US3849631A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Punched card, badge and credit card reader
Assignee: Unisys Corp
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Filing: 1971-03-04
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Granted: 1974-11-19
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Expires: 1991-03-04
Abstract
Abstract A card reader capable of automatically reading coded information from cards of at least two predetermined widths, the information being encoded in information fields that may vary in the length of columns and rows from card to card, such fields being referenced with respect to two predetermined orthogonal edges on each card. Movable stop fingers and a guiding edge facilitate aligned insertion of a card with respect to the two orthogonal edges. When a card is being advanced through the reader past a reading station, a circuit that is triggered by a column count wheel generates a signal each time that a column of information is in position to be read. This circuit is inhibited by switches that respond to cards of predetermined widths when the trailing edge of a card passes their position, the location of the switches having a predetermined relationship to the last line of coded information to be read on the individual type of card. The circuit can also be inhibited by a signal generated by an encoder upon its detection of an end of text code in the information field. The card reader is shut off at the end of each read cycle by an independent switch responsive to the trailing edge of all cards inserted into the reader.
Inventors
- 👤 R Naeyaert
- 👤 E Merlino
- 👤 E Brinning
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 03:44
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K7/00; G06K7/01; G06K7/016
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
118 words
In combination with a reading apparatus having a station for reading documents and emitting pulses in response thereto, said documents having information coded thereon in rows and columns said columns having respective predetermined physical locations with respect to the leading and trailing edges of the document as it is procesed through the apparatus, the improvement therein comprising: meanS for inhibiting the output of the pulses from said reading station during the continuation of the operation of said reading apparatus; and variably positionable means actuated by the trailing edge of a document for actvating said inhibiting means immediately after the reading of a column selected form a plurality of said columns by the position of said variably positionable means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
118 words
In combination with a reading apparatus having a station for reading documents and emitting pulses in response thereto, said documents having information coded thereon in rows and columns said columns having respective predetermined physical locations with respect to the leading and trailing edges of the document as it is procesed through the apparatus, the improvement therein comprising: meanS for inhibiting the output of the pulses from said reading station during the continuation of the operation of said reading apparatus; and variably positionable means actuated by the trailing edge of a document for actvating said inhibiting means immediately after the reading of a column selected form a plurality of said columns by the position of said variably positionable means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
51 words
The improved apparatus of claim 1 wherein said variably positionable activating means includes a switch in the path of said document through said reading apparatus, said switch being variably positionable with respect to said reading station to determine after the reading of which column of information said inhibiting means is activated.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
The improved apparatus of claim 2 further including independent means actuated by the trailing edge of the document for shutting off the apparatus, said independent means including delay means for permitting the trailing edge to clear the reading station before the apparatus is shut off.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
149 words
In combination with a reading apparatus having a station for reading documents and emitting pulses in response thereto, said documents having information coded thereon in rows and columns, said columns being evenly spaced apart and forming an information field, the number and physical location of said columns having a predetermined relationship with the width and trailing edge of the document as the document is processed through the apparatus, the improvement therein comprising: means for guiding randomly recived documents of differing but specified widths into the apparatus for reading; means for inhibiting the output of the pulses from said reading station during the continuance of the operation of said reading apparatus; and positionable means individual to said documents having differing but specified widths actuated by the trailing edge of a document for activating said inhibiting means immediately after the reading of a selected one of a plurality of said columns.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
149 words
In combination with a reading apparatus having a station for reading documents and emitting pulses in response thereto, said documents having information coded thereon in rows and columns, said columns being evenly spaced apart and forming an information field, the number and physical location of said columns having a predetermined relationship with the width and trailing edge of the document as the document is processed through the apparatus, the improvement therein comprising: means for guiding randomly recived documents of differing but specified widths into the apparatus for reading; means for inhibiting the output of the pulses from said reading station during the continuance of the operation of said reading apparatus; and positionable means individual to said documents having differing but specified widths actuated by the trailing edge of a document for activating said inhibiting means immediately after the reading of a selected one of a plurality of said columns.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
51 words
The improved apparatus of claim 4 wherein said inhibiting means further includes: an encoder responsive to an end of transmit code in said information field to generate an end of transmit signal; and a circuit responsive to the signal generated by said encoder to inhibit the pulses from said reading station.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
90 words
The improved apparatus of claim 4 wherein said positionable means includes at least two switches in the path of said document through said reader, each switch positioned a different distance from said guiding means, the position of said switches being adjustable with respect to said guiding means to predetermine, according to the width of the card, to what card it will respond, said switches also being adjustable with respect to said reading station to respectively predetermine after which column of information on the respective card said inhibiting means is activated.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
The improved apparatus of claim 6 further including independent means actuated by the trailing edge of the documents for shutting off the apparatus after each document has passed said reading station.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
219 words
