance each card and for disengaging the card feed means from the card drive means in response to the selector means for one complete cycle of operation of the card drive means immediately following the advancement of one of said selected cards such that no card is advanced during said one complete cycle and the duration of the cycle of operation of the card drive means during which no card is advanced will allow the imaging means to complete said cycle of predetermined duration prior to the delivery of the next consecutive selected master card to the prescribed position at the imaging station.

Claim 27

The machine of claim 23 wherein: the card holding means hold said group of cards in a generally vertical stack; the card drive means include a drive shaft mounted on the frame for oscillating movement; the card feed means include a transverse shaft mounted on the frame for oscillating movement and fingers mounted for rocking movement below the stack each finger having a member for engaging the lowermost card in the stack and advancing the engaged card from the stack during said rocking movement; and the engaging and disengaging means include a clutch between said drive shaft and said transverse shaft and means for selectively operating the clutch in timed relationship with the oscillation of the drive shaft.

Claim 28

The machine of claim 6 wherein the imaging means operates through a cycle of predetermined duration and the master card advancing means includes: card drive means operating continuously through repeating cycles of operation, the duration of each cycle of operation of the card drive means being less than the predetermined duration of the cycle of operation of the imaging means; card feed means for advancing one card from the card holding means during each cycle of operation of the card drive means; and means for engaging the card feed means with the card drive means to advance each card and for disengaging the card feed means from the card drive means in response to the selector means for one complete cycle of operation of the drive means immediately following the advancement of one of said selected cards such that no card is advanced during said one complete cycle and the duration of the cycle of operation of the card drive means during which no card is advanced will allow the imaging means to complete said cycle of predetermined duration prior to the delivery of the next consecutive selected master card to the prescribed position at the imaging station.

Claim 29

The machine of claim 25 wherein: the card holding means hold drive group of cards in a generally vertical stack; operation, the card drive means include a drive shaft mounted on the frame for oscillating movement; the card feed means include a transverse shaft mounted on the frame for oscillating movement and fingers mounted for rocking movement below the stack, eaCh finger having a member for engaging the lowermost card in the stack and advancing the engaged card from the stack during said rocking movement; and the engaging and disengaging means include a clutch between said drive shaft and said transverse shaft and means for selectively operating the clutch in timed relationship with the oscillation of the drive shaft.

Claim 30

The machine of claim 9 wherein the imaging means operates through a cycle of predetermined duration and the master card advancing means includes: card drive means coupled with the drive means for operating continuously through repeating cycles of operation the duration of each cycle of operation of the card drive means being less than the predetermined duration of the cycle of operation of the imaging means; card feed means engageable with the card drive means for advancing one card from the card holding means during each cycle of operation of the card drive means: and means for engaging the card feed means with the card drive means to advance each card and for disengaging the card feed means from the card drive means in response to the selector means for one complete cycle of operation of the card drive means immediately following the advancement of one of said selected cards such that no card is advanced during said one complete cycle and the duration of the cycle of operation of the card drive means during which no card is advanced will allow the imaging means to complete said cycle of predetermined duration prior to the delivery of the next consecutive selected master card to the prescribed position at the imaging station.

Claim 31

The machine of claim 27 wherein: the card holding means hold said group of cards in a generally vertical stack; the card drive means include a drive shaft mounted on the frame for oscillating movement; the card feed means include a transverse shaft mounted on the frame for oscillating movement and fingers mounted for rocking movement below the stack, each finger having a member for engaging the lowermost card in the stack and advancing the engaged card from the stack during said rocking movement; and the engaging and disengaging means include a clutch between said drive shaft and said transverse shaft and means for selectively operating the clutch in timed relationship with the oscillation of the drive shaft.

