Patent US3782716A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3782716A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Device for selecting data cards
Assignee: Digi Data Corp
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Filing: 1972-06-29
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Granted: 1974-01-01
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Expires: 1992-06-29
Abstract
Abstract A device for selecting data cards comprising a table means movably mounted beneath a hopper means containing a stack of cards, means operatively associated with said table means for moving at least a portion of the bottom card in said stack of cards downwardly onto said table means and holding said card on said table means as said table means is moved into operative association with means for engaging said card and withdrawing the card from said table means, said means for moving said card being controlled in cooperation with movement of said table means.
Inventors
- 👤 T Long
- 👤 W Miller
- 👤 S Campbell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 04:42
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65H; B65H3/00; B65H3/08; B65H3/12; B65H3/122
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
351 words
A device for selecting data cards and the like, comprising a hopper means for containing a stack of data cards therein, a table means movably supported beneath the hopper means for reciprocable movement laterally of the hopper means from beneath one side of the hopper means, means connected with the table means to reciprocate the table means, said table means comprising a bottom for said hopper means and having a substantially flat, planar midportion on which the stack of cards is supported and opposite, downwardly inclined end portions spaced below opposite end portions of a bottom most card in said stack of cards, vacuum plenum chamber means carried by said table means beneath said downwardly inclined end portions thereof, said downwardly inclined end portions having aperture means therethrough establishing communication between said vacuum plenum chamber means and the space between said downwardly inclined end portions of said table means and the opposite end portions of said bottom most card so that establishment of a vacuum in said vacuum plenum chamber means is communicated to said space to draw opposite end portions of said bottom most card downwardly onto said inclined end portions of said table means, card obstructing means on said hopper means at said one side thereof to normally obstruct lateral movement of the cards in said stack of cards when said table is reciprocated, said card obstructing means having a bottom edge spaced upwardly from the table means a distance at least as great as the thickness of a card in said stack of cards and shaped complementary to the shape of the table means so that only the bottom most card is enabled to clear said obstructing means and move laterally from beneath said hopper means along with said table means when the opposite end portions of said bottom most card are pulled downwardly onto the inclined end portions of said table means by said vacuum, and pick means adjacent said hopper means to engage said bottom most card when it is moved from beneath said table means and withdraw the bottom most card from said table means.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
351 words
A device for selecting data cards and the like, comprising a hopper means for containing a stack of data cards therein, a table means movably supported beneath the hopper means for reciprocable movement laterally of the hopper means from beneath one side of the hopper means, means connected with the table means to reciprocate the table means, said table means comprising a bottom for said hopper means and having a substantially flat, planar midportion on which the stack of cards is supported and opposite, downwardly inclined end portions spaced below opposite end portions of a bottom most card in said stack of cards, vacuum plenum chamber means carried by said table means beneath said downwardly inclined end portions thereof, said downwardly inclined end portions having aperture means therethrough establishing communication between said vacuum plenum chamber means and the space between said downwardly inclined end portions of said table means and the opposite end portions of said bottom most card so that establishment of a vacuum in said vacuum plenum chamber means is communicated to said space to draw opposite end portions of said bottom most card downwardly onto said inclined end portions of said table means, card obstructing means on said hopper means at said one side thereof to normally obstruct lateral movement of the cards in said stack of cards when said table is reciprocated, said card obstructing means having a bottom edge spaced upwardly from the table means a distance at least as great as the thickness of a card in said stack of cards and shaped complementary to the shape of the table means so that only the bottom most card is enabled to clear said obstructing means and move laterally from beneath said hopper means along with said table means when the opposite end portions of said bottom most card are pulled downwardly onto the inclined end portions of said table means by said vacuum, and pick means adjacent said hopper means to engage said bottom most card when it is moved from beneath said table means and withdraw the bottom most card from said table means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A device for selecting data cards as in claim 1, wherein a vacuum pump is connected with said vacuum plenum chamber means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
A device for selecting data cards as in claim 2, wherein said vacuum pump is solenoid operated, energization of said solenoid being synchronized with movement of said table means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
A device for selecting data cards as in claim 3, wherein said vacuum pump comprises a diaphragm mounted in a cylinder, said solenoid being connected to said diaphragm to cause reciprocation thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
146 words
A device for selecting data cards as in claim 4, wherein vacuum control means is connected with said vacuum pump to cause said vacuum pump to create a vacuum in said vacuum plenum chamber means prior to and during movement of said table means toward said pick means, said control means comprising vacuum switch means operatively connected with said vacuum plenum chamber means to sense application of said vacuum and connected with motor means for moving said table means to control operation of said motor means in response to application of said vacuum, means for releasing the vacuum when the table means reaches a position wherein the card held thereon is engaged by said pick means, and control means for sensing movement of said card from said table means to de-energize said motor means and return said table means to its position beneath said hopper means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
88 words
A device for selecting data cards as in claim 1, wherein said obstructing means comprises a vertical wall along said one side of said hopper means, the bottom edge of said wall including a generally straight horizontally extending portion spaced slightly above the plane of said table means and downwardly inclined opposite end portions extending parallel to and spaced slightly above the inclined end portions of said table means, said downwardly inclined end portions of said wAll defining said obstructing means for preventing transverse movement of said cards.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
135 words
A device for selecting data cards as in claim 6, wherein said pick means comprises a horizontal cylinder rotatably mounted above the plane of said table means parallel with said wall, the bottom of said cylinder being substantially in the plane of the bottom edge of said wall, pressure roller means resiliently engaged against the bottom of said cylinder, recess means in the leading edge of said table means in alignment with the pressure roller means so that when the table means is moved laterally to a position with its leading edge between said cylinder and said pressure roller means the pressure roller means extend through said recess means to urge a card held on said table means against said cylinder, and means to rotate said cylinder to feed said card from said table means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-12-31 | 1977-07-02 | 1978-01-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-12-31 | 1981-07-02 | 1982-01-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-12-31 | 1985-07-02 | 1986-01-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |