Card encoding machine

Claim 1

Apparatus to impress on a card a code pattern of dots corresponding to selected letters and numerals comprising: a base; an anvil on said base; a guide block above said anvil having a series of holes therein with a plurality of spring biased pins in the holes so as to be guided toward said anvil; card carrying means on said base adapted to carry the card onto a first plurality of successive positions between said anvil and said guide means; a code member having a plurality of groups of irregularities thereon, each group corresponding to a selected character, said code member comprising a generally disc shaped member disposed at least partly above said guide means, and slideably movable along and rotatable about a shaft positioned generally perpendicular to said base, said groups of irregularities spaced about the rim of said disc shaped member; and a moving means supported by said base on the opposite side of said code member from said anvil and adapted to move the code member against said plurality of pins to selectively move some of the pins against the card, the selected pins depending on the pattern of the irregularities in the group positioned proximate the pins said moving means including a cam means which comprises a lever pivoted in a frame extending up from said base, said lever having a roller at one end, said roller bearing against an intermediate member, said intermediate member mounted for vertical movement along a pair of guide shafts, movement of said lever operable to depress the intermediate member against spring means so as to move the code member an exact predetermined distance down against said spring biased pins.