Pneumatic phrase/format writer utilizing card cartridge and featuring cyclical mechanism for reading a succession of cards as well as programming the tabulation and other functions of an interconnected printer

Claim 1

A pneumatic processing system for processing individual perforated media to derive signals for controlling a utilization device, such as a typewriter, said system including facilities for accommodating a media storage cartridge, said cartridge having at least a plurality of storage areas, each accommodating a medium and each medium including a group of code perforations arranged in successive sets, comprising: pneumatic means activatable for sensing code perforations in said medium, said pneumatic means including a pair of pneumatic sensing heads movable between a clamped condition for holding a medium for sensing therebetween and an unclamped condition enabling movement of a said medium therebetween; means for mounting a said cartridge so that said medium is generally located for movement toward said sensing means; motive means; clamping control means for moving said sensing heads between said clamped and unclamped conditions; cyclically operable means, said cyclically operable means including first, second, third, and fourth actuating means of similar predetermined compact configuration, each comprising at least a respectively associated actuating member: 1. means controlled by said first actuating member for operating said clamping control means to move said sensing heads to an unclamped condition; 2. means further controlled by said first actuating member for moving a said medium from its respective storage area to said sensing means, 3. means for activating said sensing means to sense a said code perforation in said medium, 4. means controlled in each cycle by said second actuating member for (a) operating said clamping control means to move said sensing heads to an unclamped condition; (b) incrementally stepping said medium in order to position it for sensing of a set of perforations, and (c) operating said clamping control means to move said sensing head to a clamped condition, said second actuating member being operable in continuous cycles to sense successive sets of perforations to the end of the group of code perforations on said medium; 5. means (a) controlled by said third actuating member and responsive to an end of medium control signal for operating said clamping control means to move said sensing heads to an unclamped condition, and (b) to incrementally step said medium in a reverse direction in order to return said medium to its respective storage area in said cartridge upon termination of sensing of all perforations in said medium; clutching means associated with said motive means for interconnecting said motive means with said cyclically operable means; start means for initiating operation of said cyclically operable means by activating said clutching means; and means controlled by said fourth actuating member for indexing said cartridge as said medium is returned to its respective area in order to access the next medium required in said cartridge.