US3871576A

US3871576A - Data recorder and verifier

Info

Publication number: US3871576A
Application number: US110584A
Authority: US
Inventors: Donald E Bean; James T Engh; James R Hammer; John J Igel; Myron D Schettl; Harry J Tashjian; Richard J Ullmer; John W Kerr
Original assignee: International Business Machines Corp
Current assignee: International Business Machines Corp
Priority date: 1969-07-29
Filing date: 1971-01-28
Publication date: 1975-03-18
Anticipated expiration: 1992-03-18
Also published as: DE2065593B2; DE2036801A1; BE752247A; DE2065592B2; FR2053230A1; FR2053230B1; DE2065593A1; DE2065592C3; US3642197A; GB1291769A; DE2065592A1

Abstract

A data recorder for punching document cards including a flat deck which extends between and transports the document cards between a hopper and a stacker. A punching mechanism and a printing mechanism operate on the cards as they pass longitudinally along the deck. The deck is horizontal longitudinally thereof and is inclined with respect to horizontal transversely of the deck so that the document cards are readily observable as they are operated upon. The machine includes means for turning the cards through 90* with respect to the deck as the cards pass into the stacker, so that a stack extending parallel with the deck is formed. The hopper holds a stack of document cards so that they extend downwardly at an acute angle with respect to the deck, and a pick roll moves the cards off of the top of the stack in the hopper down on to the deck, rendering the top card in the hopper readily observable and replaceable.

Description

United States Patent Bean et al.

DATA RECORDER AND VERIFIER International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY.

Filed: Jan. 28, 1971 Appl. No.: 110,584

Related U.S. Application Data Division of Ser. No. 845.8l7, July 29. 1969, Pat. No. 3,642,197.

Assignee:

U.S. Cl 234/35,234/128, 1/4 Int. Cl. 606k 13/10, (306k 3/12 Field of Search 271/39, 51, 413; 2 4,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Waters 2.

Peirce Bryce Herrick l2/l923 l0/l93l 2/1939 5/1960 1 Mar. 18, 1975 3,054,612 9/1962 Godlewski 271/4 3.581900 5/197! Hansen 27l/5l 3.599.972 3/l97l Miciukiewicy 271/39 Primary Examiner-Even C. Blunk Assistant E.\'aminer-Bruce H. Stoner, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Keith T. Bleuer [57] ABSTRACT A data recorder for punching document cards including a flat deck which extends between and transports the document cards between a hopper and a stacker. A punching mechanism and a printing mechanism operate on the cards as they pass longitudinally along the deck. The deck is horizontal longitudinally thereof and is inclined with respect to horizontal transversely of the deck so that the document cards are readily observable as they are operated upon. The machine includes means for turning the cards through 90 with respect to the deck as the cards pass into the stacker, so that a stack extending parallel with the deck is formed. The hopper holds a stack of document cards so that they extend downwardly at an acute angle with respect to the deck, and a pick roll moves the cards off of the top of the stack in the hopper down on to the deck, rendering the top card in the hopper readily observable and replaceable.

1 Claim, 12 Drawing Figures 'minno 3.871575 sum 1 0r 9 PRINT PRINT um;

PRINT LINE? AREA PRINT LINE3 B 00 g ma no "2 HER I F|G i ::I:.:.."T+ PUNCH g I04 2 mm 2 AREA $1: .:::I w g g m6 TIER3 ig enuunatu-enun FIG.2

PMEHTED I 8575 SHET 3 BF 9 FIG. 4

HOPPER CARD CENSOR PUNCH D R PRINT DR TRANSPORT EUUEi'HED 3.871 .576

SHEET 8 OF 9 DATA RECORDER AND VERIFIER This is a division of application Ser. No. 845,817, filed July 29, I969 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,642,197.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a data recorder or keypunch for document cards and particularly to such a punch in which data may be entered serially from an associated keyboard and which includes punching apparatus for punching the data into a plurality of tiers.

