Card positioning and printing unit for credit card reading and imprinting equipment

Claim 2

A mechanism for imprinting a sales slip or the like with credit card information, comprising: a. a support frame; b. card support means mounted thereon for movement between a normally retracted and an advanced position, and having an area adapted to support a credit card and an accompanying sales slip in superposed relation; c. a roller assembly mounted for reciprocating motion back and forth over said area and including a roller exerting pressure, during each reciprocation of the assembly, against the superposed card and slip to imprint the slip with the credit card information; d. means for imparting reciprocating motion to said assembly; and e. means extending in laterally spaced relation to the roller disposed as a hold-down for the superposed card and sales slip during the imprinting of the slip, the hold-down means comprising an arm pivotally connected to the card support means for movement between a raised release position and a lowered clamping position, said mechanism including cam means on the frame located in the path of said arm to bias the same to its clamping position when the card support means is shifted to its advanced position.

Claim 3

A mechanism as in claim 1 wherein the cam means includes a plate mounted for adjustment upon the frame obliquely to said path, and a cam pin projecting laterally from said plate across said path.

Claim 4

A mechanism for imprinting a sales slip or the like with a credit card information, comprising: a. a support frame; b. card support means mounted thereon for movement between a normally retracted and an advanced position, and having an area adapted to support a credit card and an accompanying sales slip in superposed relation; c. a roller assembly mounted for reciprocating motion back and forth over said area and including a roller exerting pressure, during each reciprocation of the assembly, against the superposed card and slip to imprint the slip with the credit card information; d. means for imparting reciprocating motion to said assembly; and e. means carried by the card support means extending in laterally spaced relation to the roller and disposed as a hold-down for the superposed card and sales slip during the imprinting of the slip, said hold-down means being disposed in a raised release position in the normally retracted position of the card support means, the hold-down means when in its release position and the card support means when in its retracted position opening upon both sides and to the front of the mechanism for selective insertion and removal of the card and slip from either side or from the front of the mechanism, said hold-down means shifting to a lowered, card-and-slip-clamping position in response to shifting of the card support means to its advanced position, the roller assembly further including a roller support plate and laterally projecting guide lugs thereon slidably Supported upon the frame for movement in a path between opposite extreme positions in both of which the roller is retracted clear of the paths in which the card and slip are insertable into and removable from the open sides and front of the mechanism, said path of the guide lugs being wholly straight during the portion thereof in which the roller imprints said slip with the credit card information, said path of the guide lugs having end portions extending obliquely to the straight portion thereof to shift the roller to its retracted position as it approaches the respective, opposite extreme positions of the guide lugs, said roller assembly additionally including at least one roller support arm pivotally connected to the roller support plate, said roller being rotatably mounted upon the roller support arm.

Claim 5

A mechanism for imprinting a sales slip or the like with a credit card information, comprising: a. a support frame; b. card support means mounted thereon for movement between a normally retracted and an advanced position, and having an area adapted to support a credit card and an accompanying sales slip in superposed relation; c. a roller assembly mounted for reciprocating motion back and forth over said area and including a roller exerting pressure, during each reciprocation of the assembly, against the superposed card and slip to imprint the slip with the credit card information; d. means for imparting reciprocating motion to said assembly; and e. means carried by the card support means extending in laterally spaced relation to the roller and disposed as a hold-down for the superposed card and sales slip during the imprinting of the slip, said hold-down means being disposed in a raised release position in the normally retracted position of the card support means, the hold-down means when in its release position and the card support means when in its retracted position opening upon both sides and to the front of the mechanism for selective insertion and removal of the card and slip from either side or from the front of the mechanism, said hold-down means shifting to a lowered, card-and-slip-clamping position in response to shifting of the card support means to its advanced position, the roller assembly further including a roller support plate and laterally projecting guide lugs thereon slidably Supported upon the frame for movement in a path between opposite extreme positions in both of which the roller is retracted clear of the paths in which the card and slip are insertable into and removable from the open sides and front of the mechanism, said path of the guide lugs being wholly straight during the portion thereof in which the roller imprints said slip with the credit card information, said path of the guide lugs having end portions extending obliquely to the straight portion thereof to shift the roller to its retracted position as it approaches the respective, opposite extreme positions of the guide lugs, said roller assembly additionally including at least one roller support arm pivotally connected to the roller support plate, said roller being rotatably mounted upon the roller support arm.

Claim 6

A mechanism as in claim 3 wherein the roller assembly further includes a spring between said arm and plate tensioned to resiliently, yieldably bias the roller into firm contact with the superposed sales slip and credit card.

Claim 7

A mechanism as in claim 4 wherein the frame includes guide slots for said lugs turned upwardly at their ends to elevate the roller assembly out of contact with the surface to be imprinted at both ends of its path of travel.

Claim 8

A mechanism for imprinting a sales slip or the like with credit card information, comprising: a. a support frame; b. card support means mounted thereon for movement between a normally retracted and an advanced position, and having an area adapted to support a credit card and an accompanying sales slip in superposed relation; c. a roller assembly mounted for reciprocating motion back and forth over said area and including a roller exerting pressure, during each reciprocation of the assembly, against the superposed card and slip to imprint the slip with the credit card information; d. means for imparting reciprocating motion to said assembly; and e. means extending in laterally spaced relation to the roller disposed as a hold-down for the superposed card and sales slip during the imprinting of the slip, said roller assembly including a roller support plate and laterally projecting guide lugs thereon slidably supported upon the frame, said plate having a longitudinally extending slot, said means for imparting reciprocating motion to the roller assembly including a motor, a shaft thereon, and an articulated linkage between the plate and shaft translating rotary motion of the shaft into linear motion of the plate, said shaft extending through the guide slot of the plate to guide the plate during its reciprocating sliding movement on the frame.

Claim 9

A mechanism for imprinting a sales slip or the like with credit card information, comprising: a. a support frame; b. card support means mounted thereon for movement between a normally retracted and an advanced position, and having an area adapted to support a credit card and an accompanying sales slip in superposed relation; c. a roller assembly mounted for reciprocating motion back and forth over said area and including a roller exerting pressure, during each reciprocation of the assembly, against the superposed card and slip to imprint the slip with the credit card information; d. means for imparting reciprocating motion to said assembly; and e. means extending in laterally spaced relation to the roller disposed as a hold-down for the superposed card and sales slip during the imprinting of the slip, said roller assembly including a roller support plate and laterally projecting guide lugs thereon slidably supported upon the frame, said plate having a longitudinally extending slot, said means for imparting reciprocating motion to the roller assembly including a motor, a shaft thereon, and an articulated linkage between the plate and shaft translating rotary motion of the shaft into linear motion of the plate, said shaft extending through the guide slot of the plate to guide the plate during its reciprocating sliding movement on the frame.