GB1576651A

GB1576651A - Embossing machines

Info

Publication number: GB1576651A
Application number: GB1580676A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Data Card UK Ltd
Current assignee: Gemplus Ltd
Priority date: 1976-04-20
Filing date: 1976-04-20
Publication date: 1980-10-15
Also published as: DE2635056C3; FR2348821A1; DE2635056A1; FR2348821B1; DE2635056B2; IT1067663B

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO EMBOSSING MACHINES (71) We, DATA CARD (U.K.) LIMITED (formerly RAPID DATA SYSTEMS INTER NATIONAL LIMITED), a British Company, of New Lane, Havant, Hants PO9 2NR, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to embossing machines for embossing cards, such as plastics credit cards or identity cards, with desired information.

A previously proposed embossing machine comprises an embossing drum having ciT- cular embossing discs carrying spaced-apart opposed male and female dies arranged around the discs near the peripheries thereof. A card can be inserted between co-operating dies at an embossing station.

The drum is mounted on and is rotatable with a shaft on which are mounted two actuating arms, one each side of the drum, for pressing the dies towards each other into engagement with the card. The shaft is supported in a structure comprising a pair of check plates interconnected by respective ties, the shaft being journalled in the ties which lie substantially parallel with the drum.

In the previously proposed machine the desired character line and carriage spacing are obtained by moving a card support assembly radially and chordally of the drum. This is achieved using respective escapement mechanisms to move metal toothed racks associated with the support assembly. Such mechanisms have the disadvantage that inaccuracies occur as the teeth of the racks wear. Furthermore, the spacings are dependent upon the distance between teeth on the racks and the choice of spacings is thereby limited.

The present invention aims to overcome the above disadvantage and provides an embossing machine for embossing cards, comprising a rotatable embossing drum having two embossing disc parts mounted on a rotary shaft for rotating with the shaft, at least one of the disc parts carrying dies and the disc parts being spaced apart at an embossing station, a card support for supporting a card between the disc parts at the embossing station, a drive arrangement for rotating the shaft to bring a desired character to the embossing station, and an operating assembly for moving the card support to alter the spacing between lines of characters on the card and/or the spacing characters, characterised in that the operating assembly is actuated in response to an input signal and comprises a coded master plate attached to the card support, a photo-electric sensing arrangement cooperating with the master plate, and a drive assembly for moving the plate relative to the- sensing arrangement, wherein the plate is moved in response to said input signals to predetermined positions as sensed by the sensing arrangement.

Preferably the coded master plate is a plate having a plurality of spaced lines and the sensing means comprises two photoelectric devices, one of the devices sensing the position of the plate in one direction to determine the position of character line on the card and the other device sensing the position of the plate in a direction perpendicular to said one direction to determine the position of the character in the said character line.

An embossing machine in accordance with the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an elevational view, partly in section and partly cut away, of one.side of the machine, Figure 2 is a peispective view from above of the right hand portion of the machine of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a perspective view from the other side showing the left hand portion of the machine of Figure 1, Figure 4 is a schematic view of an arrangement for sensing and varying the position of an embossing drum, and Figure 5 is a schematic view of an arrangement for sensing and varying the position of a support for a card to be embossed.

The illustrated embossing machine comprises an embossing drum 1 mounted on a shaft 2 for rotation therewith. Machined in the drum is a circumferential slot which extends radially from the periphery to close to the axis of the drum and which spaces axially apart two disc-like parts 1A, 1B.

The discs 1A, 1B have near their peripheries complementary, opposed male and female dies. The shaft 2 is mounted in the arms 3 of a fixed U-shaped support 4 on combined rdller and thrust bearings 5 and one end of the shaft carries a wheel 6 driven through a belt 7 by a stepping motor 8 (Fig. 2).

A card 9, for example a plastics credit card or identity card, to be embossed is supported between the discs 1A, 1B at an embossing station 11 by a support 12 comprising a card holder 13 mounted on a carriage 14. The carriage 14 is movable horizontally and vertically by motor drives (not shown) to locate the card 9 in a desired position relative to the dies.

The dies are actuated by a mechanism which comprises a pair of embossing arms 15 pivotally mounted on off-centre pivot shafts 16 in ball bearings housed in the arms 3 of the support 4. One end of each embossing arm 15 has a spigot 15A fast therewith which is engageable with a die and the other end engages a respective adjustable cam 17 (only one of which is shown). The cams 17 are connected through the intermediary of clutch and brake mechanisms (not shown) to a continuously operating drive motor (not shown). When an embossing action is required the shaft 2 is rotated to bring the dies of a desired character to the embossing station and the clutch engaged to drive the cams 17. The cams cause the embossing arms 15 to pivot so that the dies are engaged by the respective spigots 15A and forced into engagement with opposite sides of the card 9.The arms 15 are then pivoted back to their inoperative positions and the cams braked.

During each embossing operation the cams 17 each move through one revolution.

The support 4 acts as a housing for the embossing arms 15, cams 17 and, if desired, the clutch and brake mechanisms and the continuously operated motor.

Movement of the drum 1 to bring the dies of a desired character to the embossing station is effected automatically in response to an input signal representative of that character. To achieve this the shaft 2 has secured to it a coded disc 18, in the form of a black photo-line master disc, having a plurality of markings in radially spaced annular rows. The markings are read by a photo-electric sensing assembly 19. The illustrated disc has seven annular rows of markings, the markings of the outer row indicate each character position and the remaining rows are used to decode and to check the position of the drum.

When an input signal representative of a desired character is received by the machine, the sensing assembly 19 checks the coded position of the drum and provides a position signal, and a comparator 20 checks the input signal with the position signal and determines the direction in which the drum has to be rotated to move that character to the embossing station with the minimum of rotation. The stepping motor 8 is then operated, if necessary, until the correct position of the drum position signal corresponds to the input signal, which indicates that is attained, and the motor is stopped.

In the present embodiment the motor has a high and a low speed drive which are selectively operated. If the drum has to be moved more than a very small angle, say equivalent to 11 character positions, then the high speed drive is used changing to the slow speed drive 1+ characters before its required stopping position. If the drum has to be moved less than 112 characters then only the slow speed drive is used.

Positioning of the card relative to the dies at the embossing station is also automatic in response to coded signals. The carriage 14 carries a coded plate 21, in the form of a black photo-line master plate, which is parallel with the drum and which has a plurality of elongate lines extending vertically parallel with one direction of movement of the support and being spaced apart in a horizontal direction parallel with the other direction of movement of the support. A photo-electric sensor assembly 22 co-operates with the plate 21 and senses the horizontal and vertical positions of the plate.

In operation the master plate 21 determines the initial vertical and horizontal positions of the card holder 13 for loading the card in the card holder in its first embossing position. Subsequent input signals in relation to horizontal movement which determines the spacing of characters, i.e. carriage spacing, and to vertical movement, which determines the spacing between lines of characters, i.e. character line spacing, are compared by a comparator 23 with position signals received from the sensing assembly 22 and drive motors 24, 25 are operated in response to the compared signals. The motors 24, 25 operate through respective drive gears 26, 27 to drive the carriage 12 vertically and horizontally until the position and input signals correspond.

The card 9 is then correctly positioned both radially and chordally of the drum I.

The advantages of the above-described machine are that the embossing forces are taken by the support 4 and the thrust bearings 5 and shaft 2, that the character position sensor assembly 19 and disc 18 are not subject to wear, and that the card positioning mechanism permits a wide range of adjustment of the line spacing and carriage spacing.

Although the disc parts 1A and 1B are described as having respectively male and female dies, the disc parts having male dies could act through a cold transfer ribbon located between the male dies and the card at the embossing station. In this case the other disc part would be planar and the resultant embossing on the card would be in the form of an indented character filled with ink from the ribbon for easier legibility.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. An embossing machine for embossing cards, comprising a rotatable embossing drum having two embossing disc parts mounted on a rotary shaft for rotating with the shaft, at least one of the disc parts carrying dies and the disc parts being spaced apart at an embossing station, a card support for supporting a card between the disc parts at the embossing station, a drive arrangement for rotating the shaft to bring a desired character to the embossing station, and an operating assembly for moving the card support to alter the spacing between lines of characters on the card and/or the spacing of characters, wherein the operating assembly is actuated in response to an input signal and comprises a coded master plate attached to the card support, a photo-electric sensing arrangement co-operating with the master plate, and a drive assembly for moving the plate relative to the sensing arrangement, the plate being moved in response to said input signals to predetermined positions as sensed by the sensing arrangement.

2. An embossing machine according to claim 1, wherein the master plate determines the first character and first line position for correct loading of the card.

3. An embossing machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the coded master plate is a plate having a plurality of spaced lines, and the sensing arrangement comprises two photo-electric devices, one of the devices sensing the position of the plate in one direction to determine the position of the character line on the card and the other device sensing the position of the plate in a direction perpendicular to said one direction to determine the position of the character in said character line.

4. An embossing machine according to claim 3, wherein said support is driven by two motors which are actuated in response to the compared input signals and signals from the photo-electric devices, one of said motors driving the support in said one direction and the other of the motors driving the support in said direction perpendicular to said one direction.

5. An embossing machine for embossing cards constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

25 are operated in response to the compared signals. The motors 24, 25 operate through respective drive gears 26, 27 to drive the carriage 12 vertically and horizontally until the position and input signals correspond.

The card 9 is then correctly positioned both radially and chordally of the drum I.

The advantages of the above-described machine are that the embossing forces are taken by the support 4 and the thrust bearings 5 and shaft 2, that the character position sensor assembly 19 and disc 18 are not subject to wear, and that the card positioning mechanism permits a wide range of adjustment of the line spacing and carriage spacing.

Although the disc parts 1A and 1B are described as having respectively male and female dies, the disc parts having male dies could act through a cold transfer ribbon located between the male dies and the card at the embossing station. In this case the other disc part would be planar and the resultant embossing on the card would be in the form of an indented character filled with ink from the ribbon for easier legibility.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. An embossing machine for embossing cards, comprising a rotatable embossing drum having two embossing disc parts mounted on a rotary shaft for rotating with the shaft, at least one of the disc parts carrying dies and the disc parts being spaced apart at an embossing station, a card support for supporting a card between the disc parts at the embossing station, a drive arrangement for rotating the shaft to bring a desired character to the embossing station, and an operating assembly for moving the card support to alter the spacing between lines of characters on the card and/or the spacing of characters, wherein the operating assembly is actuated in response to an input signal and comprises a coded master plate attached to the card support, a photo-electric sensing arrangement co-operating with the master plate, and a drive assembly for moving the plate relative to the sensing arrangement, the plate being moved in response to said input signals to predetermined positions as sensed by the sensing arrangement.
2. An embossing machine according to claim 1, wherein the master plate determines the first character and first line position for correct loading of the card.
3. An embossing machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the coded master plate is a plate having a plurality of spaced lines, and the sensing arrangement comprises two photo-electric devices, one of the devices sensing the position of the plate in one direction to determine the position of the character line on the card and the other device sensing the position of the plate in a direction perpendicular to said one direction to determine the position of the character in said character line.
4. An embossing machine according to claim 3, wherein said support is driven by two motors which are actuated in response to the compared input signals and signals from the photo-electric devices, one of said motors driving the support in said one direction and the other of the motors driving the support in said direction perpendicular to said one direction.
5. An embossing machine for embossing cards constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.