Prior conventional keypunches in general use have utilized document cards, in which successive characters entered on a keyboard are serially punched in a single tier in the card, as the card is incremented across a punching position-the punching for any particular character being accomplished simultaneously as that character is entered on the keyboard. The transport of the machine utilizes a hopper feeding cards generally downwardly with mechanism being included for turning cards about their longitudinal axes so that they are inclined from vertical at a small angle, and the cards are then incremented across a punch station in this disposition. The machine also includes a stacker extending generally vertically and mechanism for turning the cards through approximately 90, after punching, and into the stacker.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved keyboard-operated data recorder for document cards, particularly for the type of card having a plurality of longitudinal tiers including aligned transversely extending columns for encoded data. The data recorder has a document card transport deck extending between a document card hopper and stacker, and a punching mechanism and a printing mechanism are so located as to operate on the document cards as they move across the deck from the hopper to the stacker.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved data recorder of this type having an improved card transport with a card hopper that has the cards extending in it with their faces inclined from vertical through a small angle so that the faces ofthe cards are easily read by the operator, with the transport being arranged to move and increment the cards to a stacker with the cards remaining in this disposition inclined slightly from vertical. The transport preferably also includes mechanism for turning the cards about an axis substantially parallel with a card and extending transversely thereof so that the cards provide a stack extending in the same general direction as they move along the transport. A preferred embodiment of the data recorder is particularly adapted for use with a document card having positions for three tiers of punched data, there being a column of six punch positions in each tier, and with the columns in the three tiers being in alignment. The recorder preferably includes I8 aligned punches, with six punches being applicable for a column in each of the tiers, and the punches are operative on a document card as it passes along and across a deck forming part of a card transport extending between a card hopper and a card stacker. The data recorder also preferably includes a row of printing characters for the tiers of printed information constituting parts of a printing mechanism effective on a document card as it passes across the deck and also preferably includes a read station for reading document cards on the deck.

The data recorder preferably includes a card transport with a hopper holding cards with their faces inclined at a small angle with respect to vertical and includes also means for transporting and incrementing these cards in the same disposition through the transport, whereby the cards may be punched, printed, and read in this disposition at punch, print, and read stations as they travel through the transport.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a plan view of the document card with which the data recorder of the invention may be used. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the data recorder.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the keyboard of the data recorder.

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic illustration of the document card transport of the data recorder.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the document card transport in the data recorder.

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the card transport.

FIG. 7 is an end view of the document card hopper included in the card transport as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8-8 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of a cam effective on the trailing edge of a document card passing through the transport.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken on line I0-l0 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of printing mechanism including an electrical print emitter constituting a part of the data recorder.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken on line l2l2 of FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIG. I, the document card 100, with which the data recorder or keypunch is adapted to be used, may be seen to have in its lower region a punch area having three

tiers

102, 104, and 106 in which holes may be punched. It will be noted that the first tier 102 contains 32 columns for receiving holes; the second tier 104 contains columns 33 to 64; and the third tier 106 contains columns 65 to 96. Each of the tiers I02, I04, and 106 has six

horizontal rows

1, 2, 4, 8, A, and B; and, therefore, as many as six holes may be punched into each of the columns in each of the tiers 102, I04, and 106.

The upper part of the document card constitutes a print area having three

print lines

108, 110, and II2. It will be noted that print line [08 contains print positions 1 to 32, print line 110 contains print positions 33 to 64, and print line 112 contains print positions 65 to 96. The print positions in the various print lines correspond to the columns in each of the

tiers

102, 104, and 106; and, in the particular card illustrated, the letters T-O-M in print positions ll, 12, and I3 correspond to the punched holes in columns 11, I2, and 13 in tier 1.

The card 100 may be quite small in comparison with prior conventional document cards and may, for example, have a length of about 3% inches and a width of 2% inches. The upper-left corner of the card is preferably docked to have a diagonally extending edge 114 for expeditiously stacking cards I00 to be in the same disposition with respect to each other in the stack.

The data recorder or keypunch is shown in FIG. 2 and may be seen to comprise a horizontal table top 116 fixed on a pair of

upstanding legs

118 and 120.

Oblong plates

122 and 124 are respectively attached to the

legs

118 and 120 and are adapted to rest flat on a floor so as to maintain the structure upright.

