Adjustable read head assembly

Claim 1

An assembly for mounting a read-write head in a card reader and the like so as to accommodate for card irregularities without introducing erroneous data, said assembly comprising: an elongated head carrying frame member having a central portion defining a read-write head receiving aperture, a mounting flange extending in a first direction from said central portion and an adjustment flange extending in the opposite direction from said central portion, means for mounting a read-write head in said aperture, a profiled aperture in said mounting flange and adjustment means in said adjustment flange; an intermediate member having a mounting surface with a like profiled stud extending therefrom and received in said profiled aperture of said head carrying frame member, means to secure said mounting flange to said mounting surface, an axial passage, bearing means mounted in opposite ends of said passage; and an elongated mounting frame member defining on one end thereof an aperture for receiving said intermediate member therein and a hooked extension on the opposite end, a pair of aligned bores in opposite walls of said aperture, pivot pin means the ends of which are received in said bores in said mounting frame member and passing through said bearings to rotatably mount said intermediate member in said mounting frame member for movement about a first axis, and a hooked extension on the opposite end of said mounting frame members, said hooked extension engaging a mounting pin for rotational movement about an axis extending normal to said first axis, whereby said read-write head is mounted to float so as to accommodate irregularities in a card being read.