Shiftable pinch roll for magnetic card transport system

Claim 1

A card transport system comprising a card support member having a top surface, stationary guide means extending along one longitudinal edge of said support member and extending above said top surface, an opening in said member extending through said top surface, a drive roll supported for rotation about an axis which is generally parallel to said top surface and having a portion thereof extending into said opening with a plane tangent to the periphery thereof being substantially coplaner with said top surface, means for driving said roll in opposite directions, a rotatable shaft extending in a direction generally normal to said top surface, a pinch roll operably connected to said shaft for rotation about an axis generally normal to said shaft, said pinch roll being located above said top surface opposite said drive roll and forming a card receiving nip with said drive roll, resilient means urging said pinch roll towards said drive roll, and means for rotating said shaft to locate the axis of said pinch roll at a first position which is at a slight angle to a line perpendicular to said guide means when said drive roll is driven in one direction and for rotating said shaft in the opposite direction to bring the axis of said pinch roll past the line perpendicular to said guide means to a second position at a slight angle to the line perpendicular to said guide means when said drive roll is driven in the opposite direction, said angles being such that the resultant force vector exerted by said nip on said card will always be at a slight angle with and toward said guide means when said drive roll is driven.