Patent US3144666A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3598967A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Coded punched hole document reader
Assignee: Pitney Bowes Alpex Inc
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Filing: 1969-06-23
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Granted: 1971-08-10
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Expires: 1989-06-23
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for reading intelligence contained on a document in the form of coded punched holes which includes novel means to produce registration between the spaced punched holes in the document and the respective photoelectric cells whose spacing in the array may differ from the spacing of the holes in the document. A simple inexpensive arrangement comprising a standard lamp and a mask is used to simulate a point source of light which in turn permits a magnified image of the punched hole array of a coded document to be cast with good resolution on to the array of photocells with controllable spacing to produce precise registration with the respective photoelectric cells in the holedetecting array. A housing capable of substantially excluding light contains the document, light source, mask and photocell detector.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert M Berler
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 23:55
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K7/00; G06K7/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
172 words
A manually operable apparatus for reading a document upon which information is coded in a pattern comprising a plurality of lines of punched holes, said apparatus comprising a movable transport to receive and to carry said document into reading position within said apparatus as said transport is manually actuated, a light source arranged on one side of said transport to transmit light through the punched holes of a document to be read, detector means comprising a plurality of photocells aligned in a bank to simultaneously sense a line of punched holes of a document to be read on the other side of said transport, and a substantially opaque mask interposed between said light and document transport and provided with an opening permitting light to pass therethrough in a manner simulating a light point source, said transport being positioned in the reader at a location so that the light image passing through the spaced punched holes of each line of a document carried thereon registers with a corresponding cell in the photocell bank.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
172 words
A manually operable apparatus for reading a document upon which information is coded in a pattern comprising a plurality of lines of punched holes, said apparatus comprising a movable transport to receive and to carry said document into reading position within said apparatus as said transport is manually actuated, a light source arranged on one side of said transport to transmit light through the punched holes of a document to be read, detector means comprising a plurality of photocells aligned in a bank to simultaneously sense a line of punched holes of a document to be read on the other side of said transport, and a substantially opaque mask interposed between said light and document transport and provided with an opening permitting light to pass therethrough in a manner simulating a light point source, said transport being positioned in the reader at a location so that the light image passing through the spaced punched holes of each line of a document carried thereon registers with a corresponding cell in the photocell bank.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the light source comprises an automobile-type headlight lamp which is derated and wherein the opening in said mask is a slit which is positioned so as to be at an angle of substantially 90* with the filament of said lamp.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said opaque mask is linearly adjustable between said light source and said document support.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
143 words
In a coded punched hole document reader comprising a light source, a photoelectric cell reader bank and means to position for reading a punched hole document between said light source and bank, the method for producing simultaneous registration of light impulses projected through a line of coded holes in a punched hole document and the several corresponding cells in a bank of photoelectric cells having a fixed space between the individual cells which is larger than the space between punched holes in the document to be read comprising, generating a point source of light with an opaque mask and positioning said mask at a linear location between said light source and punch hole document means so that light projected through a line of holes of a particular spacing in a document registers with the corresponding greater cell spacing of photocells in said bank.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
143 words
In a coded punched hole document reader comprising a light source, a photoelectric cell reader bank and means to position for reading a punched hole document between said light source and bank, the method for producing simultaneous registration of light impulses projected through a line of coded holes in a punched hole document and the several corresponding cells in a bank of photoelectric cells having a fixed space between the individual cells which is larger than the space between punched holes in the document to be read comprising, generating a point source of light with an opaque mask and positioning said mask at a linear location between said light source and punch hole document means so that light projected through a line of holes of a particular spacing in a document registers with the corresponding greater cell spacing of photocells in said bank.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
175 words
In a method of reading simultaneously a line of a coded punched hole document by projecting light through the holes in the document onto a photocell array whose spacing between the individual cells in the array is greater than the spacing between the holes of a line of holes of a coded document to be read, the improvement which includes changing the hole spacing in the light images of a line of punched holes in the document to be read by simulating a point source of light using a substantially opaque mask with a suitable light opening which is interposed between the light source and the document to be read, adjusting the distance between said punched hole document and photocell array so as to produce the desired magnification and thereby register the light image of a line of punched holes with the corresponding photocells, and maintaining said distance between the document and the photocell array as each line of code on the document to be read is moved between said light source and photocell array.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
175 words
In a method of reading simultaneously a line of a coded punched hole document by projecting light through the holes in the document onto a photocell array whose spacing between the individual cells in the array is greater than the spacing between the holes of a line of holes of a coded document to be read, the improvement which includes changing the hole spacing in the light images of a line of punched holes in the document to be read by simulating a point source of light using a substantially opaque mask with a suitable light opening which is interposed between the light source and the document to be read, adjusting the distance between said punched hole document and photocell array so as to produce the desired magnification and thereby register the light image of a line of punched holes with the corresponding photocells, and maintaining said distance between the document and the photocell array as each line of code on the document to be read is moved between said light source and photocell array.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-08-09 | 1975-02-08 | 1975-08-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-08-09 | 1979-02-08 | 1979-08-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-08-09 | 1983-02-08 | 1983-08-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |