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US3752074A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Credit card terminal

Assignee: ALBERT J DAY US
•
Filing: 1970-11-12
•
Granted: 1973-08-14
•
Expires: 1990-11-12
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Abstract

Abstract A credit card terminal for reading relatively standard credit cards. Reading is achieved through the employment of sensing pins arranged to read the account number or other special embossments embossed on the card. The pins are independently mounted in close groupings in a block and biased by individual vanes of a common leaf spring. Pin condition is sensed either through means of electical contacts activated by the pins or electromagnetic sensors which change in condition responsive to the movement of the pins. In the preferred embodiment for the direct reading of embossed account numbers, the pins are grouped in groups of five on generally rectangular coordinates so as to achieve a discrete pin condition for each of the numbers zero to nine, inclusive. The terminal also includes a verifying mechanism to sense the presence or absence of a light responsive verification area on the credit card and a voucher imprinting mechanism to imprint indicia embossed on the card onto a voucher. The principal element of the imprinting mechanism comprises a carriage to receive a card and voucher and maintain the embossments of the card in juxtaposition with the area of the voucher to be imprinted. The basic structure of the imprinting mechanism is completed by a roller positioned to be normally spaced from a voucher and card received within the carriage and a motion imparting mechanism adapted to selectively impart relative motion to the carriage and roller to force the roller into engagement with the voucher and roll the roller relative to the voucher in the area of the voucher to be imprinted. The verifying mechanism comprises a locking device associated with the motion imparting mechanism to normally maintain the mechanism in an inoperative condition and a photoelectric device to sense the presence or absence of a light responsive verification area on a card received in the carriage. Upon the sensing of a valid varification area, the photoelectric device operates in cooperation with the locking device to condition the motion imparting mechanism for operation.

Inventors

  • 👤 J White
  • 👤 T Oudijk
  • 👤 L Talbot
  • 👤 E Collado
  • 👤 Q Correll
  • 👤 A Swain

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 14:55
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K7/00; G06K7/04

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim 145 words
An imprinting mechanism for use with embossed cards to imprint indicia embossed on the cards onto a voucher, said mechanism comprising: a frame, a carriage mounted on the frame and having means therein adapted for receiving a card and a voucher and to maintain the embossments of the card in juxtAposition with an area of the voucher to be imprinted; an imprinter roller assembly including an imprinter roller for pressing a voucher against an embossed card for imprinting of the voucher; support means mounted on the carriage for reciprocal motion normal to the carriage, said support means mounting the imprinter roller assembly for reciprocating transverse motion of the roller across the carriage; cam means for moving the support means toward the carriage and the imprinting roller into engagement with a voucher received in the carriage; and, power drive means for driving the imprinter roller assembly.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 145 words
An imprinting mechanism for use with embossed cards to imprint indicia embossed on the cards onto a voucher, said mechanism comprising: a frame, a carriage mounted on the frame and having means therein adapted for receiving a card and a voucher and to maintain the embossments of the card in juxtAposition with an area of the voucher to be imprinted; an imprinter roller assembly including an imprinter roller for pressing a voucher against an embossed card for imprinting of the voucher; support means mounted on the carriage for reciprocal motion normal to the carriage, said support means mounting the imprinter roller assembly for reciprocating transverse motion of the roller across the carriage; cam means for moving the support means toward the carriage and the imprinting roller into engagement with a voucher received in the carriage; and, power drive means for driving the imprinter roller assembly.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 68 words
The imprinting mechanism described in claim 1 wherein the power drive means comprises: pivotal yoke means engaging the imprinter roller assembly; rotatable cam means for engaging the yoke means for pivotal movement thereof; motor means for selectively rotating the cam means whereby upon pivoting of the yoke means by the cam means, the yoke means will drive the imprinter roller assembly across a voucher disposed in the carriage.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 128 words
The imprinting mechanism described in claim 1 wherein the carriage is mounted for reciprocal motion on the frame whereby upon movement of the carriage in a first direction, the cam means will move the means mounting the imprinter roller assembly toward the carriage for engagement of the carriage by the imprinter roller, and wherein said mechanism further comprises, spring means biasing the carriage in a second direction opposite said first direction, hook means for engaging the carriage upon movement of the carriage in said first direction to maintain the roller in engagement with the carriage, and release means operable by the drive means for disengaging the hook means from the carriage after driving of the imprinter roller assembly to release the carriage and disengage the imprinter roller therefrom.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 83 words
The imprinting mechanism of claim 1 further comprising light passages which intersect at the carriage means for receiving an embossed card, a light source disposed in one passage, and a light detector disposed in a second passage whereby when a card having a reflective element disposed thereon for registration with the intersection of said light passages only upon correct orientation of the card in the carriage is correctly oriented in the carriage, light from the light source will be reflected to the detector.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 235 words
An imprinting mechanism for use with embossed cards to imprint indicia embossed on the cards onto a voucher, said mechanism comprising: a. a carriage having slot means therein adapted to receive a card and voucher and maintain the embossments of the card in juxtaposition with an area of the voucher to be imprinted; b. an imprinter roller mounted to one side of the carriage so as to be normally spaced from a voucher and card received within the slot means of the carriage; c. mounting means mounting the carriage for rectilinear movement; d. an intermediate support carried by said carriage for rectilinear movement therewith and transverse movement relative thereto toward and away from the slot means in the carriage; e. traversing means disposed to move the intermediate support transversely toward the slot means upon rectilinear movement of the carriage in one direction and away from said slot means upon rectilinear movement of said carriage in the opposite direction; f. roller support means mounting the roller on the intermediate support for movement therewith toward and away from the slot means in the carriage and dispose the roller in engagement with a voucher received in the slot means upon movement of the intermediate support toward the slot means to a predetermined degree; and, g. rolling means to roll the roller across the area of a voucher to be imprinted upon engagement of the roller with the voucher.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 235 words
An imprinting mechanism for use with embossed cards to imprint indicia embossed on the cards onto a voucher, said mechanism comprising: a. a carriage having slot means therein adapted to receive a card and voucher and maintain the embossments of the card in juxtaposition with an area of the voucher to be imprinted; b. an imprinter roller mounted to one side of the carriage so as to be normally spaced from a voucher and card received within the slot means of the carriage; c. mounting means mounting the carriage for rectilinear movement; d. an intermediate support carried by said carriage for rectilinear movement therewith and transverse movement relative thereto toward and away from the slot means in the carriage; e. traversing means disposed to move the intermediate support transversely toward the slot means upon rectilinear movement of the carriage in one direction and away from said slot means upon rectilinear movement of said carriage in the opposite direction; f. roller support means mounting the roller on the intermediate support for movement therewith toward and away from the slot means in the carriage and dispose the roller in engagement with a voucher received in the slot means upon movement of the intermediate support toward the slot means to a predetermined degree; and, g. rolling means to roll the roller across the area of a voucher to be imprinted upon engagement of the roller with the voucher.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 29 words
The invention of claim 5 further comprising pin means mounted on the carriage to extend into and read the indentaTions of an embossed card received in the slot means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 37 words
The invention of claim 6 further comprising photoelectirc means disposed to sense registration of a reflective area on a card received in the slot means for detecting when a card is properly oriented in the slot means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 28 words
The invention of claim 7 further comprising lock means for maintaining the imprinting mechanism in an inoperative condition until a preselected signal is received by the photoelectric means.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

No citation records indexed.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1976-08-13 1977-02-12 1977-08-14 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1980-08-13 1981-02-12 1981-08-14 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1984-08-13 1985-02-12 1985-08-14 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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