U.S. patent number 3,680,853 [Application Number 05/094,093] was granted by the patent office on 1972-08-01 for record card reader, feeder and transport device.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Burroughs Corporation. Invention is credited to Frank A. Houghton, Thomas N. Yesowich.
United States Patent |
3,680,853 |
Houghton , et al. |
August 1, 1972 |
RECORD CARD READER, FEEDER AND TRANSPORT DEVICE
Abstract
A record card reader, feeder and transport is provided in which
three, progressively disposed orthogonal, coplanar card paths are
defined, each having card feeding and driving means, the feeding
means of one being a plunger roller overlying and actuatable toward
a drive roller peripherally recessed below the card path.
Inventors: |
Houghton; Frank A. (Detroit,
MI), Yesowich; Thomas N. (Farmington, MI) |
Assignee: |
Burroughs Corporation (Detroit,
MI)
|
Family
ID: |
22242878 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/094,093 |
Filed: |
December 1, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
271/3.2; 271/274;
271/139 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06K
13/08 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G06K
13/08 (20060101); G06K 13/02 (20060101); B65h
005/06 (); B65h 009/04 () |
Field of
Search: |
;271/DIG.4,44,49,3,59,51,58 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Blunk; Evon C.
Assistant Examiner: Stoner, Jr.; Bruce H.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. In a record card reader, feeder and transport device having a
ready station disposed at each of two respective junctures of
three, progressively disposed, orthogonal, coplanar card transport
sections, the card paths therethrough being of predetermined,
restricted lengths such that cards entering either ready station
may temporarily and partially overlap cards exiting therefrom to
maximize the rate of card processing while maintaining the rate of
card travel at a level low enough to minimize card leading edge
damage, there being card feeding and driving mechanisms operatively
associated with each card path, the medial card transport section
of the three aforesaid transport sections including, in
combination:
a horizontally elongated base plate forming a card-supporting
surface cooperating with a similar, superposing cover plate having
a card-guiding surface in closely spaced, opposing relation to the
card-supporting surface of the base plate and defining the medial
card path therebetween,
a continuously rotatable drive roller disposed peripherally below
the card-supporting surface of the base plate, said drive roller
extending partially through the base plate but being peripherally
recessed with respect to its card-supporting surface,
a pinch roller normally disposed peripherally above the
card-guiding surface of the cover plate and actuatable through the
cover plate toward said drive roller to depress individual record
cards into engagement with the drive roller for feeding the same
along the medial card path, and
means for feeding individual record cards into the medial card path
in a direction normal to and in the plane of card travel therein
from a preceding card path, each card passing freely thereinto by
virtue of the peripherally recessed dispositions of the drive
roller relative to the card-supporting surface of the base plate
and of the pinch roller relative to the card-guiding surface of the
cover plate.
2. In a record card transport system through which cards are fed in
seriatum and having a card transport section disposed at the
juncture of two orthogonally related, coplanar card paths of
predetermined, restricted lengths such that a card entering the
transport section will temporarily and partially overlap the
preceding card exiting therefrom to maximize the rate of card
processing while maintaining the rate of card travel at a level low
enough to minimize card leading edge damage, there being card
feeding and driving mechanisms operatively associated with each
card path, the transport section including, in combination;
a horizontally elongated base plate forming a card-supporting
surface cooperating with a similar, superposing cover plate having
a card-guiding surface in closely spaced confronting relation to
the card-supporting surface of the base plate and defining a narrow
card path therebetween,
a rotatable drive roller disposed peripherally below the
card-supporting surface of the base plate, said drive roller being
rotatable about a fixed axis and being dimensionally related to the
base plate so as to extend upwardly partially through the base
plate but being peripherally recessed with respect to its
card-supporting surface,
means connectible to a source of rotary power for rotating said
drive roller continuously at a substantially constant rate of
speed,
an idling pinch roller carried by the cover plate and normally
disposed peripherally above the card-guiding surface of the cover
plate and actuatable through the cover plate toward said drive
roller to depress an individual record card in the transport
section into engagement with the rotating drive roller so as to
cause the record card to be propelled by the drive roller along the
card path of the transport section, and
means for feeding record cards individually into the transport
section in a direction normal to that in which each such card is
propelled by the drive roller and in the plane of card path
therein, each such fed card passing freely into the card path of
the transport section during the normal peripherally recessed
disposition of the pinch roller relative to the card-guiding
surface of the cover plate and by virtue of the peripherally
recessed disposition of the drive roller relative to the
card-supporting surface of the base plate.
3. The record card transport system as defined in claim 2
characterized in that an electromagnetic device is carried by the
cover plate for causing the actuation of the pinch roller toward
the drive roller.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to record processing apparatus and
more particularly concerns a machine for feeding record cards from
a hopper, past a reading device and into a stacker.
Prior art discloses many record card reader transport systems. A
typical example, one closely related to the present invention, may
be found in record card readers where cards are fed from a hopper,
past a read station and into one or more stackers. Some of these,
in a manner also similar to the present invention, feed individual
cards from a hopper to temporary holding or ready stations,
wherefrom they are driven upon demand effectively through read
stations at a constant speed, from there to be transported to
stackers.
The transports described are subject to limitations of card travel
speed since the cards fed from the hoppers must be stopped in the
ready stations. The speed of travel must be below that which would
cause leading edge damage to cards as they impact the stop members
in the ready stations. For a given transport system, the over-all
card processing rate is also necessarily limited by this relatively
slow card speed. Also, since cards are stopped in the ready
station, the feeding of cards must be maintained below a desirable
level to prevent jamming, thereby further reducing the effective
card processing rate. The processing time for the transport systems
disclosed in the prior art are also limited by the distance the
cards are commonly transported, since cards naturally require
greater lengths of time to travel greater distances at given
speeds.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention resides in the provision of a record card reader,
feeder and transport device to transport record cards from a hopper
station to a stacker station by way of a read station.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a
record card reader, feeder and transport device which will
compensate for or otherwise offset the previously mentioned
disadvantages imposed by card speed limitations.
It is another object of the invention to provide a device which
will substantially reduce leading edge damage to cards as they are
stopped in ready stations.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a device with
a relatively high card processing rate.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a device with a
relatively low card jam rate despite an excessive card feeding
rate.
Another object of the invention is to provide a device which will
improve card processing time limitations imposed by transport
lengths.
An important aspect of the invention is the use of three,
progressively disposed orthogonal, coplanar card transport paths,
the effective intersection of each path presenting a ready station
where cards individually fed thereinto from one direction are held
temporarily before being issued therefrom in a direction normal to
that of their ingress.
Another important aspect of the invention is the use of ready
stations which permit a card entering from one direction to
partially overlap a card exiting in a direction normal thereto.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other objects, aspects and advantages of the invention
will be more clearly understood from the following description when
read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a plan view, partially fragmented, of a record card
reader, feeder and transport device embodying features of the
invention;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows
2--2 in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows
3--3 in FIG. 1; and
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows
4--4 in FIG. 1.
Detailed Description of the Invention
Referring to the drawings, the record card reader, feeder and
transport device shown has a hopper station 2, a first transport 4,
a read ready station 6, a second transport 8, a read station 10, a
stacker ready station 12, a third transport 14, and a stacker
station 16. The hopper station 2 is operatively coupled to the read
ready station 6 by the first transport 4, which communicates
therebetween. The read ready station 6 is operatively coupled to
the stacker ready station 12 in a like manner by the second
transport 8, the read station 10 being effectively disposed
substantially central thereto. The stacker ready station 12 is
operatively coupled to the stacker station 16 by the third
transport 14 which similarly communicates therebetween.
The first, second and third transports, 4, 8 and 14 respectively,
define record card paths from the hopper station 2 to the read
ready station 6, from the read ready station 6 to the stacker ready
station 12, and from the stacker ready station 12 to the stacker
station 16 respectively. The card paths thus defined each extend at
right angles to the path immediately anterior or posterior to it,
the paths defined by the first transport 4 and by the third
transport 14 respectively being parallel and spaced apart, the path
defined by the second transport 8 being normal to both and
effectively communicating therebetween, the plane of each of the
three defined card paths being substantially coincident.
With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the hopper station 2 has a lower
support or base member 18 acutely angled to the horizontal toward
the read ready station 6, and upright support members 20 affixed
normally to the base member 18. The configuration of the upright
support members 20 conforms to the dimensions of record cards to be
supported thereby such that the hopper station 2 is capable of
maintaining a uniformly aligned card stacker 22. Due to the
inclination of he base member 18, the record cards 22 stacked in
the hopper station 2 will be likewise inclined with their
respective leading edges lowermost and toward the read ready
station 6. A resilient card support member 24 is mounted atop the
hopper base plate 18 to support the leading edge of the card stack
22 and extends under and slightly past the leading upright support
member 20. The lower edge of the leading upright support member 20
is disposed above the card support member 24 by a thickness
slightly greater than the thickness of a single record card to form
a throat 26 to prevent the simultaneous feeding of more than one
card.
Referring to FIG. 2, the first transport 4 has a pair of feed
knives 28 and a first driver 30. The feed knives 28 are affixed to
the upper ends of a pair of feed knife supporting levers 32 secured
to a pivotable shaft 34 journaled below the hopper station base
plate 18 and extending effectively upward therethrough to support
the trailing edge of the lowermost card stacked in the hopper
station 2. Impelling projections 36 extend upward from the bodies
of the feed knives 28 and are normally positioned slightly behind
the trailing edge of the lowermost card. The feed knives 32 are
disposed parallel to, but spaced-apart from each other, the
distance separating them being somewhat less than the length of
record cards to be fed thereby.
A drive motor 38 is operatively coupled to an actuatable clutch 40
via a motor drive belt 42, a driven shaft 44 and a clutch belt 46
(FIG. 1). Upon demand, the clutch 40 may be actuated, resulting in
one revolution of an intermittently rotatable drive shaft 48
journaled below the hopper station base plate 18. Affixed to the
intermittently rotatable shaft 48 and rotatable therewith is a feed
actuate cam 50 having a high portion 52 and a low portion 54. A cam
follower lever 56 extends from the shaft 34, to which it is affixed
at a point central to the points of attachment of the feed knife
supporting levers 32, such lever being disposed toward the cam 50.
A cam follower roller 58 is rotatably mounted on the free end of
the cam follower lever 56, and is urged against the cam 50 by a
helical spring 60. When at rest, the low portion 54 of the cam 50
is adjacent the cam follower roller 58.
The first driver 30 has a double set of first pinch rollers
generally designated at 62 in FIG. 2. To the driven shaft 44 are
affixed a pair of first drive rollers 64. The rollers 64 are spaced
apart on the shaft 44 and are disposed slightly anterior to and
peripherally in line with the leading edge of the lowermost card in
the hopper station card stack 22. Pivotally mounted below each of
the first drive rollers 64 is a first pressure roller 66
resiliently biased by a helical spring 68 upward against its
respective drive roller 64. The mutual points of contact between
the drive rollers 64 and the pressure rollers 66 is tangentially
adjacent the card hopper throat 26 to receive cards individually
fed therefrom. The path traveled from the hopper station 2 to the
read ready station 6 defines the first card path.
With reference again to FIGS. 1 and 2, the read ready station 6 has
a horizontally elongated transport base plate 70, a similar
horizontally elongated cover plate 72, first resilient stop members
74, a first guide member 76, and first resilient downward biasing
members 78. The cover plate 72 overlies the transport base plate
70, being parallel thereto but spaced therefrom by a distance
slightly greater than the thickness of a record card, and is
pivotally mounted by hinges 80 such that it may be swung upward,
away from the base plate 70, to provide access thereto. The cover
plate 72 is normally held in its position overlying the base plate
70 by standard clamps, which are not shown.
The first guide member 76 is a narrow, horizontally elongated strip
mounted along the edge of the base plate 70 nearest the hopper
station 2. The base plate 70 is disposed relative to the first
driver 30 such that record cards fed therefrom will normally pass
over the first guide member 76 when entering the read ready station
6.
The first resilient stop members 74 are essentially a pair of
reed-type springs secured at their lower ends below the level of
the base plate 70 and extending upward thereby and past the edge of
the cover plate 72 farthest from the hopper station 2, the upward
ends of the stop members 74 being resiliently self-biased against
this edge of the cover plate 72. The stop members 74 are spaced
apart and are disposed opposite the read ready station 6 from the
first driver 30 to stop cards fed thereby from the hopper station
2.
The first resilient downward biasing members 78 are also
effectively reed-type springs and are affixed at their upper ends
atop the cover plate 72, their free ends extending obtusely
downward therethrough and in a direction angled away from the first
driver 30 to form relatively small angles at their points of
contact with the base plate 70. These downward biasing members 78
are spaced apart a distance similar to that of the stop members 74,
and pass through the cover plate 72 at points just behind the first
guide member 76 to press record cards fed thereover down toward the
base plate 70.
The edge of the cover plate 72 adjacent the first driver 30 is
acutely inclined upward at an angle to the horizontal that is
slightly greater than the angle made to the horizontal by a record
card as it is fed from the hopper station 2 by the first driver 30.
This inclined portion 82 of the cover plate 72 forms a deflector to
guide cards into the read ready station 6.
With reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, the second or medial transport 8
has a continuously rotating drive roller 84, an actuatable plunger
86, a second driver 88, and a third driver 89. The base plate 70,
cover plate 72 and first guide member 76 form a guideway defining a
second card path extending from the read ready station 6 to the
stacker ready station 12, along which cards fed by the second
transport 8 travel.
The driver roller 84 is affixed to a continuously driven shaft 90
journaled transversely beneath the base plate 70, and is disposed
central to and peripherally below the upper surface of the base
plate 70. The shaft 90 is rotated by the drive motor 38 via a belt
92 and a shaft 94 and other standard operative coupling means not
shown in the drawings. An actuatable solenoid 96 having a depending
plunger 98 is mounted atop the cover plate 72 by a solenoid
mounting bracket 100. An idling pinch roller 102 is rotatably
secured to the lowermost, free end of the plunger 98 and is
disposed effectively overlying the drive roller 84 but peripherally
recessed above the lower surface of the cover plate 72. The plunger
is normally maintained in this position by a plunger retaining
spring 104 attached at its ends to the plunger 98 and the bracket
100 respectively. The pinch roller 102 is movable toward the drive
roller 84 upon actuation of the solenoid 96.
The second driver 88 is provided with a double set of second pinch
rollers generally designated at 106. A pair of second drive rollers
108 are affixed to a continuously rotating driven shaft 110
underlying the base plate 70. The rollers 108 are spaced apart on
the shaft 110 a distance somewhat less than the width of a record
card fed thereby, and peripherally extend upward through the base
plate 70 to a point central to the cover plate 72 and the base
plate 70. Pivotally mounted atop the cover plate 72 above each of
the second drive rollers 108 is a second pressure roller 112
resiliently biased by a helical spring 114 downward through the
cover plate 72 and against its respective driver roller 108. The
mutual point of contact between the drive rollers 108 and the
pressure rollers 112 is tangentially adjacent the leading edge of a
card resting in the read ready station 6, to receive cards
individually fed therefrom.
The third driver generally designated at 89 has a single set of
third pinch rollers 116, consisting of a third drive roller 118 and
a third pressure roller 122. The drive roller 118 is affixed to a
continuously rotating drive shaft 120 underlying the base plate 70
at a point central thereto and peripherally extending upward
therethrough to a point between the cover plate 72 and the base
plate 70. The third pressure roller 122 is pivotally mounted atop
the cover plate above the drive roller 118, and is resiliently
biased by a helical spring 124 downward through the cover plate 72
and against the drive roller 118.
The read station 10, centrally disposed within the transport path
8, has an optical record card reader 126, which is of a well-known
type having a light source effectively opposing a light detector
for each punched row of a record card that is to be read by being
fed therebetween. The read station 10 is disposed just beyond the
second pinch rollers 106, such that cards being read are under
constant drive and are therefore traveling at a constant speed
through the read station. The basic timing for the read and other
functions of the card reader is obtained from a serrated timing
disc 128 affixed to the drive shaft 110, the disc being rotated
adjacent a transducer 130 which produces an output of electrical
pulses in a well known manner.
The stacker ready station 12 is provided with a second resilient
stop member 132, a second guide member 134, and a pair of second
resilient downward biasing members 136. The second resilient stop
member 132 is essentially a reed-type spring secured at its lower
end below the level of the base plate 70 and extending upward
thereby and past the edge of the cover plate 72 at the extreme end
of the stacker ready station 12, opposite the read ready station 6,
the upward end of the stop member 132 being resiliently self-biased
against this edge of the cover plate 72. The stop member 132 is so
disposed as to stop cards upon their entry into the stacker ready
station 12.
The second guide member 134 is a narrow, horizontally elongated
strip mounted on the lower surface of the base plate 70 normal to
the direction of initial card travel. One edge of the guide member
134 is inclined so that it angles upward through the base plate 70
in the direction of the second resilient stop member 132,
continuing upward until it protrudes effectively into the card
guideway formed between the cover plate 72 and the base plate 70,
such that cards entering the stacker ready station will pass over
the guide member 134. The second resilient downward biasing members
136 are also comprised of reed-type springs, and are affixed at
their uppermost ends atop the cover plate 72, the free ends thereof
extending obtusely downwardly therethrough and in a direction
angled toward the second resilient stop member 132 to provide
relatively small angles at their points of contact with the base
plate 70. The downward biasing members 136 are spaced apart a
distance somewhat less than the width of a record card, contacting
the base plate 70 at points just behind the second guide member
134.
With reference to FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, the third transport 14 has an
actuatable feed plate 138 and a fourth driver 140. An actuatable
solenoid 142 (FIG. 4) is mounted below the base plate 70 by a
solenoid mounting bracket 144. To its armature 146 is affixed the
lower end of an elongated plate 148, the other end of which extends
vertically past the respective edges of the base plate 70 and the
cover plate 72 at a point opposite the stacker ready station 12
from the stacker station 16 and approximately central to the second
guide member 134 and the second resilient stop member 132. Affixed
to the upper end of the elongated plate 148 is the feed plate 138,
which, in its normal position, is effectively adjacent but clear of
the respective edge of a card in the stacker ready station 12. The
cover plate 72 and the base plate are recessed at this point to
allow a degree of movement of the feed plate 138 in the direction
of the stacker station 16 upon actuation of the solenoid 142.
The fourth driver 140 has a double set of fourth pinch rollers 150.
A pair of fourth drive rollers 152 is affixed to a continuously
rotating drive shaft 154 overlying the cover plate 72. The rollers
152 are spaced apart on the shaft 154 a distance somewhat less than
the length of a record card fed thereby and peripherally extend
downward through the cover plate 72 to a point central to the base
plate 70 and the cover plate 72. Pivotally mounted to the lower
surface of the base plate 70 below each of the fourth drive rollers
152 is a fourth pressure roller 156 resiliently biased by a helical
spring 158 upward through the base plate 70 and against its
respective drive roller 152. The mutual point of contact between
the drive rollers 152 and the pressure rollers 156 is tangentially
adjacent what will next be the leading edge of a card resting in
the stacker ready station 12 to receive cards individually fed
therefrom by the feed plate 138.
With reference to FIG. 1, the stacker station 16 (not completely
shown) is of a well-known type which has a number of selectable
pockets to receive record cards conveyed thereto by the third
transport and to assemble them in an ordered sequence dictated by
the logic sections of the card reader.
Operation of the Invention
With reference to FIG. 1, the overall operation of the embodiment
shown may be illustrated. A number of record cards to be read would
be stacked in the hopper station 2 oriented with their leading
edges facing upward with respect to the drawing. When a card is to
be read, it would be fed from the bottom of the card stack 22 in
the hopper station 2 by the first transport 4 into the read ready
station 6. It would then be fed by the second transport 8 to the
right past the read station 10 to the stacker ready station 12. The
card would then be fed upward once again, as viewed in FIG. 1, by
the third transport 14 to the stacker station 16, where it would be
received by a preselected one of a number of card pockets (not
shown).
With reference to FIG. 2, the operation of hopper station 2 and the
first transport 4 may be illustrated in greater detail. The card
stack 22 is shown supported in the hopper station 2. The lowermost
card is supported at its leading edge just behind the hopper throat
26 by the resilient card support member 24, and its trailing edge
rests on the top of the feed knives 28 just ahead of the impelling
projections 36 thereon.
When a card is to be fed, an appropriate signal is generated in the
logic section of the card reader and applied to the clutch 40 (FIG.
1). Upon receiving this signal, the clutch 40 is engaged
temporarily to cause one complete rotation of the intermittently
rotatable drive shaft 48. Upon rotation of the shaft 48, the feed
actuate cam 50 affixed thereto also rotates. The cam follower
roller 58 is shown biased against the cam 50 by the helical spring
60 at the low portion 54 of the cam 50. As the high portion 52 of
the cam 50 approaches the cam follower roller 58, the cam follower
lever 56 is forced to pivot in a counterclockwise direction about
the pivotable shaft 34 to which it is affixed. The feed knife
supporting levers 32, which are also affixed to the pivotable shaft
34, are also pivoted in a counterclockwise direction, the feed
knives 28 mounted thereon being rocked to the left with respect to
the drawing to thereby force the lowermost card in the card stack
22 in the same direction as impelled by the feed knife projections
36. After the high portion 52 of the cam 50 is rotated past the cam
follower roller 58, the cam follower lever 56 is pivoted clockwise
under the urging o the helical spring 60, the feed knife supporting
levers 32 being pivoted in a clockwise direction to return the feed
knives 28 to their rest position with their impelling projections
36 effectively positioned behind the new lowermost card. After one
complete rotation of the intermittently rotatable shaft 48, the
actuatable clutch 40 is disengaged, allowing the shaft 48 to cease
its rotation.
As the lowermost card 160 in the hopper station 2 is pushed forward
by the feed knives 28, its leading edge will pass through the
hopper throat 26. The dimensions of the throat 26, as previously
indicated, are such that only one card will pass therethrough at
one time, thus the next higher card in the card stack 22 will be
retained to become the new lowermost card. The leading edge of a
card exiting the hopper station 2 will travel past the throat only
a short distance before encountering the first driver 30, which
comprises the pair of first pressure rollers 66 bearing resiliently
upward against the pair of continuously rotating first drive
rollers 64. The first driver 30 will force the card toward and into
the read ready station 6.
As the card 160 moves toward the read ready station 6, its leading
edge will pass over the first guide member 76 and be deflected
downward toward the base plate 70 by the inclined cover plate edge
82. The card will continue to move in this direction under the
influence of the first driver 30 while passing therethrough. After
clearing the first driver 30, the card will continue in the same
direction under the influence of inertia until its leading edge
contacts the first resilient stop members 74. The stop members 74
will be deflected somewhat by the force of the impacting card but
will stop the card's forward motion and then, in restoring itself
to its rest position, will force the card in a direction opposite
to its original motion until the trailing edge of the card abuts
the first guide member 76. The first resilient downward biasing
members 78 will urge the trailing edge of the card downward against
the base plate 70 to thereby ensure that the card's trailing edge
will in fact abut the first guide member 76. The card will have
thus been positioned in the read ready station 6, as illustrated at
162, where it will remain until it is fed to the read station
10.
To feed a card so positioned in the read ready station 6 to the
read station 10, with reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, an appropriate
signal is generated in the logic section of the card reader and
applied to the solenoid 96. Upon receiving this signal, the
solenoid 96 forces its depending pinch 98 downward. The plunger
roller 102 rotatably mounted to the lower end of the plunger 98
presses the card positioned thereunder downward against the
continuously rotating second transport drive roller 84. Since the
surface of the drive roller 84 has a relatively high coefficient of
friction, this pressure of the roller 102 upon the card will cause
the card to be accelerated toward the read station 10. Upon
termination of the signal to the solenoid 96 (which is of short
duration), the pinch roller 102 is restored to its rest position,
peripherally recessed just above the lower surface of the cover
plate 72, under the influence of the plunger return spring 104.
When positioned in the read ready station 6, the right-hand edge of
a card, with respect to the drawings, will be located adjacent the
second driver 88 and will represent the leading edge of the card
when in this position. The card exiting the read ready station 6
will travel only a short distance before its leading edge
encounters the second driver 88 comprised of second pressure
rollers 112 and the continuously rotating second drive rollers 108.
The second driver 88 forces the card toward and into the read
station 10.
Due to the relatively short card travel path, referring briefly to
FIG. 2, there may be insufficient time for cards stopped in the
read ready station 6 to be cleared completely therefrom before the
next card fed from the hopper station 2 begins to enter. The
construction of the read ready station 6 is such that one card is
permitted to overlap another. As previously described, each card
entering the read ready station 6 travels over and is then pressed
down behind the first guide member 76. The next card entering the
read ready station 6, before the card already positioned therein
has been completely cleared, is directed over the previous card by
the first guide member 76. The first card will be completely
evacuated from the read ready station 6, however, before the second
card is fully positioned between the first resilient stop members
74 and the first guide member 76.
As a card is fed through the read station 10, the encoded
information contained thereon in the form of punched holes will be
read by the combinations of light sources and detectors. Since the
read station 10 is disposed just beyond the second driver 88, the
cards being read are under constant drive and therefore travel
through the read station 10 at a constant speed. As mentioned
previously in the detailed description, the basic timing for the
read and other functions of the card reader is obtained from the
serrated timing disc 128, affixed to the drive shaft 110 rotating
the second drive rollers 108, the timing disc and the adjacent
transducer 130 producing an output of electrical pulses. As the
card continues through the read station 10, its leading edge
encounters the third driver 89 comprised of third pressure roller
122 and the continuously rotating third drive roller 118. The third
driver 89 maintains the constant speed of the card traveling
through the read station 10 and forces the card toward and into the
stacker ready station 12.
As a card enters the stacker ready station 12, its leading edge
passes over the second guide member 134 and is deflected downward
toward the base plate 70 by the second resilient downward biasing
members 136. The card continues to move in this direction under the
influence of the third driver 89 while passing therethrough. After
clearing the third driver 89, the card continues in the same
direction under the influence of inertia until its leading edge
contacts the second resilient stop member 132. The stop member 132
is deflected somewhat by the force of the impacting card but will
stop the card's forward motion and then, in restoring intself to
its rest position, will force the card in a direction opposite to
its original motion until the trailing edge of the card abuts the
second guide member 134. The second resilient downward biasing
members 136 will urge the trailing edge of the card downward
against the base plate 70 to thereby ensure the card's trailing
edge will in fact abut the second guide member 134. The card will
have thus been positioned in the stacker ready station 12 where it
will remain until it is fed to the stacker station 16.
To feed a card positioned in the stacker ready station 12 to the
stacker station 16, with reference to FIGS. 1 and 4, an appropriate
signal is generated in the logic section of the card reader and
applied to the solenoid 142. Upon receiving this signal, the
solenoid 142 is energized, thus attracting the armature 146 to
which is operatively coupled the feed plate 138. The feed plate 138
is activated toward the stacker station 16, driving the card in the
stacker ready station 12 in the same direction. What has now become
the leading edge of the card exiting the stacker ready station 12
travels only a short distance before encountering the fourth driver
140 comprised of the fourth pressure rollers 156 and the
continuously rotating fourth drive rollers 152. The fourth driver
140 forces the card toward and into the stacker station 16, where
it will be received by a preselected pocket according to the logic
system of the card reader.
As was the case in the read ready station 6, due to the relatively
short card travel path, there may be insufficient time for cards
stopped in the stacker ready station 12 to be cleared completely
therefrom before the next card fed from the read station 10 begins
to enter. The construction of the stacker ready station 12 is such
that one card is permitted to overlap another. As previously
described, each card entering the stacker ready station 12 travels
over and is then pressed down behind the second guide member 134.
The next card entering the stacker ready station 12 before the card
already positioned therein has been completely cleared, will be
directed over the previous card by the second guide member 134 as
the previous card exits. The first card will be completely
evacuated before the second card is fully positioned between the
second resilient stop member 132 and the second guide member
134.
While the record card reader, feeder and transport device has been
shown and described in considerable detail, it should be understood
that many changes and variations may be made therein without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
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