US3770265A - Card feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for feeding and aligning cards for use with data handling systems is provided with a plate which supports a card stack and is moveable to initiate movement of the first card of the stack through a plurality of rotating members and aligning bars which effect feeding and aligning of a card in asynchronous manner.

Description

United States Patent [1 1 Gatti 1 1 CARD FEEDER [75] Inventor: Giancarlo Gatti, Varese, Italy [73] Assignee: Honeywell Information Systems Italia, Caluso, Italy [22] Filed: June 14, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 152,926

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data June 20, 1970 Italy 26312 A/70 [52] US. Cl 271/10, 271/34, 27l/D1G. 4 [51] Int. Cl B65h 3/04, B65h 5/06 58 Field ofSearch 271/34, 39, 10, 4, 271/52, 53, 59, 60, 62 B, 010.4

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,411,768 11/1968 Gatti ..27l/39X Nov. 6, 1973 3,159,396 12/1964 Barber 271/34 3,015,486 1/1962 Weidenhammer..... 271/52 X 3,539,179 11/1970 Bergman et al 271/39 3,580,566 5/1971 Vasse 271/10 Primary Examiner-Even C. Blunk Assistant ExaminerBruce H. Stoner, Jr.

Att0rneyFred Jacob et al.

[ I ABSTRACT A device for feeding and aligning cards for use with data handling systems is provided with a plate which supports a card stack and is moveable to initiate move- .ment of the first card of the stack through a plurality of rotating members and aligning bars which effect feeding and aligning of a card in asynchronous manner.

13 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDNUV s \975 3770.265

SHEET 10F 2 Giancarlo GATT! INVENTOR B ATTORNEY PATENTEnnuv s 1915 SHEET 2 BF 2 III III 'lll'Il-l 6:: 1|.

HP: T t7? G/ancar/o GATT! INVENTOR.

ATTORNE CARD FEEDER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a device for feeding and aligning punched cards in a card reading, punching or selecting apparatus, as used in data handling systems.

The cards, which may already be punched or yet to be punched, are usually stacked on an inclined plane, and pushed against the feeding device by a sliding plate driven by a spring. The feeding device has the task of removing one card at a time from the stack and of transporting it through a predetermined path to an operating station, which may be a punching, a reading or a selecting device, or a combination of the same.

Usually the card is removed from the stack by imparting to it an almost vertical motion, directed perpendicularly to the major side of the card. The removed card must subsequently be conveyed along the following path in a direction initially perpendicular to the former one. Therefore, before initiating the movement along this path, the card must be aligned, that is, positioned so, that its major sides be parallel to the initial direction of conveyance along the path. This alignment is obtained, according to priorart, by the use of a'set of roller pairs which press the. card on a fixed stopping member arranged in a suitable position, the roller pairs continuing their action until the card is moved in the direction of the path by a proper mover device.

The continued rubbing action of the rollers may cause considerable wear to the cards, and furthermore, there is no positive guaranty that the correct alignment position is reached, because the card is pressed against the fixed stopping member only along the lower edge, and its upper edge is free.

In most known devices, the cards are removed in a steady sequence, by effect of periodical motions controlled by rotating mechanical members. This is called synchronous feeding. It is convenient, on the contrary, for reasons of realiability of operation and flexibility of use, to remove the cards according to an asynchronous mode of operation, so that the interval between the removal of one card and that of the following one, as long as it is greater than a minimum required value, may be arbitrarily chosen, and does not depend upon any period of operation of the mechanical members.

It is thus possible to change the speed of operation of the apparatus simply by changing the duration of the said interval, without acting on the proper operation times, and without being forced to adjust the proper operating speed of the apparatus to the speed at which the cards are removed from the stack.

The asynchronous operation of such devices has been obtained until now by the use of mechanical clutches, which start and stop the motion of the feeding device under control of electrical signals. The use of mechanical switches, however, is oftencause of inconveniences such as malfunctioning, wear, misadjustment, and lower reliability of operation of the machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION These conveniences are obviated by a device according to the invention, which is particularly simple and efficient, and comprises a masking plate on which the stack of cards, in rest condition, is leaning, and which may be displaced backward under control of an electromagnet for the distance needed for exposing the first card of the stack to the action of removing members in continuous motion, and by aligning the card by the rubbing action of a set of rollers cooperating with guiding members which submit the elastically curved card to the action of such rollers barely for the time needed to produce said alignment, which is assured by means of a upper limiting member cooperating with a lower aligning bar. The aligned cards is afterward moved along the following path by suitable rolle'rs controlled by an electromagnet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS trol circuit used with the device of FIG. 1; and,

