Optical character reader scanning support mechanism

Claim 2

A scanning support mechanism movable in orthogonal X and Y directions comprising a first carriage, means for incrementally moving the first carriage in the Y direction, a second carriage movably mounted on the first carriage, constant speed drive means mounted on the first carriage, and reciprocating means powered by the constant speed drive means for shuttling the second carriage in the X direction, the reciprocating means including a pair of pulleys mounted on the first carriage so as to rotate in a plane substantially parallel to both the X and Y directions, at least one of the two pulleys being driven by the constant speed driving means, a driving belt connected between the two pulleys, Scotch yoke means mounted on the second carriage, and a pin rigidly mounted at one end in the Scotch yoke means and attached at its other end to the driving belt, whereby the rotation of the belt at a constant speed by the constant speed drive means exerts a force on the second carriage through the Scotch yoke means so as to cause the second carriage to shuttle in the X direction.

Claim 3

In a system for reading characters on a medium in orthogonal X and Y directions, an X-Y scanning support mechanism comprising a pair of spaced-apart, parallel first supports, a first carriage movably mounted on the first supports, means for incrementally moving the first carriage along the first supports in a predetermined first direction, a pair of parallel, spaced-apart second supports mounted on the first carriage and perpendicular to the first supports, a second carriage movably mounted on the second supports, a constant speed motor mounted on the first carriage, a pair of spaced-apart, parallel third supports mounted on the second carriage parallel to the first supports, a third carriage movably mounted on the third supports, and reciprocating means driven by the constant speed motor for shuttling the second carriage on the second supports over a predetermined distance in directions perpendicular to the first direction and including means for shuttling the third carriage on the third supports in directions parallel to the first direction, whereby the second carriage is caused to move in two orthogonal directions.

Claim 4

In a system for reading characters on a medium in orthogonal X and Y directions, an X-Y scanning support mechanism comprising a pair of spaced-apart, parallel first supports, a first carriage movably mounted on the first supports, means for incrementally moving the first carriage along the first supports in a predetermined first direction, a pair of parallel, spaced-apart second supports mounted on the first carriage and perpendicular to the first supports, a second carriage movably mounted on the second supports, a constant speed motor mounted on the first carriage, a pair of spaced-apart, parallel third supports mounted on the second carriage parallel to the first supports, a third carriage movably mounted on the third supports, and reciprocating means driven by the constant speed motor for shuttling the second carriage on the second supports over a predetermined distance in directions perpendicular to the first direction and including means for shuttling the third carriage on the third supports in directions parallel to the first direction, whereby the second carriage is caused to move in two orthogonal directions.

Claim 5

An X-Y scanning support mechanism as recited in claim 2 wherein the reciprocating means comprises a first pulley, a second pulley driven by the constant speed motor, the first and second pulleys being rotatably mounted on the first carriage and spaced apart in a direction substantially parallel to the second supports, and means for attaching the third carriage to the belt whereby the rotation of the belt around the first and second pulleys by the constant speed motor drags the third carriage back and forth on the third supports in directions parallel to the first direction and drags the second carriage back and forth in directions perpendicular to the first direction by forces exerted through the third carriage and the third suppOrts.

Claim 6

An X-Y scanning support mechanism as recited in claim 2 wherein the means for incrementally moving the first carriage comprises a threaded lead screw, means for incrementally rotating the lead screw, and means rigidly mounted on the first carriage for threadably engaging the lead screw, whereby as the lead screw is incrementally rotated the first carriage is incrementally advanced in line by line fashion.

Claim 7

An X-Y scanning support mechanism as recited in claim 2, wherein the second carriage comprises a pair of spaced-apart, parallel endwalls, a plurality of rods interconnecting the endwalls, and a printed circuit board mounted between the endwalls.

Claim 8

An X-Y scanning support mechanism as recited in claim 2 further comprising a projecting member attached to the second carriage, and a plurality of spaced-apart margin sensors mounted on the first carriage for producing separate electrical signals whenever the projecting member passes immediately adjacent to each of them.