GB1220062A - Improvements in sensing devices - Google Patents

Abstract

1,220,062. Card readers. T. J. JOHNSON. 25 April, 1968 [26 April, 1967], No. 19278/67. Heading G4M. A card reader comprises an insulating base 2 with a plurality of conductive tracks 1 registering with rows of an inserted punched card, and an array of sensing elements 17 is traversed over the card, column-by-column, the elements 17 being raised clear of the card during each step of sensing carriage 11. A card is manually inserted at the left in Fig. 1, gate spring 33 blocking entry of an incorrectly oriented card. Entry of a card actuates a microswitch 35 to energize a motor 32 which drives feed rollers, and a solenoid 36 which raises arms 37 so that the card is driven on to base 2, hits a stop associated with solenoid 42 and rebounds against aligning edge 39. The card entry microswitch (35) is released by passage of the card trailing edge, so that arms 37 drop and actuate switches (56, 57) to initiate scanning provided the card is correctly positioned. Pulses are fed to a solenoid 6, Fig. 4, which reciprocates a rack 5 co-operating with a pawl 14 freely mounted on a spindle 12 carried beneath base 2 by sensing carriage 11 to cause step-by-step advancement of the carriage towards the card entry end of the reader. Each step movement of the carriage 11 causes deflection of a pawl 13 engaging a fixed rack 4 and fixed to spindle 12 whereby, through linkage 18, the rod 15 is rotated to momentarily lift sensing elements 17 during movement between columns. When the last column has been sensed, carriage 11 actuates a microswitch 40 to energize solenoid 42 which disengages the card stop referred to above. In addition, a further solenoid (41) (not shown) is energized to latch up pawls 13, 14. With the pawls raised, a card ejection hook associated with the latch is projected through slot 46, Fig. 1, to engage the trailing edge of the card, and as carriage 11 is spring-returned to its starting position, the card is ejected (to the right in Fig. 1). On reaching the starting position, pawls 13, 14 are released and a carriage home microswitch indicates completion of the sensing cycle. Additional tracks 50 on base 2 may be used for controlling the sensing cycle, e.g. to scan some columns at a different speed and to pause at other columns.