I FIG. 4 is a set of timing diagrams showing the different binary values for thesignals in different points of the electronic circuit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The, device is for the most part symmetrically arranged with respect to a vertical central plane, and FIG. 1 shows a sectional view taken along the central plane of the major art of the device, showing in perspective the left half of the same. In the following de scription, the terms: left or right, front or back will be referenced to an observer looking in the direction of advancement of the stack of cards toward the feeding device.

In the lowermost part of the view of FIG. l,as the different members are not symmetrically arranged, the device is shown in perspective, without sectional views.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown an inclinated plate 1 supporting a stack of cards. In the FIG. 1, a portion of this plate is removed to show the underlying mechanism. The stacked cards Sare resting on the plate 1 by their major lower edge, and are pushed against the feeding device by a plate tensioned by a spring, not shown in the drawing.

The feeding device comprises a pair of belts (of which only belt 2 is shown), symmetrically located with respect to the section plane. The belt 2 is partially wound around three rollers 3, 4 and 5 as further shown in FIG. 1. The roller 3 is mounted and fastened on a shaft 6, which is rotated counterclockwise at constant speed, by a motor means (not shown). The idle roller 5 is freely rotatable on a fixed shaft 7 and the tension roller 4 is mounted on a shaft 8. The shaft 8 is carried by a tension arm 9, pivoted on a pivot shaft 10 and tensioned by a spring 11 for suitably tightening the belt 2.

Other auxiliary rollers may be provided, in particular between the rollers 3 and 5, to contrive the belt 2 to follow the required path, exactly. Thus, in a suitable portion of the path between the idle roller 5 and the driving roller 3 the belt 2 is guided alonga substantially vertical direction and run in a botton-opened slit cut in a masking plate 13. The stack of cards S, at rest, is shown to lean against the plate 13, the belt 2 being prevented from contacting the foremost card of the stack, as the belt is in a slightly recessed position with respect to the plate 13.

The masking plate 13 is fastened to a yoke 14 (which may be part of the main frame of the machine) by a pair of flexible horizontal blades, symmetrically located, of which only blade 15 is shown, and by flexible vertical blade 16. The horizontal blades, such as blade 15 shown, are fastened to the masking plate 13 and to the yoke 14 by screws such as screws 17 and 17! respectively, and the vertical blade 16 is fastened to the masking blade 13 by a screw not shown, and to a small block 18 by a screw 20. The block 18 is further shown to be secured to the yoke 14 by a screw 19. The two horizontal blades such as blade 15, and the vertical blade 16 support the masking plate 13 and permit it to accomplish a small backward oscillation.

At each side of the masking plate 13 there is a rib to which a small link 22 is pivoted by means of a pivot member 21. At the opposite end, the link 22 is pivoted, at a pivot point 24, to an arm 23 which is an extension of an oscillating member 25.

This oscillating member 25 is secured to a shaft 26 which is rotatably supported by yoke 14 in any manner well known in the art, such that the yoke may accomplish a small counterclockwise rotation together with the shaft. An armature 28, consisting of sheets of suitable ferromagnetic material, is secured to a step 27 machined out of the oscillating member 25, and is-s'ubject to the attractive action of an electromagnet 30, fastened to the yoke 14 and provided wth energizing coils 29.

In the rest condition, the axis of pivot 21, of link 22, of pivot 24 and of the shaft 26 are substantially contained in the same plane: thus the force applied by the card stack leaning on the masking plate does not produce any moment tending to rotate the oscillating member 25. When electromagnet 30 is energized, the armature 28 is attracted forward and the oscillating member 24 rotates counterclockwise by a small angle, overriding the action of springs such asspring 32. This rotation is limited by an adjustable stop screw 33. By effect of this rotation, the pivot 21 is moved downward and, through the associate motion of rod 22 and pivot 21, the masking plate 13 rotates counterclockwise so, that its lower portion is moved backward, letting the belt 2 project out of the slit where it was formerly concealed.

The foremost card of the stack is thus submitted to the action of the portion of the belt projecting out of the slit, and is moved downward. During this motion, according to a known arrangement, the card is forced to pass through a gauged slit, not shown in the drawing, which lets only one card at a time pass as the gap of the gauged slit is barely wider than the thickness of a single card.

As soon as the lower edge of the card has passed this slit and is under the plane of the plate 1, the card is engaged by two pairs of driving rollers, secured on the rotating shaft 6, of which only a pair designated by reference numeral 35 is shown. On these rollers 35 leans a corresponding pair of pressure rollers 36, carried by an oscillating arm 37 pivoted on a spring which is not shown. By the action of the driving rollers 35 and pressure rollers 36, and of their symmetrical counterparts at the right side of the device, the card is driven downward. The position of the card at this moment is shown by the dot-and-dash outline indicated by reference letter S. (FIG. 1).

The whole device described above, comprising the masking plate 13, the pair of belts such as belt 2 and as sociated rollers, and the two pairs of rollers such as the pair of rollers 36, is projecting out of a substantially rectangular window cut out of the fixed plate 12, which is fastened to the main frame by means of screws as the one indicated by the reference number 38, and others not shown, these screws permitting adjustment of the vertical position of the plate 12. The horizontal width of the plate 12 is at least equal to the length of the card. On its lower side, the plate 12 is bent to form an upper limiting bar 40 whose purpose will be explained later as the description proceeds.

Under the plate 1, a shaft 41 rotatably supported by the main frame, and driven, by a motor means (not shown), to rotate counterclockwise, carries two rididly fastened pairs of rollers, of which only a pair indicated by reference numeral 42 is shown. A guiding plate 43 and a counter plate 44, resting on an aligning bar 45, define an aligning channel into which the card S falls by effect of the action of the driving rollers 35 and pressure rollers 36, as may be seen in FIG. 2, which is a schematical section of the lower part of the feeding device along the central plane. The thick dot-and-dash line shows the position of the card Sas soon as its lower edge has entered the channel, facilitated by the inviting upper bends of the guiding plate 43 and counter plate 44. Being pushed down into the channel by the action of rollers 35 and 36, the card is forced to bend longitudinally, and, when its upper edge is free from the rollers, it rests against the fixed plate 12. By effect of the longitudinal bending and of the elasticity of the card, its middle longitudinal portion is driven toward the guiding plate 43, as shown by the solid thick line indicated by S.

The plate 43 has two openings, symmetrically located with respect to the section plane, only one of them beingshown in the drawing. The pair of rollers 42 project through this opening and into the channel by a portion of its periphery as shown in FIG. 2. The external peripheral surface of the rollers is covered with a suitable high friction material, such as rubber, and acts on the middle portion of the card which is pressed against the rollers by the effect of its longitudinal bending, driving it downward until its lower edge rests on the aligning bar 45. The distance between the upper surface of this aligning bar and the lower surface of the limiting bar 40 is barely larger than the height of the card. Therefore, as soon as the upper edge of the card has cleared the lower edge of the limiting bar, 40, that is, as soon as the lower edge of the card is resting on the aligning bar 45, the card straightens out and leans against the counter plate 44, so escaping the driving action of rollers 42, and assumes the position indicated in FIG. 2 by S". It is apparent that, due to the symmetrical arrangement of the two pairs of rollers, and to the described device, a card which presents itself in oblique relation to the horizontal, is subject to a prolonged action of the downward driving rollers only on its higher ing with its upper edge under the limiting bar 40. The rubbing action of the rollers 42 on the card is thus very gentle and gradual, and ceases immediately as soon as it is no more needed.

When the card rests in the channel vertically delimited between the lower bar 45 and upper bar 40, and leans on the counterplate 44 it is bound to be perfectly aligned in the required direction, and is no longer subject to any wearing action, or to any force.

On the middle plane of the machine as shown in FIG. I, there is a first photoelectric device, comprising a light source 48, preferably a solid state photoemitter, on one side of the aligning channel, and a photodiode 50, on the opposite side of the same channel. This photoelectric device is placed at a suitable height, so that when the lower edge of the card, in its downward motion, interrupts the light coming from the photoemitter 48, its upper edge is justleaving the lower edge of the masking plate 13. The interruption of the light causes an electrical signal to be emitted by the photodiode 50. As will be explained later in greater detail, this signal interrupts the current energizing the electromagnet 30 and therefore releases the armature'28, thus permitting the oscillating plate 25, under the action of springs 32, to return to the rest position as indicated in FIG. 1. As a consequence the masking plate reverts to the forward position, pushing back the stackof cards and removing the foremost card of the stack from the action of belt 2. Therefore, no more than one card may be removed at a time, and this is done in-a completely asynchronous manner, that is, the removing operation is not bound to any phase of any operation period of any one of the continuously oscillating or rotatingmachine members.

When the card is aligned, on the bar 45, the device for further moving the card along the following ,path may be activated. It comprises a roller 51, mounted and secured to a shaft 46 which is continuously rotating in the direction indicated by the arrow, and whichderives its motion from the shaft 41 by means of a helical gear 53. A portion of the periphery of the roller 51 projects into the aligning channel through a window opened in The device according to the invention is preferably system, comprising, for example, a Central Processor which may send out command pulses each one of which causes a card to be removed from the stack.

These command pulses must be separated by time intervals not shorter than a minimum value corresponding .to the'maximum operating speed. In the instance where the maximum operating speed is 600 cards per minute, the time interval between the pulses must be at least 100 milliseconds. These intervals, however, may be longer, as the sending out of each command pulse by the central processor is conditioned to the reception of a consensus signal, sent out by the card reader, which signal may be delayed if for any reason the removing and the aligning of a card is delayed. The card reader which is'located along the path followed by the card after alignment, comprises a reading position, not shown, about which it is sufficient, for the purposes of this description, to known that it can send out a signal for indicating the start andfthe end of the reading operation. It may be assumed that the start of reading signal is a transition from a binary ZERO to a binary ONE and the end of reading signal is the opposite one.

The circuit of FIG. 3 has fourinput and one output terminal. Input terminal 70 is connected to the output of theapparatus ge nerating the command pulses, for example the Central Processor UC of a data handling system. Input terminal 72 is connected to the output of the photodiode being part of the aforesaid first photoelectric device; Input terminal 73 is connected to the output of photodiode 61 being part of the aforesaid second photoelectric device.

Input terminal 74 is connected to the output of device SL being part of they reading position and which sends out the start of reading". and end of reading" signals.

Output terminal 71 is connected to the Central Processor for sending tothe same a consensus signal.

the plate 43. A corresponding pressure roller 54 projects into the same channel from a corresponding window opened in the counter plate 44 and is carried by an arm 55 subject to the action of an electromagnet 57, opposed to the action of a spring 56. I

When the electromagnet 57 is de-energized, spring 56 holds the pressureroller 54 at a suitable distance from roller 51, so that it cannot interfere with'any card entering the channel, nor act on the card which may be contained in the channel. When, on the other hand, electromagnet 57 is energized, its armature overrides the action of the spring 56 and pushes the pressure roller 54 toward the rotating roller 51, so that a card resting in the aligning channel ismoved along the following path. A second photoelectric device'comprising a photoemitter 60 and a photodiode 61 is located near the bot- .tom of the aligning channel and near its right extremity. FIG. 3 shows the logic block diagram of the electric circuit for controlling the different operations, and particularly for controlling the energizing or de-energizing of electromagnets 30 and 57, which operate respectively the masking plate .13 and the pressure roller 54.

FIG. 4 shows the timing diagrams reporting the binary values in different points of the logical diagram indicated by the circled capital letters.

The circuit comprises substantially the following circuital elements: 1

a. NOR gates, as the one indicated by reference numeral 78 which has two inputs leads and an output lead. The output lead is at a binaryONE if, and only if, both input leads are at binary ZERO: if one, or both, the input leads are at binary ONE, the output lead is at binary ZERO. If both input leads are connected to.- getherto form a single input, the NOR gate operates simply'as an inverter, as the one indicated by reference numeral 77. i r

b. Bistable circuits, called flip-flops, as the one indicated by reference numeral 76.,These circuits may take over either one of two different conditions, a work condition and a rest condition, and have a direct output lead D. In work condition, direct output lead D is at binary ONE, in rest condition, D is at binary ZERO. There are two static input leads, indicated by reference letters S and R, and two dynamic input leads indicated as S. and R'.,The flip-flop goes into the work condition (and therefore output D is at binary ONE) when a binary ONE level is applied to the static input S (Set), or

when a binary ONE to binary ZERO transition is applied to dynamic input lead S: it reverts in rest condition- (and therefore D output is a binary ZERO) when a binary ONE is applied to the static input lead R (Reset), or when a transition from a binary ONE to a binary ZERO is applied to the dynamic input lead R'.

c. Monostable circuits as the one indicated by reference numeral 84, having an input lead I and output lead U. When input lead I goes over from a binary ZERO to a binary ONE, output lead U goes to ZERO; when the input lead I reverts to ONE, output U reverts to ONE not immediately, but after a definite time interval depending upon the characteristics of the monostable circuit.

d. In addition amplifiers of known types, are used, having an input lead and an output lead, and either providing for adapting the external signals to the standard characteristics prescribed for the signals circulating in the described circuit, such as these indicated by reference numerals 81 and 83; or providing for the power needs for driving external devices in response to signals coming from the circuit, such as the one indicated by reference numeral 79.

A terminal 70 is connected to input S of a flip-flop 76 whose output D is connected to an inverter 77 having the output connected to a first input lead of a two-input NOR gate 78. The outputlead of the gate 78 is connected to the input lead of an amplifier 79 which controls the energizing of parallel'connected electromagnets 30 and 57.

Terminal 72, connected to the output of. the photodiode 50 is connected to the input of an amplifier 81 whose output is connected to the dynamic input S. of a flip-flop 82. When the diode 50 is illuminated, the output of amplifier 81 is at binary ONE, when the diode is obscured, the output is a binary ZERO. The output D of the flip-flop 82 is connected to a second input lead of the NOR gate 78.

Terminal 73, connected to the output of photodiode 61, is connected to an input lead of an amplifier 83, whose output controls the input I of a univibrator 84. The output U of the univibrator 84 is connected to the input of inverter 85, whose output is connected to input R of the flip-flop 82.

Terminal 74 which receives the signals of start of reading" and end of reading coming in from the reading position SL, is connected to input lead of a monostable circuit 87. The binary output signal of the circuit 87 is inverted by an inverter 88 and applied to input R of flip-flop 76 and to output terminal 71.

The operation of the circuit is described hereafter, with reference to diagrams of FIG. 4 which show the binary values in the various points of the circuit marked by the same letters. Diagram E indicates the conditions of operation on release of electromagnets 30 and 57.

In rest conditions flip- flops 76 and 82 are at rest, and their D outputsare at binary ZERO.

The first input lead B of NOR gate 78 is at binary ONE; its output lead C, is at binary ZERO, and the amplifier 79 does not energize the electromagnets 30 and 57.

At the start of the operation the Central Processor UC sends out a P pulse to the input S of flip-flop 76, whose output D goes over to a binary ONE. The lead B goes to ZERO, and as the second input lead (G) of NOR gate 78 is at ZERO, flip-flop 82 being at rest, the output of NOR gate 78 becomes ONE (lead C) and amplifier 79 energizes electromagnets 30 and 57. After a short time interval, corresponding to the energization time the two electromagnets attract at the instant t (see diagram E of FIG. 4).

Electromagnet 30 moves the masking plate 13 backward and the first card is removed from the stack. Electromagnet 30 pushes the pressure roller 54 against the moving roller 51, but this operation has no effect, as the aligning channel is empty.

The first card goes down, under the action of the rollers 35, and its lower edge at time t obscures the photodiode 50. Therefore the dynamic input S of flip-flop 82 goes from binary ONE to binary ZERO (diagram F) and its output D goes from binary ZERO to binary ONE (diagram G). This causes the passage to binary ZERO of the output of NOR gate 78, (lead C) and the interruption of the energization of the electromagnets 30 and 57, which, after a short release time, go back to the rest condition at time The masking plate reverts in the forward position, pushing back the stack of cards and preventing the removing of the following card. The pressure roller 54 is removed from the roller 51, making the aligning channel free to receive the card.

When the card, in its downward motion, obscures the photodiode 61 by the cards lower edge, at time t the input of monostable circuit 84 goes over from binary ONE to binary ZERO (diagram H). The output, which is a binary ZERO, remains at the same level for a predeterminated time interval 1, until time t,,. The time intervaljt t is substantially equal to the minimum time interval between the removal of two consecutive cards: for example, in the instance of an operating speed of 600 cards per minute, this interval is 100 ms.

At time 1 the output of flip-flop 84 goes to binary ONE, and therefore the output of inverter 85 (diagram L) goes from ONE to ZERO.

This zero-going front applied to the dynamic input R of flip-flop 82 resets the same in rest condition. The output D goes back to ZERO, and so does the second input G of NOR gate 71. As the first input of the same is already ZERO, the output goes to ONE, and the amplifier 79 energizes the electromagnets, which operate.

. Electromagnet 30 moves back the masking plate 13,

and causes a second card to be removed from the stack. The electromagnet 57 pushes the pressure roller 54 against the roller 51, and therefore the first card is moved along the following path to the reading position. As the card is moved out of the aligning channel the photodiode 61 is illuminated and the leads H and L go back to binary ONE. When the card reaches the reading position, the terminal 74 and the input lead to flipflop 87 go over to a binary ONE (diagram M) and, in correspondence, the output of the inverter 88, whose input is connected to the output of flip-flop 87, goes over similarly from ZERO to ONE, without producing effects (diagram N). I

When the reading operation is terminated, the input of monostable circuit 87 goes over from binary ONE to binary ZERO, and its output goes over from ZERO to ONE after a predetermined time interval 7'. As a consequence, the output of inverter 88, sends out at time t a zero-going front, which, applied to the dynamic input R' of flip-flop '76 resets the same in rest position, that is, its output D reverts to ZERO. The first input of NOR gate 78 goes to ONE, its output to ZERO, and the electromagnets are de-energized. At the same time t,

the same zero-going front applied to terminal 71 gives to the Central Processor the consensus for initiating a new operation cycle. The Central processor sends a new pulse P for example at time t-,, setting flip-flop 76 in work condition, and the lead B goes to binary ZERO. But the new cycle is initiated only at time T' when the second card, which has been removed from the stack at time is aligned on the aligning channel. .From this time on the sequence of operations of the various devices proceeds in the manner already indicated. The start of a new cycle is conditioned by a command pulse incoming from the Central Processor and setting flipflop 70 (lead B to ZERO) and by the signal indicating that the last removed card is positioned and aligned in the aligning channel, which resets flip-flop 81 (lead G to ZERO).

The intervals of time corresponding to instant t to. t as indicated in FIG. 4 are, with reference to the start of the first cycle, that is, to instant t t ms; t ms; 45 ms; 82.5 ms; t 100 ms; =l50 ms.

In the instance of an operating speed of 600 cards per minute, the delay 1' introduced by monostable circuit 84 is l7.5 ms, and the command pulses are normally separated by 100 ms intervals. In the instance of a lower reading speed, for example 400 or 350 cards per minute, the delay of the monostable circuit is adjusted respectively at 67.5 ms and 89.5 ms. No other adjustingoperation is required for changing the operation speed of the device.

Numerous modifications, variations and equivalents will now occur to those skilled in the art all of which are intended to fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention. Hence the invention herein is limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A card feeding device for moving cards along a predetermined path from an initial position to an aligning position and a reading station, comprising a plurality of card removing members in continuous and uniform motion, a masking plate having a corresponding plurality of slits encompassing suitable portions of said card removing members, means for-pushing a stack of cards against said masking plate control means for imparting to said masking plate in succession a firstdisplacement for subjecting the foremost card of the stack to the action of said card removing members, and a second displacement in opposite direction for withdrawing the stack of cards from said removing action, continuously, rotating aligning rollers on one side only of said aligning position, said pathof the card comprising a portion defined by an upper guiding plate and a counter plate arranged at a mutual angle, said angle causing the card to bend longitudinally and pressingthe card against said aligning rollers the operation of said control means being uncorrelated'to the motion of said card removing members and .to the operation'of said aligning rollers.

2. The feeding device of claim 1, wherein said cardremoving members comprise at least a continuous belt.

3. The feeding device of'claim 1, wherein said control means for displacing said maskingplate comprise at least an electromagnet means operating :through passive mechanical links.

4. The feeding device of claim 3, whereby said electromagnet means are responsive to current pulses generated in dependence of the passage of the card through a first photoelectric device comprising a photoemitter and a photoelectric signal generator located on opposite sides of the path of the card.

5. The feeding device of claim 4, wherein said aligning position is defined by a lower longitudinal aligning member and an upper longitudinal limiting member, in cooperation with said counter plate, said counter plate being inclined with respect to the vertical bya substana first photoelectric device for'signalling the passage of a card through a predetermined point of said predetermined path, a second photoelectric device for signalling the resting of -a card in said aligning position, detecting means for indicating the passage of a card through the reading station and wherein said control means has start input to receive start commands from a central processor unit, first, second, third inputs responsive to signals provided by said first, second photoelectric device and said detecting means respectively and a conditioning network whereby the starting of the first card removing operation is depending on a start signal unit, the starting of the second card removing operation is depending on an aligning signal at the second input, signalling that the first removed card is aligned on said aligning position, and the starting of the subsequent card removing operations is conjointly dependent on both start signal and an aligning signal, said start signal being conditioned by a consensus signal sent to the central processor unit in response to a signal indicating the passage of the card through said operative position.

8. A card feeding device for moving cards along a predetermined path from an initial position to an aligning position, and a reading station, comprising a plurality of cardremoving members in continuous and uniform motion, a masking plate having a corresponding plurality of slits encompassing suitable portions of said card-removing member's, means for pushing a stack of cards against said masking plate, controlmeans for imparting to said masking plate in succession a first displacement for subjecting the foremost card of the stack to the action of said card-removing members, and a second displacement in the opposite direction for withdrawing the stack of cards from said removing action, the operation of said control means being uncorrelated to the motion of said card-removing members, a first photoelectric device for signalling the passage of a card through a predetermined point of said predetermined path, a second photoelectric device for signalling the resting of a card in said aligningposition, detecting means for indicating'the passage of a card through the reading station and wherein said control means has a start input to receive start commands from a central processor unit, first, second, third inputs responsive to signals provided by said first, second photoelectric device and said detecting means respectively and a conditioning network whereby the starting of the first card removing operation is depending on a start signal unit, the starting of the second card removing operation is depending on an aligning signal at the second input, signalling that the first removed card is aligned on said aligning position, and the starting of the subsequent card removing operations is conjointly dependent on both start signal and an aligning signal, said start signal being conditioned by a consensus signal sent to the centralprocessorunit in response to a signal indicating the passage of the card through said operative position.

9. The card feeding device of claim 8 wherein said motion imparting means comprises card-removing members in the form of a continuous belt.

10. The card feeding device of claim 8 which further includes along the path of the card apparatus for aligning a card comprising wall structure forming a card receiving channel having an upper guiding plate and a counter plate arranged at a mutual angle, and means adjacent one wall of said channel for moving a card contacted thereby toward an aligning member forming a wall of said channel, said angle being effective to cause the card on entering the channel to bend and thereby be pressed against said card moving means, and said channel being disposed such that a card at rest and in contact with said aligning member is out of contact with said card moving means.

1 l. The card feeding device of claim 10, wherein said card moving means comprises continuously rotating alignment rollers having a portion of their periphery extending into said channel.

12. In a card feeding device for moving cards along a predetermined path, card aligning apparatus disposed along the path and comprising wall structure forming a card receiving channel having a lower guiding plate and a counter plate disposed substantially parallel to one another and in spaced relation, and an upper guiding plate arranged at a mutual angle with said counter plate and directed toward said counter plate, means adjacent said lower guiding plate and in spaced relation with said counter plate for moving a card contacted thereby toward an aligning member forming a wall of said channel, said angle being of a magnitude to direct a card against said counter plate, bending the card longitudinally and pressing the card against said card moving means, and said space between said card moving

Claims (13)

1. A card feeding device for moving cards along a predetermined path from an initial position to an aligning position and a reading station, comprising a plurality of card removing members in continuous and uniform motion, a masking plate having a corresponding plurality of slits encompassing suitable portions of said card removing members, means for pushing a stack of cards against said masking plate control means for imparting to said masking plate in succession a first displacement for subjecting the foremost card of the stack to the action of said card removing members, and a second displacement in opposite direction for withdrawing the stack of cards from said removing action, continuously, rotating aligning rollers on one side only of said aligning position, said path of the card comprising a portion defined by an upper guiding plate and a counter plate arranged at a mutual angle, said angle causing the card to bend longitudinally and pressing the card against said aligning rollers the operation of said control means being uncorrelated to the motion of said card removing members and to the operation of said aligning rollers.

2. The feeding device of claim 1, wherein said card-removing members comprise at least a continuous belt.

3. The feeding device of claim 1, wherein said control means for displacing said masking plate comprise at least an electromagnet means operating through passive mechanical links.

4. The feeding device of claim 3, whereby said electromagnet means are responsive to current pulses generated in dependence of the passage of the card through a first photoelectric device comprising a photoemitter and a photoelectric signal generator located on opposite sides of the path of the card.

5. The feeding device of claim 4, wherein said aligning position is defined by a lower longitudinal aligning member and an upper longitudinal limiting member, in cooperation with said counter plate, said counter plate being inclined with respect to the vertical by a substantially small angle, the inclination being in such a direction as to remove the card resting on said counter plate from the action of said aligning rollers.

6. The feeding device of claim 4, whereby the resting of the card on said aligning position is signalled by means of a second photoelectric device comprising at least a photoemitter and a photoelectric signal generator located on opposite sides of said aligning position.

7. The feeding device of claim 1 further comprising: a first photoelectric device for signalling the passage of a card through a predetermined point of said predetermined path, a second photoelectric device for signalling the resting of a card in said aligning position, detecting means for indicating the passage of a card through the reading station and wherein said control means has start input to receive start commands from a central processor unit, first, second, third inputs responsive to signals provided by said first, second photoelectric device and said detecting means respectively and a conditioning network whereby the starting of the first card removing operation is depending on a start signal unit, the starting of the second card removing operation is depending on an aligning signal at the second input, signalling that the first removed card is aligned on said aligning position, and the starting of the subsequent card removing operations is conjointly dependent on both start signal and an aligning signal, said start signal being conditioned by a consensus signal sent to the central processor unit in response to a signal indicating the passage of the card through said operative position.

8. A card feeding device for moving cards along a predetermined path from an initial position to an aligning position, and a reading station, comprising a plurality of card-removing members in continuous and uniform motion, a masking plate having a corresponding plurality of slits encompassing suitable portions of said card-removing members, means for pushing a stack of cards against said masking plate, control means for imparting to said masking plate in succession a first displacement for subjecting the foremost card of the stack to the action of said card-removing members, and a second displacement in the opposite direction for withdrawing the stack of cards from said removing action, the operation of said control means being uncorrelated to the motion of said card-removing members, a first photoelectric device for signalling the passage of a card through a predetermined point of said predetermined path, a second photoelectric device for signalling the resting of a card in said aligning position, detecting means for indicating the passage of a card through the reading station and wherein said control means has a start input to receive start commands from a central processor unit, first, second, third inputs responsive to signals provided by said first, second photoelectric device and said detecting means respectively and a conditioning network whereby the starting of the first card removing operation is depending on a start signal unit, the starting of the second card removing operation is depending on an aligning signal at the second input, signalling that the first removed card is aligned on said Aligning position, and the starting of the subsequent card removing operations is conjointly dependent on both start signal and an aligning signal, said start signal being conditioned by a consensus signal sent to the central processor unit in response to a signal indicating the passage of the card through said operative position.

9. The card feeding device of claim 8 wherein said motion imparting means comprises card-removing members in the form of a continuous belt.

10. The card feeding device of claim 8 which further includes along the path of the card apparatus for aligning a card comprising wall structure forming a card receiving channel having an upper guiding plate and a counter plate arranged at a mutual angle, and means adjacent one wall of said channel for moving a card contacted thereby toward an aligning member forming a wall of said channel, said angle being effective to cause the card on entering the channel to bend and thereby be pressed against said card moving means, and said channel being disposed such that a card at rest and in contact with said aligning member is out of contact with said card moving means.

11. The card feeding device of claim 10, wherein said card moving means comprises continuously rotating alignment rollers having a portion of their periphery extending into said channel.

12. In a card feeding device for moving cards along a predetermined path, card aligning apparatus disposed along the path and comprising wall structure forming a card receiving channel having a lower guiding plate and a counter plate disposed substantially parallel to one another and in spaced relation, and an upper guiding plate arranged at a mutual angle with said counter plate and directed toward said counter plate, means adjacent said lower guiding plate and in spaced relation with said counter plate for moving a card contacted thereby toward an aligning member forming a wall of said channel, said angle being of a magnitude to direct a card against said counter plate, bending the card longitudinally and pressing the card against said card moving means, and said space between said card moving means and said counter plate being of a magnitude to provide an unobstructed area of said channel adjacent said counter plate whereby a card at rest and in contact with said aligning means is out of contact with said card moving means.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein said card moving means comprises continuously rotating alignment rollers having a portion of their periphery extending into said channel.

Images