In combination with an apparatus for automatically reading individual cards that vary in aize from card to card, each card having a coded information field thereon that may vary in length, the columns and rows of each card being positioned in a standard relationship with respect to two predetermined orthogonal edges of each card, and wherein cards of a predetermined width have additional information imprinted on the portion of the card trailing said coded information, said apparatus having a means for aligning a card with respect to the two orthogonal edges prior to advancing the card through the apparatus and a means for reading said information field at a read line and emitting pulses in response thereto while said card is being advanced through said apparatus, the improvement therein comprising: means independent from said reading and pulse emitting means fOr indicating when a column of information is being read by said reading means; means for inhibiting said indicating means and the pulses from said reading means during the continuance of operation of said apparatus; and positionable means actuated by the trailing edge of the card for activating said inhibiting means immediately after the last coded information column in said information field on said card of predetermined width is read and before said additional imprinted information reaches said read line.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
219 words
In combination with an apparatus for automatically reading individual cards that vary in aize from card to card, each card having a coded information field thereon that may vary in length, the columns and rows of each card being positioned in a standard relationship with respect to two predetermined orthogonal edges of each card, and wherein cards of a predetermined width have additional information imprinted on the portion of the card trailing said coded information, said apparatus having a means for aligning a card with respect to the two orthogonal edges prior to advancing the card through the apparatus and a means for reading said information field at a read line and emitting pulses in response thereto while said card is being advanced through said apparatus, the improvement therein comprising: means independent from said reading and pulse emitting means fOr indicating when a column of information is being read by said reading means; means for inhibiting said indicating means and the pulses from said reading means during the continuance of operation of said apparatus; and positionable means actuated by the trailing edge of the card for activating said inhibiting means immediately after the last coded information column in said information field on said card of predetermined width is read and before said additional imprinted information reaches said read line.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
58 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said inhibiting means comprises: a first switch responsive to all cards advanced through said apparatus; a second switch only responsive to a card of said predetermined width; and a circuit responsive to the signals from said first and second switches for inhibiting said indicating means and the pulses from said reading means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said inhibiting means further comprises: an encoder responsive to an end of text code in said information field for generating an end of transmit signal; and a circuit responsive to the signal generated by said encoder for inhbiting said indicating means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
52 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said second switch is positionable with respect to said reading means and wherein the trailing edge of a card having sufficient width to be sensed by said switch deactivates said switch immediately after the last relevent information bearing column on said card passes said reading means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said first switch is positionable with respect to said reading means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said switch responsive circuit comprises: a first logic path responsive to the signal from said first switch for enabling and inhibiting said indicating means; and a second logic path responsive to the signal from said second switch for inhibiting said indicating means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
67 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said column indicating means comprises: a column count wheel generating a pulse every other time that a column of information is in position to be read by said reading means; a pulse generating circuit responsive to the pulses generated by said column count wheel for generating a pulse each time a column of information is being read by said reading means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
52 words
The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said inhibiting means comprises: a first switch responsive to all cards advanced through said apparatus; a second switch only responsive to a card of a predetermined width; and a circuit responsive to the signals from said first and second switches for inhibiting said pulse generating circuit.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said inhibiting means further comprises: an encoder responsive to an end of transmit code in said information field for generating an end of transmit signal; and a circuit responsive to the signal generated by said encoder for inhibiting said indicating means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
50 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said second switch is positionable with respect to said aligning means and reading means and wherein the trailing edge of a card having a predetermined width deactivates said switch immediately after the last relevant information bearing column on said card passes said reading means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said first switch is positionable with respect to said aligning means and reading means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
50 words
The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said switch responsive circuit comprises: a first logic path responsive to the signal from said first switch for enabling and inhibiting said pulse generating circuit; and a second logic path responsive to the signals from said second switch for inhibiting said pulse generating circuit.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
146 words
An apparatus for reading documents having information coded thereon in rows and columns said columns being evenly spaced apart and having respective predetermined physical locatioNs with respect to the leading and trailing edges of the document as it is processed through the apparatus, the improvement comprising: a station for reading said documents and for emitting pulses in responsive thereto; means for inhibiting pulses from said reading station during the continuation of the operation of said apparatus; positionable means actuated by the trailing edge of a document for activating said inhibiting means immediately after a selected coded information column has been read; and means independent of said positionable means actuated by the trailing edge of a document for shutting off the apparatus, said independent means including delay means for permitting the trailing edge to clear the reading and pulse emitting station before the apparatus is shut off.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
146 words
An apparatus for reading documents having information coded thereon in rows and columns said columns being evenly spaced apart and having respective predetermined physical locatioNs with respect to the leading and trailing edges of the document as it is processed through the apparatus, the improvement comprising: a station for reading said documents and for emitting pulses in responsive thereto; means for inhibiting pulses from said reading station during the continuation of the operation of said apparatus; positionable means actuated by the trailing edge of a document for activating said inhibiting means immediately after a selected coded information column has been read; and means independent of said positionable means actuated by the trailing edge of a document for shutting off the apparatus, said independent means including delay means for permitting the trailing edge to clear the reading and pulse emitting station before the apparatus is shut off.
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) | 1977-11-18 | 1978-05-20 | 1978-11-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-11-18 | 1982-05-20 | 1982-11-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-11-18 | 1986-05-20 | 1986-11-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |