EP0516634B1 - Device for coding, labelling and affixing detachable data-carrying cards on carrier sheets - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for affixing detachable data-carrying cards (1) on carrier sheets (2), in particular sheets of paper, has a magazine (3) which supplies the data carrier cards (1) with a card separator, a reading station (4), a card guide (5, 21) and an affixing station (6) in which the individual data-carrying cards (1) are applied to cyclically movable carrier sheets (2) labelled to match the cards and affixed by holding tabs formed from the carrier sheets (2). The device also has a housing (82) in which a coding station (80) and a labelling station (81) are arranged one behind the other in the direction of flow (C) of the plastic cards (1). On the outside of the housing (82), a separating magazine (83) which dispenses the individual plastic cards (1) is arranged on the housing in front of the coding station (80) in the direction of flow (C) and a pile delivery magazine (84) in which the labelled plastic cards (1) are collected is arranged behind the labelling station (81). The pile delivery magazine (84) has a passage for rejected cards (1), which are transported through the piling magazine (84) unlabelled if a defect is detected in the coding station.

Description

A device for coding, labeling and for positionally fixed, releasable application of data carrier cards to carrier sheets is known from GB-A-2087361.

The invention relates to a device for coding, labeling and positionally releasable application of data carrier cards (1) to carrier sheets (2), in particular letterhead, in a fixing station (6), which is equipped with a reading station (4) for data carrier cards (1) by a feed station ( 5) is connected via a card guide (21) for the read data carrier cards (1), the carrier sheets (2) being connected as a quasi continuous form belt (72) and this extending from a printing station (70) through the fixing station (6) , wherein the number of printed carrier sheets (2), which each extend between the printing station (70) and a fixing position in the fixing station (6) on the continuous form tape (72), corresponds to the number of read data carrier cards (1), which in each case immediately next to each other between the reading station (4) and the fixing position in the fixing station (6), and wherein the reading station (4) z Ur transmission of the data read from the data carrier card (1) and to be printed in the printing station (70) on the carrier sheet (2) is connected to the latter.

Another device is from the IBM Techn. Discl. Bull. Vol. 14, No. 1, 1971. In this device, cards are encoded and labeled, the cards being separated, labeled and encoded from a stack and then releasably applied to a carrier sheet in a fixed position.

US-A-3 484 097 discloses a device for stacking data carrier cards from a slot-shaped magazine in connection with a device for the fixed, releasable application of data carrier cards to carrier sheets, the cards from the magazine from below with the aid of an endlessly rotating in the card feed direction, motor-driven transport element can be separated in the form of rollers.

Furthermore, from US Pat. No. 3,704,015 a device for inserting data carrier cards into a paper web with receiving slots is known, in which a recess is located under the paper web and a hold-down device is arranged on the card side and a stamp is inserted through the paper into the recess in the card of the hold-down bends in, so that the corners are inserted into the slots of the paper web.

The invention aims to improve the known device so that it is ensured that the data of the individual data carrier cards correspond in each case to the imprint of the carrier sheet to which they are fixed.

This object is achieved according to the invention by the features of patent claim 1, the design features listed in subclaims 2 to 13 representing advantageous and beneficial developments of the task solution.

The device according to the invention shows, with a simple structure and trouble-free operation, an automatic movement of the data carrier cards from a supply to the carrier sheet and, in the area of the carrier sheet, brings about the precisely assigned and securely fixed application of the card to the carrier sheet.

In a first embodiment, the embossed or printed cards are separated from a magazine receiving a stack of cards by means of mutually interacting means (claws and eccentrics) and transferred to a downstream reading station, which records the data on the card and then passes it on to a feeder with control, from which the cards of the fusing station are entered, in which a pass-through path for carrier sheets is arranged and which has a hold-down device with a guide for the data carrier cards for fixing the data carrier card on the carrier sheet.

The data carrier cards are fed to the carrier sheet transversely to the direction of travel and are applied in cycles to the stationary carrier sheet.

Due to this workflow, the device has a high throughput.

In a second embodiment, a roll containing the wound strand material is assigned to the device, from the strand of which the data carrier cards are created by first printing the strand with the data for each card, then separating the cards from the strand and then via the reading station and Feeding the fuser are passed on.

A special design of the device ensures that the data carrier card is fixed to the carrier sheet that is labeled with the content of the data carrier card that was recorded by the data reading station and fed to the carrier sheet printing station and printed out by the latter.

Ensuring the assignment is particularly important if the data carrier cards contain important personal data, credits, authorizations, etc. and the carrier sheets are labeled with the postal shipping addresses. This assurance is given by the fact that the number of labeled carrier sheets, which extends as a so-called continuous form tape from the printer to the use position of the data cards, is equal to the number of data cards that are immediately adjacent to one another from the exit of the reading station to the use position the feeder. The addressed sheets with the fixed cards are then folded in a known manner, enveloped in window envelopes or folded and closed and shipped.

The non-interchangeable assignment of the data carrier cards to the carrier sheets is particularly simple, regardless of the position of the data card, on the respective carrier sheet, in that the entire separating, reading, feeding and inserting device is connected to one carrier in an advantageous embodiment.

This device is intended in particular for data carrier cards and these detachably receiving letterheads, but this device and its mode of operation can also be used to apply and detachably fix a wide variety of flat consumer items to a carrier layer, this carrier layer then representing the consumer item as a display and sales packaging, so that the field of application of the device according to the invention can be expanded.

An advantageous embodiment of the first embodiment provides a simple and compactly constructed, high-throughput device with which data carrier cards from a stack are automatically separated, written and checked and labeled, and put together to form a logical stack of cards, the faulty cards are automatically ejected and the coding and Personalization of plastic cards is made possible directly at the card issuer, excluding waiting times and sources of error.

Plastic cards that are not embossed can be pushed out one after the other from a simple separating magazine consisting of a shaft, a transport belt with driver and a separating slot and fed to the coding station.

In the coding station the coding and control reading takes place and after the successful coding this card is fed to the labeling station, which labels the plastic cards using the high-resolution thermal sublimation process at high printing speed.

Then the finished plastic cards are conveyed to the stacking magazine, where they are automatically and logically stacked on top of each other.

If errors are detected in the coding station, the labeling station does not work and the defective plastic card is conveyed out of an outlet through the stack magazine.

As a compact device, this device offers an economical solution for processing plastic cards directly at the card issuer, thereby eliminating waiting times and a multitude of shortcomings.

The main advantage of the device lies in the direct coding and personalization of plastic cards, and the card holder is given a card with all the data relevant to him immediately.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Vorderansicht einer ersten Vorrichtung zum Aufbringen von flachen Datenträgerkarten auf Trägerblätter mit in Arbeitsrichtung hinter einem Magazin angeordneter Artikel-Lesestation, Artikel-Zuführung mit Steuerung und Fixierstation,

Fig. 2

eine schematische Draufsicht auf dieselbe Vorrichtung,

Fig. 3

eine Vorderansicht im teilweisen Schnitt des Magazins mit Transportriemen, Klauen und Steuerexzentern,

Fig. 4

eine Draufsicht im teilweisen Schnitt des Magazins,

Fig. 5 und 6

schematische Seitenansichten des Magazins mit zwei Stellungen der Klauen,

Fig. 7

eine schematische Vorderansicht einer zweiten Vorrichtung zum Aufbringen von Datenträgerkarten, zu die von einer Rolle als Strang, abgezogen hergestellt werden.

