Drive Mechanism For Use With Information Cards

Abstract

An information card drive mechanism comprising a pinch roller and a capstan driven by a motor for selectively driving the information card in one of two predetermined directions and at least three switches and an electronic logic circuit for controlling the driving direction of the motor.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a drive mechanism for use with information cards, and more particularly to such mechanisms which are automatically controlled by the information card.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In a prior mechanism, the entrance for the information card is generally formed at one end of a straight passage while the exit for the card is at the other end. The information card is passed straight through by the cooperation of a capstan and a pinchroller. While being passed, a magnetic head records information signals on the card or reproduces magnetic information signals that were previously recorded on the card. In this way, the card is passed on to the exit. Since the putting-in position and the taking-out position of the card lie opposite each other, magnetic writing or recording on the card by the operator is difficult.

In another type of card reading mechanism the card is fully inserted in the mechanism by hand and then the card is ejected by the cooperation of a motor driven capstan and a pinchroller. In this type, while the card is being ejected, the head reproduces or records magnetic signals on the card. Before the card is put into the passage, the distance between the capstan and the pinchroller is kept more than the thickness of the card. Following the finish of the insertion of the card, this distance is shortened to pinch the card between the capstan and the pinch roller and in this way the card is ejected. This type of mechanism therefore needs a switching means to switch the capstan-pinchroller spacing. Since it is necessary to put the card in the innermost part of the passage by hand, the card is liable to be damaged. It is also difficult to maintain the travelling speed of the card at a given speed at the time of recording or playback and moreover tracking error as well as error in the angle of tracking are liable to happen because of malfunctions in the variable capstan-pinchroller spacing mechanism.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention of a drive mechanism for use with information cards comprises a card holding frame, motor driven means for inserting and ejecting the information card into and out of the card holding frame, means for recording or playing back information signals on the information card while it is being driven by the motor driven means, and means responsive to the position of the information card within the card holding frame, including electronic logic means, for controlling the operation of the motor driven means, the electronic logic means being operated by at least three switches mounted on the card holding frame at predetermined locations for contacting the information card.

In one preferred embodiment the motor driven means includes a single motor driven capstan-pinchroller arrangement having a substantially constant, predetermined spacing and exerting a substantially constant gripping force on the card.

Accordingly, it is one object of this invention to provide a drive mechanism for use with information cards in which all the above described defects of prior art mechanisms have been improved.

It is another object of this invention to provide a drive mechanism for use with information cards in which the information cards are passed into a predetermined position by a drive means and then are taken out by reversing the drive means from the position.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a drive mechanism for use with information cards in which the forward and reverse operation of the information cards is automatically done.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide a drive mechanism for use with information cards in which the position of the information cards under driving condition is controlled and the tracking error between the transducer and the card information track is substantially eliminated.

It is further object of this invention to provide a drive mechanism for use with information cards in which the pressure between the capstan and the pinch roller driving the information cards can easily be controlled.

These and further objects, features and advantages of this invention will be more readily apparent upon reading the following detailed descriptions of certain preferred embodiments of the invention which are to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a right side view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of the circuit driving the motor of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a graphical representation of the output signal waveforms obtained at various points in the circuit diagram shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a reproducing system employed in this invention;

FIG. 7 is a graphical representation of the signal waveforms obtained at various points in the block diagram shown in FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a graphical representation of the signal waveforms employed to explain a detecting system in the embodiment in FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In FIGS. 1 - 3, mounted on the upper surface of a setting plate 2 of the writing and/or reading apparatus are guide rails 20 and the interrupted guide rail 21/22 extending parallel and spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal axis of the setting plate 2. These rails are mounted by screws 24 threaded in the setting plate 2 and passing through oblong holes 23 in the rails so that the rails are adjustable to either the left or right direction as view in FIG. 3. On the inner sides of these rails 20 and 21/22 are formed longitudinal slits 26 whose height is almost equal to or slightly more than the thickness of an information card or magnetic card 5, for instance 0.1 - 0.5 mm. The depths of the innermost part of these slits 26 are such as to accommodate the width of the magnetic card 5, for instance 5.5 cm approximately. Thus if the magnetic card 5 is inserted into these slits 26, a front end 8 of the magnetic card 5 will pass a predetermined locus, namely a passage 30, guided by the slits 26. On the front ends of slits 26 of guide rails 20 and 21 (the left ends as viewed in FIG. 3) are formed side expansion portions 27 and 28 and upper expansion portions 29 respectively and these expansion portions make it easy to put the card 5 into the passage 30. The length of these guide rails 20 and 21/22 can be longer by two to three times the length of the card 5, for instance about 9.0 cm. The card 5 may be made, for example, using Mylar as a base material with its upper surface having a magnetic substance layer formed thereon and its lower surface is painted.

On the outer side of the guide rail 22 a recessed portion 19 is formed extending to the slit 26. An elastic roller 17, made of rubber or the like, is pivoted rotatably in the recessed portion 19. Since the end of the inner side of this roller 17 extends slightly into the slit 26, the roller 17 presses elastically upon the side 18 of the card 5 as it passes through the passage 30 and thereby reduces tracking error between the record/playback head 63 and the card 5.

A space 25 is formed between the rails 21 and 22 near the front end of the passage 30. The free ends of pivoted levers 31 and 32, which actuate a drive-starting micro switch K.sub.1 and a drive-suspension micro switch K.sub.2, respectively, extend into the passage 30 from the space 25. The other ends of these levers 31 and 32 are pivotably fitted on the setting plate 2 by pins 36 and 37, respectively. Movement of these levers 31 and 32 to the anticlockwise direction as shown in FIG. 3, actuates the switches K.sub.1 and K.sub.2, respectively, by striking projecting switch buttons 38a and 38b, respectively.

Near the blind end of the passage 30 a drive-controlling micro switch K.sub.3 and a ready-for-writing micro switch K.sub.4 are respectively fitted on the setting plate 2. The ends of a pair of actuating levers 33 and 34 are pivotably fitted on the setting plate 2 by pins 39 and 40, respectively, adjacent the switches K.sub.3 and K.sub.4, respectively. Movement of these levers 33 and 34 to the anticlockwise direction as shown in FIG. 3 causes them to depress the actuating portions 38c and 38d of switches K.sub.3 and K.sub.4, respectively. The other ends of levers 33 and 34 extend into the passage 30 from the blind end. Between the levers 33 and 34 is provided a plate-shaped stopper 35 fixed on the setting plate 2 by screws. This stopper 35 controls the final stopping position of the front end 8 of the card 5.

A D.C. motor M is fixed on the bosses 3 and 4 formed on the underside of the setting plate. A belt 7 engages a motor pulley 6 of the motor M and an intermediate pulley 10 of large diameter that is p pivotably fitted on the setting plate 2 through a plate 12. The pulley 10 is moulded as a single unit with an intermediate pulley 11 of smaller diameter. A belt 13 engages pulley 11 and also engages a pulley 14 pivotably fitted on the setting plate 2 through an adaptor plate 15.

On a shaft 16 of the pulley 14 is fixed a capstan 41 provided with a rubber coated surface, or the like. Directly above this capstan 41, as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2, a pinch roller 42, having a rubber coated surface or the like, which is mounted by a shaft 43 in a pair of arms 59 and 60 formed on the front end of a U-shaped supporting lever 58. The rear end of this lever 58 is pivoted by a shaft 56 supported at both ends by a U-shaped plate 55 fitted on the setting plate 2.

The shaft 43 is so arranged that the vertical position of the pinch roller 42 can be controlled by a pressure adjusting means consisting of a control lever 44, a screw 45, a projecting rod 46 and a coil spring 47. One end of the shaft 43 is inserted into a piping portion 49 formed at an intermediate portion of the control lever 44. An arcshaped front end portion 50 of the lever 44 is placed on a supporting plate 48 fixed by screws to the guide rails 21 and 22. A hole 51 formed in the lever 44 between the front end portion 50 and the piping portion 49 is penetrated by the projecting rod 46 with its lower end being fixed on the supporting plate 48. A repulsion coil spring 47 carried by the projected rod 46 exists between the suspension portion 46a formed on the upper end of the projected rod 46 and the lever 44. This arrangement elastically presses the front end portion 50 of the lever 44 against the supporting plate 48. A screw 45 is threaded in the rear end of the lever 44. The lower end of the screw 45 is pressed upon the supporting plate 48 because of the repulsion strength of the spring 47. By turning the screw 45 in and out, therefore, the lever 44 is caused to move toward either the anticlockwise or the clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 2, making the front end portion 50 a fulcrum. By this movement, one end of the shaft 43 is caused to be depressed or raised. Because the shaft 43 is supported by a pair of arms 59 and 60 of the pivoted supporting lever 58, both ends of the shaft 43 depress or raise together, thereby keeping the shaft 43 horizontal.

