Automatic credit card validating device

Claim 2

An automatic credit card validating device adapted for use with credit cards and the like having encoding embossments projecting from a face surface thereof, the device comprising: a housing including at least one substantially horizontal surface thereon; an elongated rectangularly shaped slot defined in said surface and being of a size and configuration adapted to receive a substantially flat charge slip therein; a platform resiliently supported for vertical reciprocal movement in said slot and adapted to restingly receive said charge slip thereon; a rectangularly shaped aperture disposed in said platform and being of a size and configuration corresponding to said charge card such that when said charge card is rested on said charge slip resting on said platform said charge card will overlie said aperture; means associated with said surface and adapted to depress said charge card against said charge slip to imprint said charge with the information of said charge card; means for reading the encoded embossments of said charge card, said means disposed in said aperture and adapted to engage the bottom surface of said charge slip in the area of imprint thereof by said charge card to read the encoded embossed projections thereof; means for checking the validity of said encoded information as read by said reading means; and means operable in response to said checking means to indicate whether said charge card is valid or void, such checking taking place simultaneously with the imprinting of the information of said charge card onto said charge slip to provide a rapid and convenient validity check of every charge card each time it is used for a transaction.

Claim 3

The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for impressing the information of said charge card onto said charge slip and associated said reading means comprises a pair of spaced apart longitudinally extending guide grooves disposed on both sides of said slot and extending therealong, a pair of associated tracks disposed vertically downwardly from each of said grooves, a bracket member of a generally inverted U-shape having a substantially horizontal base portion which tranverses the distance between said grooves and which terminates in a pair of substantially vertically downwardly projecting leg portions each associated with one of said grooves and passing therethrough and adapted to be guided by said groove for reciprocal longitudinal movement therealong relative to said slot, each leg portion terminating in a terminal edge having roller means associated therewith and adapted to engage said tracks when said bracket is depressed downwardly of said horizontal surface, and an elongated cylindrical resilient roller mounted intermediate said leg portions for rotation relative thereto about its axis with the circumference of said roller adapted to engage said horizontal surface as it is rolled back and forth thereacross, said roller engaging said credit card and said charge slip when resting on said platform and depressing said platform until said charge slip is resting on said reading means after which said credit card is further depressed by said roller to simultaneously imprint said credit card encoded embossments on the charge slip while energizing said reading means to read said encoded embossments from the associated projections thereof as formed in the bottom surface of said charge slip as said credit card is pressed thereonto.

Claim 4

The device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said reading means comprises a readEr head having a multiplicity of embossment detection pins projecting upwardly from the top surface thereof and adapted to read the embossments as imprinted on the bottom surface of said charge slip as aforedescribed, and a reader assembly receiving electrical signals from said activated ones of said embossment detection pins to interpret the same and provide an output signal representing the same.

Claim 5

The device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said means for checking the validity of the information read by said reading means comprises a memory bank adapted to retain therein a multiplicity of information as to void credit cards, an encoder device having a plurality of push buttons adapted to be operated in a manner to insert respective ones of void credit card numbers into said memory bank for retention therein, and a comparison unit adapted to receive the output signal from said reader means and compare such signal with an output signal received from said memory bank to determine if the credit card information being read by said reader means is indicative of a void or valid credit card, said comparison unit providing an output signal designating a valid credit card if no comparison is made of the information read with the information in the memory bank, said comparison unit providing a void indicating output signal if the information from said reader means compares with said memory bank information, said valid and void output signals adapted to energize associated valid and void indicating means on said housing to simultaneously indicate to a user of the device whether the credit card is valid or void upon the imprinting of the transaction charge slip.

Claim 6

The device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said housing is provided with a back panel hinged to the housing for selective access to the interior components of the device, said panel provided with a lock to assure only authorized entrance into the device, and said pushbutton assembly of said encoder being disposed inwardly of said panel to provide ease of access thereto upon opening said panel for maintaining said memory bank in a continuously updated condition as to the entry of all void credit card numbers thereinto.