Claim 32

The machine of claim 1 wherein: the advanced master cards follow a prescribed path from the master card holding means to a sensing station, then to the imaging station and then beyond the imaging station to a collecting means, the collecting means including a plurality of longitudinally spaced bins, the machine including means operating in response to the sensing means for sorting said advanced master cards for advancement into one or another of said bins, said sorting means comprising: a guideway extending along the path of travel of the cards from a leading end adjacent to the card holding means to a trailing end terminating adjacent the collecting means; a plurality of overlapping elongate thin flexible bands, each extending along the guideway from a leading end adjacent to the card holding means to a trailing end terminating adjacent a prescribed bin and dividing the guideway into a pluraLity of channels between adjacent bands and between the bands and the guideway, all but one of said channels being normally closed to an oncoming card and each channel communicating with a corresponding bin; means mounted adjacent to the path of travel of the cards and engaging said bands for flexing the leading ends of all of said bands relative to the guideway to close all but another of said channels as each card is advanced from the card holding means through the sensing station toward the leading end of the guideway; and means operating in response to the sensing means for either releasing the flexed leading ends of all of said bands or retaining flexed only the end of a selected band or bands to hold open only one parTicular selected channel into which the card at the sensing station will be passed, said releasing or retaining means operating to release said retained band or bands after movement of said card from the sensing station and into the selected channel.

Claim 33

The machine of claim 29 wherein said flexing means include mechanical means for drawing said bands into the flexed position and said releasing or retaining means include selectively operated electromagnetic means for retaining said band or bands.

Claim 34

In a machine wherein each of a group of cards carrying machine information is sequentially advanced from a card holding means along a path of travel to a sensing means and then to a collecting means, the collecting means including a plurality of longitudinally spaced bins, the machine including means operating in response to the sensing means for sorting said advanced cards for advancement into one or another of said bins, said sorting means comprising: a guideway extending along the path of travel of the cards from a leading end adjacent to the card holding means to a trailing end terminating adjacent the collecting means; a plurality of overlapping elongate thin flexible bands, each extending along the guideway from a leading end adjacent to the sensing means to a trailing end terminating adjacent a prescribed bin and dividing the guideway into a plurality of channels between adjacent bands and between the bands and the guideway, all but one of said channels being normally closed to an oncoming card and each channel communicating with a corresponding bin; means mounted adjacent to the path of travel of the cards and engaging said bands for flexing the leading ends of all of said bands relative to the guideway to close all but another of said channels as each card is advanced from the card holding means through the sensing station toward the leading end of the guideway; and means operating in response to the sensing means for either releasing the flexed leading ends of all of said bands or retaining flexed only the end of a selected band or bands to hold open only one particular selected channel into which the card at the sensing station will be passed, said releasing or retaining means operating to release said retained band or bands after movement of said card from the sensing means and into the selected channel.

Claim 35

In a machine wherein each of a group of cards carrying machine information is sequentially advanced from a card holding means along a path of travel to a sensing means and then to a collecting means, the collecting means including a plurality of longitudinally spaced bins, the machine including means operating in response to the sensing means for sorting said advanced cards for advancement into one or another of said bins, said sorting means comprising: a guideway extending along the path of travel of the cards from a leading end adjacent to the card holding means to a trailing end terminating adjacent the collecting means; a plurality of overlapping elongate thin flexible bands, each extending along the guideway from a leading end adjacent to the sensing means to a trailing end terminating adjacent a prescribed bin and dividing the guideway into a plurality of channels between adjacent bands and between the bands and the guideway, all but one of said channels being normally closed to an oncoming card and each channel communicating with a corresponding bin; means mounted adjacent to the path of travel of the cards and engaging said bands for flexing the leading ends of all of said bands relative to the guideway to close all but another of said channels as each card is advanced from the card holding means through the sensing station toward the leading end of the guideway; and means operating in response to the sensing means for either releasing the flexed leading ends of all of said bands or retaining flexed only the end of a selected band or bands to hold open only one particular selected channel into which the card at the sensing station will be passed, said releasing or retaining means operating to release said retained band or bands after movement of said card from the sensing means and into the selected channel.

Claim 36

The machine of claim 31 wherein said flexing means include mechanical means for drawing said bands into the flexed position and said releasing or retaining means include selectively operated electromagnetic means for retaining said band or bands in said flexed position.

Claim 37

The machine of claim 1 wherein the advanced master cards travel in a plane and follow a prescribed path of travel from the master card holding means to the imaging station and then beyond the imaging station and the master card advancing means include: a pluraLity of cooperating pairs of drive and idler rolls mounted along the path of travel of the cards for rotation in planes perpendicular to the plane in which the cards travel and parallel to the direction of travel, the axis of rotation of one of the rolls in each pair being located on one side of said plane of travel and the axis of rotation of the other of said rolls in each pair being located on the other side of said rolls in each pair being located on the other side of said plane of travel; means on said frame and engaged with said drive rolls for driving said drive rolls; and means on said frame for allowing selective displacement of at least some of the axes of rotation located on one side of the plane of travel away from the corresponding axes of rotation located on the other side of the plane of travel to selectively gain open access to the path of travel without requiring disengagement of the driving means from the drive rolls.

Claim 38

The machine of claim 33 including: a table lying in the plane of travel of the cards; the idler rolls being mounted for rotation about axes Of rotation lying below the table; a bridge extending over the table and being mounted for swinging movement relative to the table; the drive rolls being mounted for rotation on the bridge; means for holding the bridge in place relative to the table to engage corresponding drive and idler rolls at the plane of travel of the cards; and means for selectively releasing said holding means to selectively swing the bridge away from the table and thereby gain open access to said table.

Claim 39

The machine of claim 34 wherein the bridge is mounted on said frame adjacent one end of the bridge for pivotal movement about an axis coinciding with the axis of rotation of at least one of said drive rolls and the means for driving said drive rolls are engaged with that one of said drive rolls such that displacement of the bridge relative to the table will not require disengagement of the drive roll drive means.

Claim 40

In a machine which cards are advanced sequentially from a group of cards held in card holding means and the cards travel in a plane and follow a prescribed path of travel from the card holding means through the machine, card advancing means including: a plurality of cooperating pairs of drive and idler rolls mounted along the path of travel of the cards for rotation in planes perpendicular to the plane in which the cards travel and parallel to the direction of travel, the axis of rotation of one of the rolls in each pair located on one side of said plane of travel and the axis of rotation of the other of said rolls in each pair located on the other side of the plane of travel; means on the frame and engaged with said drive rolls for driving said drive rolls; and means on said frame for allowing selective displacement of at least some of the axes of rotation located on one side of the plane of travel away from the corresponding axis of rotation located on the other side of the plane of travel to selectively gain open access to the path of travel without requiring disengagement of the driving means from the drive rolls.

Claim 41

In a machine which cards are advanced sequentially from a group of cards held in card holding means and the cards travel in a plane and follow a prescribed path of travel from the card holding means through the machine, card advancing means including: a plurality of cooperating pairs of drive and idler rolls mounted along the path of travel of the cards for rotation in planes perpendicular to the plane in which the cards travel and parallel to the direction of travel, the axis of rotation of one of the rolls in each pair located on one side of said plane of travel and the axis of rotation of the other of said rolls in each pair located on the other side of the plane of travel; means on the frame and engaged with said drive rolls for driving said drive rolls; and means on said frame for allowing selective displacement of at least some of the axes of rotation located on one side of the plane of travel away from the corresponding axis of rotation located on the other side of the plane of travel to selectively gain open access to the path of travel without requiring disengagement of the driving means from the drive rolls.

Claim 42

The machine of claim 36 including: a table lying in the plane of travel of the cards; the idler rolls being mounted for rotation about axes lying below the table; a bridge extending over the table and being mounted for swinging movement relative to the table; the drive rolls being mounted for rotation upon the bridge; means for holding the bridge in place relative to the table to engage corresponding drive and idler rolls at the plane of travel of the cards; and means for selectively releasing said holding means to selectively swing the bridge away from the table and thereby gain open access to said table.

Claim 43

The machine of claim 37 wherein the bridge is mounted upon said frame adjacent one end of the bridge for pivotal movement about an axis coinciding with the axis of rotation of at least one of said drive rolls and the means for driving said drive rolls are engaged with that one of said drive rolls such that displacement of the bridge relative to the table will not require disengagement of the drive roll drive means.