As the pinch roller 42 is depressed or raised with the shaft 43, the distance or pressing strength between the capstan 41 and the pinch roller 42 accordingly changes. By adjustment of the screw 45, the distance or pressing strength can be adjusted at will. In order to prevent the rubber of the pressed portions of the capstan and the pinch roller from getting fatigued while the operation of the apparatus is suspended, the capstan-pinch roller spacing is preferably kept greater than zero and more preferably between one-fifth to one-third of the thickness of the card 5, for instance 20.mu. to 200.mu.. Of course this spacing lies in the passage 30 and is coplanar with the slits 26 of the guide rails 20 - 22.

The setting plate 2 is fitted with three magnetic heads 63a, 63b and 63c for magnetic recording and reproducing and the whole of these three heads is designated as the head assembly 63. Above this head assembly 63, as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2, a pressure roller 62 is provided having a surface coating layer consisting of rubber or the like. The roller 62 is supported on a shaft 61 mounted between a pair of arms 59' and 60' formed at the front end portion of a U-shaped supporting lever 57. The rear end portion of this lever 57 is pivotably supported by the supporting shaft 56. The vertical position of the shaft 61 is controlled in a manner similar to the control of the shaft 43 by a pressure adjusting means comprising an elastically biased control lever 71, a screw 72 threaded in one end of the lever 71, a projecting rod 73 and a coil spring 74 fitted over the rod 73 to elastically bias the lever 71 downwardly as viewed in FIG. 1. The lever 71 is pipe-formed at its midsection to receive one end of the shaft 61. Since the shaft 61 is mounted in the pivoted bracket 57, both ends of the shaft are raised and lowered simultaneously.

The distance or pressing strength between the pressure roller 62 and the gap portions 64a, 64b and 64c of the respective heads 63a, 63b and 63c can be regulated at will by screwing the screw 72 in or out. This distance is desirably the same as that between the capstan 41 and the pinch roller 42 and, as in the latter case, it is coplanar with the slits 26 of the rails 20 - 22.

When using the apparatus 1, the magnetic card 5 is first inserted in the slits 26 of guide rails 20 and 21 from the front end of the passage 30. Upon its insertion, the front end 8 of the card 5 touches the actuating lever 31 to move it to the anticlockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 3, whereby the drive-starting switch K.sub.1 turns "on." As shown in further detail hereinafter, this causes the motor M to start running in the forward travelling direction of the card 5. The rotation of the motor shaft is transmitted to the capstan 41 through the motor pulley 6, the belt 7, the intermediate pulleys 10 and 11, the belt 13, the pulley 14 and the shaft 16 respectively whereby the capstan 41 starts turning in the forward travelling direction of card 5.

When the card 5 reaches the small gap between the pinch roller 42 and the capstan 41, whose thickness is less than that of the card 5, the pinch roller 42 holds the card 5 jointly with the capstan 41. By the cooperation of capstan 41 and pinch roller 42, the card 5 is sent into the passage 30 in a forward direction, i.e., to the right as viewed in FIG. 3. The card 5 is likewise put into a small gap between the pressure roller 62 and the gap portion 64a - 64c of the heads 63a - 63 c whereby the card 5 is pressed in the gap portion 64 by the roller 62 by means of repulsion strength of the spring 74.

As the card 5 moves forward in the slits 26, the front end 8 of the card 5 touches on the actuating lever 32 to move it to the anticlockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 3. The drive-suspension switch K.sub.2 is then turned on but, as described in greater detail later, the motor M keeps on running in the forward travelling direction whereby the card 5 keeps on travelling in the forward direction.

As the card 5 travels forward, and shortly before the front end 8 of the card 5 is about to touch the plate stopper 35, the front end 8 presses the actuating lever 33 to move it to the anticlockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 3, whereby the drive-controlling switch K.sub.3 is turned on. On the corner of the front end 8 of the card 5 a notch portion 9 is formed to prevent erasing by mistake. The notch portion 9 can easily be formed, when found necessary, by a mere cutting of a corner of the front end of the rectangular card 5. If the notch portion 9 is not formed, the front end 8 of the card 5 presses the actuating lever 34 to move it to the anticlockwise direction as shown in FIG. 3 whereby the ready-for-writing switch K.sub.4 is turned on almost simultaneously with the switch K.sub.3. When the switches K.sub.3 and K.sub.4 turn on, the magnetic record reproducing circuit, including the magnetic heads 63, will be switched into a magnetic recording state. When only the switch K.sub.3 turns on, the circuit turns into a magnetic reproducing or reading state.

When the switch K.sub.3 turns on, as detailed later, the motor M is switched to start rotating in the reverse travelling direction of the card 5. The capstan 41 is thereby caused to start rotating in the opposite direction, i.e., the reverse travelling direction of the card 5 whereby the card 5 starts reverse travelling almost simultaneously as its front end 8 touches the plate stopper 35. During the reverse travelling, the card 5 is magnetically read or recorded on in accordance with the existence or nonexistence of the notch portion 9. The pressure roller 62 presses the card 5 effectively on the gap portions 64a - 64c of the heads 63a - 63c in order that the magnetic recording or playback operations can be accomplished accurately.

As the card reverse travels the right side end 18 of the card 5 releases the actuating lever 32 whereby the switch K.sub.2 is turned "off." When the switch K.sub.2 is turned off, the motor M suspends its operation, as detailed later, and the magnetic recording and reproducing circuit turns into a non-actuating state.

In this non-actuating state, the front end 8 of the card 5 is pressed between the capstan 41 and the pinch roller 42 and between the head assembly 63 and the pressure roller 62 respectively by the repulsion strength of the springs 47 and 74. The card 5 can thereafter simply be removed by hand from the passage 30 whereby the actuating lever 31 is freed from the pressure of the right side 18 of the card 5 and returns to its original position. The switch K.sub.1 is then turned off and the whole mechanism returns to its original state.

Next a description will be made of the electronic logic circuit for driving the motor M, with particular reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

Each of the switches K.sub.1, K.sub.2 and K.sub.3 is connected in parallel with a separate capacitor C.sub.1, C.sub.2 and C.sub.3, respectively, to the circuit ground and in series with a separate resistor R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3, respectively, to a positive voltage source such as +4V as illustrated in FIG. 4.

The junction of the resistor R.sub.1, the switch K.sub.1 and the capacitor C.sub.1 is connected through a capacitor C.sub.4 and along a line A to an input H of a flip-flop circuit FF. The line A is also connected to the cathode terminal of a diode D.sub.4. The junction is also connected through an inverter N.sub.1 to a line B which is connected to the cathode terminal of a diode D.sub.1. The junction of the resistor R.sub.2, the capacitor C.sub.2 and the switch K.sub.2 is connected through an inverted N.sub.2 to a line C which is connected to the cathode terminal of a diode D.sub.5. The junction of the resistor R.sub.3, the capacitor C.sub.3 and the switch K.sub.3 is connected through a capacitor C.sub.5 to a line D which is connected to the input H of the flip-flop circuit FF. The line D is also connected to the cathode terminal of a diode D.sub.2.

The diodes D.sub.1 and D.sub.2 have their anodes connected to the anode of a diode D.sub.3 and effectively constitute an AND gate. The anode of the diode D.sub.3 is also connected through a resistor R.sub.4 to a positive voltage source +4V. The cathode electrode of the diode D.sub.3 is connected to the base electrode of an NPN transistor T.sub.1. The collector electrode of the transistor T`is connected to the positive voltage source +4V and its emitter electrode is connected to the base electrode of an NPN transistor T.sub.2.

A resistor R.sub.5 is connected from the base of the transistor T.sub.2 and in series with a resistor R.sub.6 to the negative terminal of the voltage supply. The collector electrode of the transistor T.sub.2 is connected to the positive voltage source +4V and its emitter electrode is connected to a terminal E of the motor M and to the collector electrode of an NPN transistor T.sub.3. The emitter electrode of the transistor T.sub.3 is connected to the emitter electrode of an NPN transistor T.sub.6 and in series with a resistor R.sub.10 to a negative terminal of the voltage supply. The collector electrode of the transistor T.sub.6 is connected to a terminal F of the motor M and to the emitter electrode of an NPN transistor T.sub.5.

