Roller structure for card reader

Claim 2

A self-reversing reader for information contained on a card, said reader comprising a passageway for guiding the movement of the card in first and second opposite directions at associated first and second operative levels of said passageway; a transducer communicating with said passageway for cooperation with said card passing through the passageway in one of said directions; means for reversing the direction of movement of said card from said first direction to said second direction; means for driving said card in each of said directions; said driving means including at least one resilient roller engageable with said card during coaction of said card with said reversing means; said resilient roller having a series of individually deflectable and radially extensive fingers formed thereon which coact with a card thereby to drive said card in the first and second directions, said resilient roller also having a series of slits, one of which is located between each pair of adjacent fingers, said slits being structured to coact with a trailing edge of said card to cam said card from one operative level to another operative level of said passageway thereby to assist in reversing said card within said passageway.

Claim 3

The reader of claim 1 wherein the slits are wedge-shaped and they coact progressively with the trailing edge of each card to positively drive said card from one operative level to another operative level of said passageway.

Claim 4

The reader of claim 1 wherein said fingers extend radially outwardly from the axis of rotation of said roller and angularly toward a reference guiding surface forming part of said passageway, so that during movement of the card in the first and second directions it is biased into registration with said guiding surface.

Claim 5

The reader of claim 2 wherein the slits between the resilient fingers are dimensioned to limit the degree of flexion of said fingers as the fingers drive the card, thereby to enhance the longevity of said rollers.

Claim 6

A self-reversing reader for information contained on a card having a magnetic stripe on one side thereof, said reader comprising a passageway having an entrance for receiving said card; said passageway being located on one side of a guiding surface forming part of said passageway; a head communicating with said passageway for cooperation with the magnetic stripe of a card passing therethrough; means for drivIng said card from said entrance through said passageway and past said head in a first direction parallel to said guiding surface, thereby to allow registration of the head with the magnetic stripe of said card; means for reversing the direction of movement of said card so that after said card passes said head during movement in said first direction, said driving means will drive said card in a second direction opposite to said first direction; said driving means including at least one roller engageable with said card during coaction of said card with said reversing means, said roller having a series of individually deflectable fingers formed thereon, said fingers extending radially outwardly from the axis of rotation of said roller and angularly toward said guiding surface, thereby to act upon said card during movement of said card in said first and second directions to bias said card into registration with said guiding surface, said fingers being cooperably located with respect to said card so that they act independently and resiliently upon said card during movement of said card in the first direction and second direction to drive said card in one or the other of said directions dependent upon the location of said card with respect to said roller.

Claim 7

A self-reversing reader for information contained on a card having a magnetic stripe on one side thereof, said reader comprising a passageway having an entrance for receiving said card; said passageway being located on one side of a guiding surface forming part of said passageway; a head communicating with said passageway for cooperation with the magnetic stripe of a card passing therethrough; means for drivIng said card from said entrance through said passageway and past said head in a first direction parallel to said guiding surface, thereby to allow registration of the head with the magnetic stripe of said card; means for reversing the direction of movement of said card so that after said card passes said head during movement in said first direction, said driving means will drive said card in a second direction opposite to said first direction; said driving means including at least one roller engageable with said card during coaction of said card with said reversing means, said roller having a series of individually deflectable fingers formed thereon, said fingers extending radially outwardly from the axis of rotation of said roller and angularly toward said guiding surface, thereby to act upon said card during movement of said card in said first and second directions to bias said card into registration with said guiding surface, said fingers being cooperably located with respect to said card so that they act independently and resiliently upon said card during movement of said card in the first direction and second direction to drive said card in one or the other of said directions dependent upon the location of said card with respect to said roller.

Claim 8

The self-reversing reader of claim 5 wherein said roller includes a series of peripherally located wedge-shaped slits disposed between said fingers, said slits structurally configured to coact with a trailing edge of said card to cam said card from one operative level to another and opposite operative level of said passageway thereby to assist in reversing said card within said passageway.

Claim 9

The self-reversing reader of claim 6 wherein the head is capable of reading information from or writing information on, said magnetic stripe.

Claim 10

The self-reversing reader of claim 7 wherein at least two of said rollers are used to propel cards in said first and second directions within said passageway, one of said rollers being located near the entrance end of said passageway, and the other of said rollers being located adjacent said head, and substantially spaced from the entrance end of said passageway.

Claim 11

A self-reversing card handling device for processing information contained on a card having a magnetic stripe on one side thereof, said device comprising a passageway for guiding the movement of the card in first and second opposite directions at associated first and second operative levels of said passageway; a transducer communicating with said passageway for cooperation with the magnetic stripe of a card passing through the passageway in one of said directions; means for reversing the direction of movement of said card from said first direction to said second direction; means for driving said card in each of said directions; said driving means including at least one resilient roller engageable with said card during coaction of said card with said reversing means; said resilient roller having a series of individually deflectable and radially extensive fingers formed thereon which coact with a card thereby to drive said card in the first and second directions, said resilient roller also having a series of slits, one of which is located between each pair of adjacent fingers, said slits being structured to coact with a trailing edge of said card to cam said card from one operative level to another operative level of said passageway thereby to assist in reversing said card within said passageway.

Claim 12

A self-reversing card handling device for processing information contained on a card having a magnetic stripe on one side thereof, said device comprising a passageway for guiding the movement of the card in first and second opposite directions at associated first and second operative levels of said passageway; a transducer communicating with said passageway for cooperation with the magnetic stripe of a card passing through the passageway in one of said directions; means for reversing the direction of movement of said card from said first direction to said second direction; means for driving said card in each of said directions; said driving means including at least one resilient roller engageable with said card during coaction of said card with said reversing means; said resilient roller having a series of individually deflectable and radially extensive fingers formed thereon which coact with a card thereby to drive said card in the first and second directions, said resilient roller also having a series of slits, one of which is located between each pair of adjacent fingers, said slits being structured to coact with a trailing edge of said card to cam said card from one operative level to another operative level of said passageway thereby to assist in reversing said card within said passageway.