Fig. 8

eine schematische Draufsicht auf die gesamte Vorrichtung

Fig. 9

eine perspektivische Darstellung eines Codier- und Beschriftungsgerätes für Datenträgerkarten mit in einem Gehäuse angeordneter Codierstation und dahinter befindlicher Beschriftungsstation und einem Vereinzelungsmagazin sowie einem Stapelmagazin,

Fig. 10

einen Querschnitt durch dasselbe Gerät,

Fig. 11

eine Vorderansicht eines dem Magazin zugeordneten Kartenstaplers in weiterer Ausführung

Fig. 12

eine Seitenansicht des Kartenstaplers nach Fig. 15 in der eine zu stapelnde Karte aufnehmenden Stellung,

Fig. 13

eine schematische Darstellung der Gesamtvorrichtung mit ihren einzelnen Geräten und Stationen.

In the drawings, exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in various versions, which are explained in more detail below. It shows:

Fig. 1

1 shows a schematic front view of a first device for applying flat data carrier cards to carrier sheets with an article reading station arranged in the working direction behind a magazine, article feed with control and fixing station,

Fig. 2

a schematic plan view of the same device,

Fig. 3

a front view in partial section of the magazine with transport straps, claws and control eccentrics,

Fig. 4

a plan view in partial section of the magazine,

5 and 6

schematic side views of the magazine with two positions of the claws,

Fig. 7

is a schematic front view of a second device for applying data carrier cards to which are drawn off from a roll as a strand.

Fig. 8

a schematic plan view of the entire device

Fig. 9

1 shows a perspective illustration of a coding and labeling device for data carrier cards with a coding station arranged in a housing and a labeling station behind it and a separating magazine and a stacking magazine,

Fig. 10

a cross section through the same device,

Fig. 11

a front view of a card stacker assigned to the magazine in a further embodiment

Fig. 12

15 in the position to receive a card to be stacked,

Fig. 13

is a schematic representation of the overall device with its individual devices and stations.

The device for fixed and releasable application of data carrier cards (plastic cards) (1) to carrier sheets (2), in particular letterhead, has according to. 1 and 2 in the working direction "A" one behind the other a magazine (3), a card reading station (4), a card feeder (5) with control and a fixing station (6) in which the data carrier cards (1) the carrier sheet (2), in particular the letterhead, are applied and fixed in position.

The fuser (6) acc. 1 and 2 has a flat support track (7) for the carrier sheet (2) which can be moved in cycles. This carrier sheet (2) is provided with at least one holding field (11), which, in the molded position, can be shaped out of the carrier sheet (2) by means of punch cuts (8) and, in the shaped position, the data carrier card (1) at least over two card edges (9) ) fitted.

The carrier sheets (2) are designed as detachable continuous forms, and as FIG. 2 shows, this continuous form has rows of holes (16) on the long side for paper transport. By a tractor and at least one. Row of holes (16) is assigned a marking point (not shown) for the standstill of the continuous paper during each insertion process for the data carrier card (1).

The fixing station (6) has a hold-down (17) with a guide (19) for the data carrier card (1) above the support web (7), which can be moved in height and acts on the stationary carrier sheet (2) when the data carrier card (1) is fixed.

In the feed direction "A", a guide (21) is arranged in front of the hold-down device (17) above the support track (7), through which the individual data carrier cards (1) transversely to the direction of travel "B" of the carrier sheet (2) intermittently to the hold-down device (17). be handed over.

The hold-down device (17) is designed as a plate and is held in a height-adjustable manner on a flap (28) with height guides (25) and a pressure medium cylinder (26), preferably a compressed air cylinder, which is also connected to the pressure medium distribution (24) via a pressure medium line (27) . This flap (28) is mounted on the frame (30) of the fixing station (6) so that it can be pivoted in height about a horizontal axis (29) and enables the hold-down device (17) and the guide (21) assigned to it to be swiveled up in the event of a card jam.

The card guide (21) is assigned a control element (31) in the form of a light barrier for position detection of the data carrier card (1) to be fed to the hold-down device (17).

Embossed or printed data carrier cards (1) are stored stacked one above the other in the magazine (3), this magazine (3) being designed in the form of a shaft and having four upright, angular guide profiles (32) which engage around the data card stack at the four corners and are spaced apart end above the execution level (33) for the individual cards (1).

The execution level is formed by a motor-driven transport belt (33) with drivers (33a) that runs endlessly in the card feed direction "A".

A claw (35), which can be pivoted about a horizontal axis (34), is arranged between the magazine guide profiles (32) on both sides of the transport belt (33), and these two claws (35) can be swiveled towards one another in the closed position and pivoted apart into the release position and mounted with their pivot axes (34) on the device frame (36).

The two claws (35) interact with the two opposite longitudinal edges of the data carrier card (1).

Both claws (35) are connected by tension springs (37) which engage in fastening points (38) of the claws (35) and are pivoted towards one another and held together by these tension springs (37).

A pivoting eccentric (39) acts on each claw (35) in a force-locking manner and swings the claws (35) apart against the spring force.

A plurality of carrying eccentrics (40) for the card stack or an isolated card (1) are arranged below the card stack, the claws (35) being pivoted apart from one another by the pivoting eccentrics (39) acting on the claws (35) with their eccentric part (39a) ) the card stack is released by the claws (35) and the carrying eccentric (40) is carried by the eccentric parts (40a) pivoted upwards and when the claws (35) are closed by turning the pivoting eccentric (39) and simultaneously rotating the carrying eccentric ( 40) the bottom card (1) resting on the carrying eccentrics (40) is lowered and the second card (1) from below and thus the entire stack of cards is kept clamped between the closed claws (35).

5 shows the pivoted-apart release position of the claws (35), the eccentric parts (39a) of the pivoting eccentric (39) being pivoted outwards and the eccentric parts (40a) of the carrying eccentric (40) being pivoted upward and carrying the card stack. The stack of cards is thus slightly raised.

In Fig. 6 the closed position of the claws (35) is shown, in which the claws (35) are pivoted towards each other by the tension springs (37) about the axes (34), since the pivoting eccentric (39) with its eccentric parts (39a) were rotated inside so that the claws (35) can act against the second card (1) from below and thus on the card stack above.

At the same time, the carrying eccentrics (40) are pivoted downwards with their eccentric parts (40a), so that the bottom card (1) lies at a certain distance below the second card (1) from below and has been separated.

In this position, the hard one (1) rests on the transport belt (32).

The claws (35) have grippy, such as toothed, clamping surfaces (35a), and below these clamping surfaces (35a) a free cut (41) is provided in the form of a groove, so that when the claws (35) are pivoted together and when the bottom card is lowered (1) this bottom card (1) is released and isolated.

As a result of this free cut (41), when the claws (35) are pivoted together and when the carrying eccentric (40) is rotated downward with their eccentric parts (40a), it is ensured that the bottom card (1) is no longer gripped by the claws (35) .

This separation of the cards (1) takes place in cycles and can be used both for embossed and thus interlocking data carrier cards (1) and for printed data carrier cards (1).

The separated data carrier card (1) is then transported through the transport belt (33) in the feed direction "A" under the magazine (3) to the card reading station (4).

In a bearing block (42) of the device frame (36), two shafts (44) rotatable via a gear (43) are mounted, and on each shaft (44) there are two carrying eccentrics (40) and a swivel eccentric (39) rotatably mounted, see above that the three eccentrics (39, 40) of each shaft (44) are rotated together.

The shafts (44) are rotated synchronously by the gear (43) and run parallel to each other and on both sides of the transport belt (33).

The two carrying eccentrics (40) are arranged in the two longitudinal end regions of the two shafts (44) and the swivel eccentric (39) extends approximately over the length half of the shafts (44) and acts in the center on the claws (35).

The eccentric parts (39a) of the swivel eccentric (39) are offset on the shaft (44) with respect to the eccentric parts (40a) of the carrying eccentric (40), preferably rotated by approximately 90 degrees.

The transport belt (33) is also endlessly circulating in the bearing block (42).

The bearing of the eccentric (39, 40) and the transport belt (33) and the claw arrangement can be clearly seen from FIGS. 3 and 4.

The isolated hard disk volumes (1) are entered through the transport belt (33) under the magazine (3) into the downstream card reading station (4), and the data media cards (1) located one behind the other in the feed direction "A" are then given by the Transport belt (33) movement carried out a displacement in the feed direction "A". In the card reading station (4), the data of the card (1) are recorded and, for the inscription of the carrier sheet (2), sent to a printer assigned to the carrier sheet (2), so that each card (1) with its data is transferred to the carrier sheet ( 2) is assigned correctly.

The cards (1) then run from the card reading station (4) into the feeder (5), which controls the movement of the hold-down device (17) with its control.

The positioning of the card (1) is detected by the light barrier (31) of the card guide (21), so that it can be determined whether a card (1) is ready for fixation or no card (1) is available yet.

Each card (1) is then positioned in a receiving field (11) of the carrier sheet (2), the carrier sheet (2) standing still. The movement of the card (1) and the carrier sheet (2) are coordinated with one another in cycles.

When fixing the card, the hold-down device (17) is lowered over its pressure medium cylinder (26) and presses on the carrier sheet (2).

The guide (19) inside the hold-down device (17) ensures precise guidance of the card (1).

Now the hold-down device (17) moves upwards and thus releases the carrier sheet (2) with the applied card (1) and the carrier sheet (2) is moved in the direction of travel "B", which is transverse to the feed direction "A", by one cycle transported until the next receiving field (11) lies in the feed direction "A".

FIG. 7 shows a second embodiment of the device, this device using a strand of material (45) for producing data cards.

The data carrier cards (1) are unwound in a rope form from a roll (46) containing rolled card material (45) and brought via a deflection roller (47) to a printing station (48) in which each data carrier card (1 ) is printed with their data.

The printed card strand (45) then passes through a downstream cutting station (49) in the feed direction "A", in which the individual cards are separated from the strand (45).

Then the individual cards (1), as in FIGS. 1 and 2, are transferred to the card reading and feeding station with controller (4, 5) and then introduced via the card guide (21) into the fixing station (6), in which the same Workflow as described before.

8, the magazine (3) with its singler (33, 39, 40, 35), the reading station (4), the feeder (5) and the fixing station (6) with the card guide (21) connected by the support frame (30, 36) to form a structural unit which is mounted in and / or transversely to the direction of travel "B" of the support sheets (2) in a stepless or step-wise adjustable manner on guides (73, 74), whereby the placement of the Data carrier card (1) on the carrier sheet (2) can optionally be set up. For example, the displaceable structural unit (3, 4, 5 and 6) is fixed in the set position by latching means (75) in the guides (73, 74). The carrier sheets (2) are designed as an endless form belt (72) and can be detached therefrom.
The printing station (70) prints on the continuous form belt (72) which the tractor (71) transports.

The number of printed carrier sheets (2), which extend between the printing station (70) and the fixing position in the fixing station (6) on the continuous form tape (72), corresponds to the number of read data carrier cards (1), which immediately follow one another located behind the reading station (4) by means of the feeder (5) via the card feeder (21) to the fixing position in the fixing station (6).

In Fig. 8 this same number of data carrier cards (1) and carrier sheets (2) is not shown for reasons of space, but fewer carrier sheets (2) are drawn. If a data carrier card (1) cannot be read in the reading station (4), then the corresponding carrier sheet (2) is also not written on in the printer (70).
The guides (5, 21) ensure that no manipulation by removing or exchanging or adding data carrier cards (1) is possible between the reading station (4) and the fixing station (6). In addition, the overall device has a housing (76) surrounding all the devices, so that the data carrier cards (1) from the magazine (3) to the inserting station (77), which can also be accommodated in this housing (76), are secured against access and thereby Manipulations and errors can be avoided.

The device (the device) for coding and labeling data carrier cards, in particular plastic cards (1) according to FIGS. 9 and 10, has a coding station (80) and one in a housing (2) in the direction of travel "C" of the plastic cards (1) Labeling station (81).

The coding station (80) is designed as a magnetic stripe read / write station in which the plastic cards (1) are magnetically written and read in a check. The labeling station (81) is designed as a thermal printer, which works according to a high-resolution thermal sublimation process (thermal transfer process) and enables a high printing speed of up to 1,000 cards per hour.

On the outside of the housing (82), in the direction of travel "C", in front of the coding station (80) there is a feed magazine (83) which individually inserts the plastic cards (1) and behind the labeling station (81) is a stacking magazine (84) which receives the labeled plastic cards (1). arranged.

The two magazines (83, 84) are designed in the shape of a shaft and are each carried by a lower magazine part (85, 86) which is attached to the housing (82) or integrated into the housing (82).

An endlessly rotating transport belt (87) is arranged in the magazine lower part (85) for card separation, which is moved by a drive (88). This transport belt (87) has at least one driver (89) which is smaller in height than the thickness of the plastic card (1). Furthermore, the separating magazine (83) has a separating slot (90) corresponding to the thickness of the plastic cards (1), so that the cards (1) stacked one above the other in the magazine (83) are individually pulled away by the driver (89) under the stack of cards and through the Isolation slot (90) are separated and fed through a further slot (91) in the housing (82) of the coding station (80).

The plastic cards (1) are moved in a horizontal card path (92) from the magazine (83) through the housing (82) to the magazine (84).

For the card transport through the housing (82), the coding station (80) and the downstream labeling station (81) are arranged with motor-driven transport belts and / or transport rollers (94), and an endlessly circulating transport belt (95) is also provided in the stack magazine (84) , which is stored in the lower part of the magazine (86) and is driven by a drive (96).

In the transition between the housing (82) and the stack magazine (84), a pressure roller (97) can be arranged, which holds the plastic cards (1) on the card web (92).

The stacking magazine (84) has in its rear shaft wall (84a) in the direction of travel "C" a passage (98) in the form of a slot for reject cards.

The housing (82) is provided in the longitudinal direction with a partition (99) which forms a receiving space (100) in the housing (82), which is separated from the coding station (80) and the labeling station (81) and in which the electronic control is accommodated .

Furthermore, the housing (82) has a pivotable hood (101) which, in the pivoted-up position according to FIG. 9, enables easy access to the coding station (80) and the labeling station (81).

The four units, namely the magazine (83), the coding station (80), the labeling station (81) and the magazine (84) are interchangeably arranged on a base plate (102).

The drive (88) for the separating magazine (83), the drives for the coding station (80) and the labeling station (81) and the drive (96) for the magazine (84) are each controlled by their own light barriers in the card path.

A light barrier (103) for card transfer is arranged between the separating magazine (83) and the coding station (80).

A card stacker (104) is arranged in the magazine lower part (86) of the stacking magazine (84) and stacks the labeled, finished plastic cards (1) one after the other upwards into the magazine (84).

This card stacker (104) corresponds in terms of its structure and function to that in the magazine (3) according to FIGS. 3 to 6 and also works with transport belts (33), eccentrics (39, 40) and claws (35), but here in conversely, the individually arriving cards (1) are stacked.

Since the cards (1) are not embossed in the separating magazine (83), they can be individually removed from under the card stack by the transport belt (87) with the driver (89) and through the separating slot (90) and transferred to the downstream coding station (80) .

In this coding station (80), each individual plastic card (1) is coded on up to three tracks simultaneously and checked.

After coding, the plastic card (1) is passed on to the labeling station (81) and according to the entered data labeled.

Associated information, e.g. Font, image and / or barcode applied, namely by the thermal transfer method, and then the labeled plastic card (1) is conveyed into the card stacker (104) of the magazine (84).

In the end position of the plastic card (1) lying on the transport belt (33), the claws (35) of the stacker (104) open and the carrying eccentric (40) lift the inserted card (1) and thus the entire stack of cards.

The claws (35) then close again and grip with their support pieces (35a) under the bottom card (1), the support and pivoting eccentrics (39, 40) twisting inwards and downwards.

This stacking takes place after each inserted card (1), so that the labeled plastic cards (1) are then logically stacked in the stacking magazine (84).

If the reading of the plastic card (1) in the coding station (80) is unsuccessful because the card (1) is defective, then this card (1) is conveyed through the labeling station (81) without the labeling station (81) working. This faulty card (1) then runs under the stack of finished cards (1) in the magazine (84) and out of the end outlet (98) out of the magazine (84).

The stack of cards is carried by the swiveled-together claws (35) and the faulty card (1) can pass through the cutouts (41) between the claws (35) and under the card stack, being conveyed by the transport belt (95).

The card stacker (104) according to FIGS. 11 and 12 in a further embodiment for the magazine (3) or (84) under the magazine shaft (32) has a drive (105) such as a motor with belt drive (105 a) for endlessly rotating conveyor belts (33) for card transport under the shaft (32) and a second drive (106), such as a motor with a gear (106a), for driving stacking rollers (107).

There are two stacking rollers (107), each seated on a drive shaft (108), both of which are driven by the gear (106a), and each stacking roller (108) has a stacking cutout (109) in the form of a corner recess or a spiral flat.

A pressure shaft (110) is arranged above the transport belt (33) in the card inlet for the individual cards (1) to be inserted. A light barrier (111) reports an incoming card (1) and switches the gear motor (105, 105a) on for card transport and, after the card (1) has reached its position under the slot (32), switches it off again.

A detector (112) registers the card (1) located under the slot (32) and switches on the drive (106) for the stacking rollers (107). The stacking rollers (107) lie with their stacking cutouts (109) in the position rotated in FIG. 12, so that the card (1) can run in freely between both stacking rollers (107). Now both stacking rollers (107) in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 12 rotated so that the stack cutouts (109) with their stacking edge (109a) grasp under the card (1) and lift it up when it is twisted. When the stacking rollers (107) are rotated further in the same direction, the stacking cutouts (109) under the card (1) turn away and the card (1) is then carried by the full circumference of the roller; the rollers (107) then turn further into the position shown in FIG. 12, so that the stack cutouts (109) are again opposite and point towards one another and downwards. Of the The stack of cards formed is carried by the full circumference of the stacking rollers (107) and lies at a distance above the newly arriving card (1.) With this card stacker (104) it is also possible to separate the cards, this being done in reverse to the stacking, the stack of cards then The lowest card (1) then always falls into the stack cutouts (109) and the cutouts (109) then give the card (1) downward onto the transport belt (33) when the direction of rotation is contrary to the stacking function ) from (free).

FIG. 13 shows an arrangement of a double device in which two cards (1) with different lettering and coding are produced in an embosser (113), which cards can then optionally be applied to a carrier sheet (2) (letter).

The embosser (113) is provided with a feeder (114), a reading station (115) and a card transport (116) for the one card (A) and a reading station (123), a magazine ( 117) with an ejector (118) for faulty cards and a card transport (119). A printer (120) is connected upstream of the two card transporters (116, 119) and a cutting station (121) and a folding station (122) are connected downstream in the paper transport direction "D", which is transverse to the card transport direction "A".

Claims (13)

1. Apparatus for encoding, inscribing and detachably fixing data-carrying cards (1) to support sheets (2), in particular to sheets of letter paper, in a fixing bay (6), which is connected to a scanning bay (4) for data-carrying cards (1) by a feed bay (5) via a card feed (21) for the data-carrying cards (1) scanned, wherein the support sheets (2) are joined as a virtually continuous form (72) and this extends from a printing bay (70) and is fed through the fixing bay (6), wherein the number of printed support sheets (2) extending between the printing bay (70) and a fixing position in the fixing bay (6) on the continuous form (72) corresponds to the number of data-carrying cards (1) scanned, which are located in direct mutual abutment between the scanning bay (4) and the fixing position in the fixing bay (6), and wherein the scanning bay (4) for transmitting the data scanned from the data-carrying card (1) and to be printed on to the support sheet (2) in the printing bay (70) is connected to said printing bay.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that a magazine (3) for data-carrying cards (1) and having a separator for discharging the cards is positioned upstream of the scanning bay (4).
3. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that a cutting device (49), with a printing bay (48) located upstream for printing individual data of individual data-carrying sections on to a data-carrying material strand (45) supplied from a roll (46), is disposed upstream of the scanning bay (4).
4. Apparatus according to either of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the magazine (3), the scanning bay (4), the feed bay (5) having a card feed (21) extending into the fixing position, the fixing bay (6), the printing bay (70) and a tractor feed (71) are disposed in a housing (76) which protects the data-carrying cards (1) against access and tampering from the scanning bay (4) to a bay (77) for sealing the cards in envelopes.
5. Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that an encoding bay (80) and an inscription bay (81) are arranged in series in the direction of passage (A) of the data-carrying cards (1) in a housing (82), and on the exterior of the housing (82) a separating magazine (83) for feeding in the data-carrying cards (1) singly is disposed in front of the encoding bay (80), and a stacking magazine (84, 104) for receiving the inscribed data-carrying cards (1) is disposed behind the inscription bay (81) in the direction of passage (A) of the data-carrying cards (1), and the stacking magazine (84) has an aperture (98) for wasted cards (1).
6. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterised in that the encoding bay (80) consists of a magnetic strip writing/scanning bay in which the data-carrying cards (1) receive a magnetic code which is then checked by scanning, and the printing bay (81) consists of a thermal printer operating according to a high-resolution heat-sublimation process.
7. Apparatus according to claim 5 or 6, characterised in that the two magazines (83, 84) are formed as shafts and are supported by a magazine lower part (85, 86) resting on the housing (82) or integral with the housing (82).
8. Apparatus according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterised in that the separating magazine (83) has a motor-driven conveyor belt (87), having a driver (89) and revolving continuously below the plane (92) of passage of the cards, and a separating slot (90) towards the housing (82), wherein the driver (89) is smaller in the vertical dimension than the data-carrying card thickness and the separating slot (90) is slightly larger in the vertical dimension than the data-carrying card thickness.
9. Apparatus according to one of claims 5 to 8, characterised in that the stacking magazine (84) has a motor-driven conveyor belt (95) revolving continuously below the plane (92) of passage of the cards.
10. Apparatus according to one of claims 5 to 9, characterised in that the conveyor belts (87, 95) of both magazines (83, 84) are mounted with their drives (88, 96) in the magazine lower part (85, 86) and their conveyor strand with motor-driven conveyor belts (93) and/or conveyor pulleys (94) of the encoding bay (80) and of the inscription bay (81) lie in a common, horizontal plane (92) of passage for the data-carrying cards (1).
11. Apparatus according to one of claims 5 to 10, characterised in that the slot-like aperture (98) is recessed in the rear magazine wall (84a) viewed in the direction of passage (A).
12. Apparatus according to one of claims 5 to 11, characterised in that a card stacker (104) is disposed in the lower part (86) of the stacking magazine (84) and has two claws (35) mounted pivotably about a respective horizontal axis (44) on either side of the conveyor belt (95), said claws engaging under the card stack and supporting the stack when pivoted together and releasing the card stack for the lifting of a subsequent data-carrying card (1) by means of cams (39, 40) when pivoted apart.
13. Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterised in that below the magazine (3, 84) a card stacker and/or separator (104) is provided, having motor-driven conveyor belts (33) with an associated pressure roller (108) for conveying the cards and two motor-driven stacking rollers (107), each comprising a stack cut-out or stack section (109) - formed by a recess and/or a spiral flat - for rotating the stacking roller for stacking and separating, with an associated alarm (112).

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