The collector electrode of the transistor T.sub.5 is connected to the positive voltage source +4V. The base electrode of the transistor T.sub.5 is connected to the emitter electrode of an NPN transistor T.sub.4 and in series with the resistors R.sub.8 and R.sub.9 to the negative terminal of the voltage source. The base electrode of the transistor T.sub.6 is connected to the junction of the resistors B.sub.5 and R.sub.6 and the base electrode of the transistor T.sub.3 is connected to the junction of the resistors R.sub.8 and R.sub.9.

The base electrode of the transistor T.sub.4 is connected to the cathode electrode of the diode D.sub.6. The anode of the diode D.sub.6 is connected in series with a resistor R.sub.7 to the positive voltage source +4V. The anode of the diode D.sub.6 is also connected to the anodes of the diodes D.sub.4 and D.sub.5 which effectively constitute a second AND gate.

In the original state, i.e., when the switches K.sub.1, K.sub.2 and K.sub.3 are off, the respective potentials K.sub.1, K.sub.2 and K.sub.3 between the resistors R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 and the switches K.sub.1, K.sub.2 and K.sub.3 are in a positive state prior to the time t.sub.1 at which the switch K.sub.1 turns on, so that the outputs B and C of the inverter circuits N.sub.1 and N.sub.2 are zero while diodes D.sub.1 and D.sub.5 are on. The output H of one of the pair of input-output terminals of the flip-flop circuit FF is positive while the output H of the other terminal is zero whereby the diodes D.sub.4 and D.sub.2 are turned off and on, respectively.

When the diodes D.sub.1 and D.sub.2 are on, the diode D.sub.3 is off so that the transistors T.sub.1, T.sub.2 and T.sub.6 are all off. As stated above, when the diodes D.sub.4 and D.sub.5 are off and on respectively, the diode D.sub.6 is off so that the transistors T.sub.4, T.sub.5 and T.sub.3 are all off. When the transistors T.sub.2, T.sub.3, T.sub.5 and T.sub.6 are off, no current is supplied to the motor M and therefore the motor M is stopped.

When the drive-starting switch K.sub.1 is turned on at time t.sub.1 the potential of the intermediate point K.sub.1 between the resistor R.sub.1 and the switch K.sub.1 comes down to zero as shown in FIG. 5 and stays in this state until time t.sub.5 when the switch K.sub.1 is turned off. When the potential of the point K.sub.1 is reduced to zero in this way, the output B of the inverter circuit N.sub.1 raises up as shown in FIG. 5 and the diode D.sub.1 will be turned off by being reverse biased. The output A in FIG. 5 is differentiated by the condenser C.sub.4 and is added to the input-output terminal H of the flip-flop circuit FF whereby the outputs of the pair of input-output terminals H and H are inverted, as shown in FIG. 5. The H output then rises up and the diode D.sub.2 is turned off by being reverse biased. As the H output is reduced to zero, the diode D.sub.4 is turned on. When both diodes D.sub.1 and D.sub.2 are turned off, the diode D.sub.3 is turned on because it is forward biased. The turning on of diode D.sub.3 also turns on the transistors T.sub.1, T.sub.2 and T.sub.6. As the diodes D.sub.4 and D.sub.5 both turn on as aforesaid, the diode D.sub.6 will turn off and the transistors T.sub.4, T.sub.5 and T.sub.3 will turn off whereby the motor current is supplied by the series circuit of:

the plus terminal of the power source - the transistor T.sub.2 - motor M - transistor T.sub.6 - common emitter resistance R.sub.10 - and the minus terminal of the power source (earth).

As the current flows from one terminal E to the other terminal F of the motor M, the motor M runs in its normal, forward direction.

At time t.sub.2, the drive-suspension switch K.sub.2 is turned on and the potential of the intermediate point K.sub.2 between the resistor R.sub.2 and the switch K.sub.2, as shown in FIG. 5, comes down to zero. This state of K.sub.2 will remain until time t.sub.4 when the switch K.sub.2 is turned off. When the potential of point K.sub.2 comes down to zero, the output C of the inverter circuit N.sub.2 will rise up as shown in FIG. 5 and the diode D.sub.5 will be turned off by being reverse biased. Since the diode D.sub.4 is still on, the diode D.sub.6 will remain off and, as the result, the motor M will keep on running in the forward direction.

At a time t.sub.3, the drive-controlling switch K.sub.3 is turned on temporarily, and the potential of the intermediate point K.sub.3 between the resistor R.sub.3 and the switch K.sub.3 will be temporarily reduced to zero. Because of this, the output D in FIG. 5, which is the change in potential of K.sub.3 differentiated by the condenser C.sub.5, is added to the other input-output terminal H of the flip-flop circuit FF and the outputs of the pair of input-output terminals H and H of the circuit FF are again inverted. With this inversion the output of the terminal H rises up, thereby reverse biasing the diode D.sub.4 and turning it off, and the H output becomes zero, to forward bias the diode D.sub.2 and turn it on.

As stated above, when either or both of the diodes D.sub.1 and D.sub.2 turn on, the diode D.sub.3 will turn off and the transistors T.sub.1, T.sub.2 and T.sub.6 will turn off. When the diodes D.sub.4 and D.sub.5 both turn off, the diode D.sub.6 will turn on whereby the transistors T.sub.4, T.sub.5 and T.sub.3 will turn on. When the transistors T.sub.2 and T.sub.6 both turn off and the transistors T.sub.3 and T.sub.5 both turn on, the current will be supplied to the motor M by the circuit of:

plus terminal of power source - transistor T.sub.5 - motor M - transistor T.sub.3 - common emitter resistor R.sub.10 - minus terminal of power source (earth).

As the current flows from the terminal F to the terminal E of the motor M, the motor M runs in the opposite direction, i.e., in a reverse direction.

At time t.sub.4, the drive-suspension switch K.sub.2 is turned off and the potential of K.sub.2 rises so that the output C of the inverter circuit N.sub.2 will become zero. This causes the diode D.sub.5 to be forward biased and therefore turned on and the diode D.sub.6 to be turned off. When the diodes D.sub.3 and D.sub.6 are both turned off, the motor M will suspend motion as in the situation prior to time t.sub.1.

At time t.sub.5, the drive-starting switch K.sub.1 is turned off and the potential of K.sub.1 will rise. By this rise, the output B of the inverter circuit N.sub.1 becomes zero, and the diode D.sub.1 is turned on by being forward biased. At this point the whole mechanism is returned to its original state.

BH and CH in FIG. 5 show the outputs of diodes D.sub.3 and D.sub.4 respectively. FIG. 4 shows the preferred embodiment where a semiconductor switch was employed but in other embodiments a relay contact may also be employed in place of the semiconductor switch.

Up to now the description has only been as to the driving of the information card. With reference now particularly to FIG. 6 a description of the reproducing of information signals recorded on the information card will be made next. The recording of information signals on the information card is made at the option of the operator under the reverse travelling condition of the card and a detailed description of the recording will be omitted.

The heads 63a and 63b pass information signals while the head 63c passes check signals. The check signals are combined electronically with the information signals and are used for detecting to see if a correct recording has been made on one of the two information tracks on the card. The information signals are recorded on two tracts of the information card while the check signals are recorded on a third track.

The respective information signals and check signal are designated by reference letters A.sub.1, A.sub.2 and A.sub.3, respectively, in FIG. 7 as reproduced by the heads 63a, 63b and 63c, respectively, as shown in FIG. 6. The reproduced output signals are respectively amplified by amplifiers 102a, 102b and 102c are each further amplified by the amplifying and phase inverting circuits 103a, 103b and 103c, respectively, to produce the outputs designated as B.sub.1, B.sub.2 and B.sub.3, respectively, in FIG. 7 on channels 104a, 104b and 104c, respectively. The signals C.sub.1, C.sub.2 and C.sub.3, which represent the phase-inverted form of the signals B.sub.1, B.sub.2 and B.sub.3 are produced by the circuits 103a, 103b and 103c on their output channels 105a, 105b and 105c, respectively. These phase-inverted signals are obtained by taking the phase-reversed voltage from, for example, the emitter and collector of an amplifying transistor.

The negative going pulses are extracted from the output waveforms B.sub.1, B.sub.2 and B.sub.3 and their inverted waveforms C.sub.1, C.sub.2 and C.sub.3 by the monostable multivibrator circuits 106a, 106b, and 106c connected to the output channels 104a- 105a, 104b-105b and 104c-105c, respectively. For example, the pulse train D.sub.1 is derived from the output waveform B.sub.1 and its inverted waveform C.sub.1 while the pulse train D.sub.2 is derived from the head output waveform B.sub.2 and its inverted waveform C.sub.2 and the pulse train D.sub.3 is derived from the head output waveform B.sub.3 and its inverted waveform C.sub.3. And these pulses are added to the monostable multivibrator.

The output waveforms of the multivibrator circuits 106a, 106b and 106c are E.sub.1, E.sub.2 and E.sub.3 respectively as seen in FIG. 7. The output waveforms E.sub.1 and E.sub.2 correspond to the signals detected from the information signal tracks and the signals E.sub.1 and E.sub.2 are fed to the output circuits 107a and 107b, respectively, which process or otherwise utilize the signals.

The output waveforms E.sub.1 and E.sub.2 are also added, together with the signal E.sub.3, to an OR circuit 108 from which an OR output waveform F is obtained. In the waveform F, a train of pulses is formed in which a pulse is generated at predetermined intervals on each bit. Because the rise portion of each pulse of the OR output waveform F is of the same phase as that of the output waveforms E.sub.1, E.sub.2 and E.sub.3 of the monostable multivibrators 106a, 106b and 106c, it is not suitable for a clock pulse.

The output of the OR circuit 108 is further added to a delay circuit 109 so that its output waveform G is slightly delayed as compared with the OR output waveform F. The output waveform G is suitable for use as a clock pulse. However, in this embodiment the output waveform G of the delay circuit 109 is further added to a phase inverting circuit 110 to produce a phase-inverted waveform H from the waveform G. The output H is used to trigger a monostable multivibrator 111. A clock pulse waveform I is formed by the monostable multivibrator 111. The clock pulse waveform I is added to the clock pulse circuit 112.

In the above described system the clock signals are generated without specially providing an independent track to record the clock signals on the magnetic recording medium. A circuit for detecting dropout of the clock is pulse shown in FIG. 8. The output waveform G of the delay circuit 109 in FIG. 7, functioning as clock pulses, in employed. With the fall portion of the pulses in the waveform G the monostable multivibrator 111 is triggered to form an output waveform J'. The existence of the waveforms G and J can be ascertained by the passing of these waveforms. If there is a dropout of the signals, there is at first a portion where the pulse doesn't generate the waveforms G' of delay circuit 109. As the result, a pulse will not be generated in the output waveforms J' of the monostable multivibrator triggered by the fall portion of the waveforms G' whereby the dropout will be detected by the circuit 108 and in accordance with this detection it is possible to give a warning or to suspend the functioning of the apparatus.

Although illustrative embodiments of this invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to these precise embodiments and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention .

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A drive mechanism for use with an information card reading and recording system comprising a chassis, a pair of parallel guide rails mounted on the chassis for guiding both edges of an information card, a stop member mounted on the chassis, the guide rails and the stop member together defining a passage having an open end and a blind end to receive the information card, drive means for selectively driving the information card in a forward direction into the passage and in a reverse direction out of the passage, the drive means including a motor, a capstan mechanically driven by the motor and rotatably mounted between the guide rails and immediately adjacent to the passage, and a pinch roller, means for resiliently supporting the pinch roller in a parallel, spaced-apart relationship with the capstan to define a substantially uniform space therebetween through which the information card is drawn by the co-operative rotation of the capstan and the pinch roller, a magnetic transducer for selectively recording information on the card and reproducing information from the card, the magnetic transducer being mounted immediately adjacent to the passage, bias means for depressing the information card into contact with the magnetic transducer, the bias means including a pressure roller and means for resiliently and rotatably mounting the pressure roller on the chassis in a parallel, spaced-apart relationship with the magnetic transducer, the space between the pressure roller and the magnetic transducer, the space between the capstan and the pinch roller, and the guide rail slits all being coplanar with each other, drive control means including first switch means responsive to the insertion of the information card into the passage and being provided immediately adjacent to the passage and between the open end of the passage and the drive means for actuating the drive means to drive the information card in the forward direction, second switch means responsive to the movement of the information card in the passage and located at the blind end of the passage for reversing the driving direction of the drive means when the information card reaches the blind end of the passage, third switch means responsive to movement of the information card in the passage and located immediately adjacent the passage and between the drive means and the blind end of the passage for deactivating the drive means when the information card is at a predetermined position in the passage during its travel in the reverse direction whereby a portion of the information card is thereafter resiliently gripped between the capstan and the pinch roller, and fourth switch means located at the blind end of the passage and responsive to the movement of a select portion of the information card for activating the magnetic transducer to record information on the card during the card's travel in the reverse direction after the fourth switch means has contacted the select portion of the card at the end of the card's forward travel and for deactivating the recording function of the magnetic transducer during the card's travel in the reverse direction in the absence of the select portion of the card.

2. A drive mechanism for use with an information card reading and recording system comprising a chassis, a pair of parallel guide rails mounted on the chassis for guiding both edges of an information card, a stop member mounted on the chassis, the guide rails and the stop member together defining a passage having an open end and a blind end to receive the information card, drive means for selectively driving the information card in a forward direction into the passage and in a reverse direction out of the passage, the drive means including a motor, a capstan mechanically driven by the motor and rotatably mounted immediately adjacent to the passage, and a pinch roller, means for resiliently supporting the pinch roller in a parallel, spaced-apart relationship with the capstan to define a substantially uniform space therebetween through which the information card is drawn by the co-operative rotation of the capstan and the pinch roller and to exert a substantially constant, uniform pressure on the information card after its insertion into the passage and before its removal therefrom, a magnetic transducer mounted immediately adjacent to the passage, bias means for depressing the information card into contact with the magnetic transducer, the bias means including a pressure roller and means for resiliently and rotatably mounting the pressure roller on the chassis in a parallel, spaced-apart relationship with the magnetic transducer, drive control means including first switch means responsive to the insertion of the information card into the passage and being provided immediately adjacent to the passage and between the open end of the passage and the drive means for actuating the drive means to drive the information card in the forward direction, second switch means responsive to the movement of the information card in the passage and located at the blind end of the passage for reversing the driving direction of the drive means when the information card reaches the blind end of the passage, and third switch means responsive to movement of the information card in the passage and located immediately adjacent the passage and between the drive means and the blind end of the passage for deactivating the drive means when the information card is at a predetermined position in the passage during its travel in the reverse direction whereby a portion of the information card is thereafter resiliently gripped between the capstan and the pinch roller.

3. A drive mechanism as recited in claim 2 wherein the first, second and third switch means comprise first, second and third normally open switches, respectively, which are closed upon contact of a sufficient force with the information card, and the drive control means includes electronic logic means for activating the motor in the forward and reverse directions and for stopping the motor, the electronic logic means including an electronic bistable circuit having at least first and second input/output leads for producing two separate, continuous output signals which are inverted with respect to each other, the bistable circuit inverting both of its output signals upon the selective application of a signal pulse to either of its first and second input/output leads, an electronic reversing switch having first and second control inputs for supplying current in a forward direction to the motor when a control signal is supplied to the first control input and for supplying current to the motor in a reverse direction when a control signal is supplied to the second control input, a first AND gate having its output connected to the first control input and one of its inputs connected to the second input/output lead of the bistable circuit, a second AND gate having its output connected to the second control input and one of its inputs connected to the first input/output lead of the bistable circuit, means responsive to the closing of the first switch for supplying a signal pulse of relatively short duration upon the initial closing of the first switch to the first input/output lead of the bistable circuit and for supplying a continuous control signal to the other input of the first AND gate as long as the first switch is closed, means responsive to the closing of the third switch for supplying a pulse of a relatively short duration to the second input/output lead of the bistable circuit upon the initial closing of the third switch, and means responsive to the closing of the second switch for supplying a continuous control signal to the other input of the second AND gate as long as the second switch is closed.

4. A drive mechanism as recited in claim 2 wherein the guide rails each have a longitudinal slit for receiving the information card, the slits being parallel to each other.

5. A drive mechanism as recited in claim 4 wherein one of the rails has a hollow indentation which extends into the slit in the one rail and further including an elastic roller and means for rotatably mounting the roller on the chassis such that it rotates about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the slits and extends into the indentation to contact the information card and regulate the position of the information card in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the information card.

6. A drive mechanism as recited in claim 2 wherein the pressure roller and the pinch roller are each provided with separate, adjustable means for regulating the pressure which they assert against the information card.

7. A drive mechanism according to claim 6, wherein the pressure regulating means of the pinch roller comprises a lever arm having one end pivoted on one of the rails, a shaft having one end fitted in a recess in the lever arm, the pinch roller being rotatably supported by the shaft, means for pivotably mounting both ends of the shaft on the chassis, and adjustable means for resiliently pressing a free end of the lever arm toward the one rail in order to bias the pinch roller toward the capstan.