GB1205668A - Punched card reader - Google Patents

Abstract

1,205,668. Card reader. AMP Inc. 20 June, 1968 [17 July, 1967], No. 29462/68. Heading G4M. [Also in Division H1] Insertion of a punched card in a slot 5, Fig. 2, releases a pressure plate 40 to urge the card against sensing members 164, Fig. 1B, which pass through holes 130 in an insulating plate 124. Plate 40 may have holes 44 corresponding to holes 130, whereby contact parts on the sensing members 164 make or break contact with conductors 132 on plate 124, or contact pads may be provided on plate 40 for co-operation with the ends of sensing members which pass through card holes. When a card is inserted, its lower edge engages lug 116 to release latch 108, and arms 35, Fig. 2, pivot counterclockwise to rotate cam 31 and urge pressure plate 40 to the left. The fact that plates 124, 40 are not joined allows sensing of cards with different thicknesses, though this is an optional feature. After the initial movement of plate 40 and making of contact between selected sensing members 164 and conductors 132, engagement of arms 35 with pins 74 pivots arms 68 counterclockwise, whereby cam 90 is moved to the right and cam surface 155 of frame 150 (to which plate 124 is attached) rides over first surface 102 and then surface 104. The consequent vertical reciprocation of plate 124 effects a double wiping of the contact parts of members 164 on conductors 132, the final contact positions being on pre-wiped portions of conductors 132. An adjusting screw 86 is provided so that the normal position of cam 90 may be shifted to the right with cam surface 155 engaging surface 104. Operation of the reader then causes surface 155 to travel over surface 104 and the top left-hand surface of cam 90 to effect a first wiping of the contacts, and a second, oppositely directed wiping is caused by deflection of the sensing members in the final movement of plate 40. The reader is reset by clockwise movement of lever 2.