Read and erase device

Claim 2

Apparatus for reading magnetically encoded information on a ticket or card, comprising a compact casing having an entry slot, an exit slot, and first and second internal wall portions defining therebetween within the casing a substantially continuously curved path connecting the entry and exit slots for a ticket or card inserted into the entry slot, the first wall portion defining an inner curvature of the curved path and the second wall portion defining an outer curvature of the curved path; a read head located within the second wall portion at the outer curvature of the path for reading the magnetically encoded information on the ticket or card; a drive roller and a pinch roller in engagement with one another and disposed along the path for conveying the ticket or card from the entry slot past the read head; an electric drive motor for driving the drive roller; and a projection formed as part of said first internal wall portion defining a constriction in the path adjacent to the read head.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the drive roller and the pinch roller are disposed along the path after the read head.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electric drive motor has a roller which engages the drive roller for driving the drive roller, and said electric drive motor, said driver roller, and said pinch roller comprise the only moving parts in the apparatus.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an erase head disposed along the path for erasing said magnetically coded information.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the read head and the erase head are combined in a single read and erase head.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising sensors disposed along the path for sensing the ticket or card and for controlling the electric drive motor.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said sensors comprise entry and exit sensors for energizing and de-energizing the electric drive motor and for controlling its direction of rotation.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising another projection formed as part of said first internal wall portion defining another constriction in the path adjacent to the entry slot.

Claim 10

Apparatus for controlling dispensing equipment comprising a read and erase device for reading and erasing magnetically encoded information on a ticket or card, the device comprising a compact casing having an entry opening for receiving the ticket or card, an exit opening, and first and second internal wall portions defining therebetween, a substantially continuously curved path connecting the entry and exit openings, the first wall portion defining an inner curvature of the path and the second wall portion defining an outer curvature of the path; a read head located within the second wall portion at the outer curvature of the path for reading the magnetically encoded information on the ticket or card; an erase head located within the second wall portion at the outer curvature of the path for erasing the magnetically encoded information on the ticket or card; a drive roller and a pinch roller in engagement with one another and disposed along the path for conveying the ticket or card from the entry opening to the exit opening; an electric drive motor for driving the drive roller; an entry sensor disposed along the path between the entry opening and the read head for sensing the ticket or card and for controlling the electric drive motor; and a projection formed as part of said first internal wall portion defining a constriction in the path adjacent to the read head and between the read head and the entry sensor.

Claim 11

Apparatus for controlling dispensing equipment comprising a read and erase device for reading and erasing magnetically encoded information on a ticket or card, the device comprising a compact casing having an entry opening for receiving the ticket or card, an exit opening, and first and second internal wall portions defining therebetween, a substantially continuously curved path connecting the entry and exit openings, the first wall portion defining an inner curvature of the path and the second wall portion defining an outer curvature of the path; a read head located within the second wall portion at the outer curvature of the path for reading the magnetically encoded information on the ticket or card; an erase head located within the second wall portion at the outer curvature of the path for erasing the magnetically encoded information on the ticket or card; a drive roller and a pinch roller in engagement with one another and disposed along the path for conveying the ticket or card from the entry opening to the exit opening; an electric drive motor for driving the drive roller; an entry sensor disposed along the path between the entry opening and the read head for sensing the ticket or card and for controlling the electric drive motor; and a projection formed as part of said first internal wall portion defining a constriction in the path adjacent to the read head and between the read head and the entry sensor.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the electric drive motor has a roller which can engages said drive roller, and the electric drive motor, the drive roller, and the pinch roller comprise the only moving parts of the device.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising another projection formed as part of said first internal wall portion defining another constriction in the path between the entry sensor and the entry opening.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising an exit sensor disposed adjacent to the exit opening for sensing the ticket or card, and wherein the entry and exit sensors cooperate to control the direction of rotation of the electric drive motor.