The punching, reading, and printing assembly 126 of the data recorder is mounted coincident with the back edge and adjacent one side edge of the table top 116; and a keyboard 128 is mounted directly in front of and centered with respect to the assembly 126. A chest 130 extends downwardly from the table top 116 and is mounted on the rear sides of the

legs

118 and 120 and provides room for the electronic components of the data recorder. The arrangement is such that the opera tor of the data recorder has substantial table space on which source documents may be placed; and for this purpose. the table top 116 may, for example, be of a length of 42 inches and a width of 24 inches, while the assembly 126 may have the horizontal dimensions of 11% inches by 19 inches; and the keyboard 128 may have horizontal dimensions of 9% inches by 14% inches.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the keyboard may be seen to comprise a plurality of data keys 132, a space key 134, an upper shift key 136, and a lower shift key 138. The assembly 126 also includes a plurality of switches 140 (see FIG. 2) disposed in front of and above the keyboard 128.

The assembly 126 includes a card transport 142 for the cards 100 (see FIG. The transport comprises, in general, a hopper 144, a pick roll 146, a transport roll 148, a card sensor 150, a punch 152, a first incrementor wheel 154, a gate 156, a read station 158, a verify notcher 160, a printer 162, a second incrementer wheel 164, and a stacker 166.

The hopper comprises a front plate 168 on which a stack of the cards 100 rests; and the plate 168, as will be observed from FIG. 2, extends downwardly at approximately an angle of 35 with respect to horizontal. The cards 100 are adapted to be discharged from the hopper 144 onto a deck 170. The hopper comprises also a bed plate 172 for supporting the stack of cards 100, and it will be observed from FIG. 6 that the bed plate 172 extends at an angle of about with respect to the deck 170 so that the cards 100 discharge down wardly from the top of the stack onto the deck 170. The bed plate 172 is supported by suitable guide mechanism 174 for upward movement as the stack of cards decreases in height, and a spring 176 is provided for forcing the plate 172 upwardly.

The pick roll 146 is rotatably mounted above the stack of cards 100 supported by the bed plate 172 and is carried by a lever 178 pivoted about a point 180. A magnet 182 is provided for acting on the lever 178 in order to move the pick roll 146 downwardly into contact with the top card 100 of the stack. The pick roll 146 is driven at a constant speed by any suitable driving mechanism.

A throat 184 is provided for assuring that only a single card 100 is moved at a time by the pick roll 146 off the stack of cards 100. The throat 184 comprises an upper throat blade 186 and a lower throat blade 188 which are positioned closely together with a separation exceeding only slightly the thickness of a card 100.

The transport roll 148 is positioned below an idler roll 190 supported by springs 192 so as to grip a card between them. The roll 148 is continuously driven by any suitable drive mechanism.

A cam 194 is mounted adjacent the

rolls

148 and 190 and is pivoted at 196 so as to fall behind a card 100 as it is fed onto the deck 170.

The card sensor comprises an electric lamp 198 and a plurality of card sensor fibers 200 terminating at an opening through the deck 170. A phototransistor 202 is located above the ends of the fibers 200.

The gate 156 comprises an electromagnetically cncr gized pole piece 204 mounted by means of a flexure element 206 over the deck 170 and adapted to engage the deck for forming a stop for card movement.

The punch 152 comprises a punch die 208 and 18 punches 210 which are reciprocable and enter into openings in the die 208. An interposer spring 212 is provided for each of the punches 210, and the interposer springs 212 are constantly reciprocated vertically by means of an eccentric drive mechanism 214 carrying a punch bail 216 which in turn carries the spring 212. Each of the springs 212 is moved into abutting relationship with respect to a punch 210 by means of a. lever 218, and each of the levers 218 is actuated by means of a magnet 220 having its armature 222 connected by a connecting rod 224 with the lever 218.

The incrementer wheel 154 is driven in increments of partial revolutions by any suitable drive mechanism so as to propel a card 100 a distance equal to one column (as, for example, from column 10 to column 11). An upper roll 226 is positioned above the wheel 154 and is rotatably mounted on a lever 228 pivoted by means of a pivot flexure 230. A magnet 232 is provided for moving the lever 228 vertically.

The read station 158 comprises 18 phototransistors 234 mounted in a row on a circuit card 236 positioned in an upper read station 238. The station 238 is positioned over a lower read station 240 which, in turn, is positioned directly over the lamp 198.

The notcher comprises a punch 242 actuated by means of a lever 244. A magnet 246 has its armature 248 connected with the lever 244 by means of a connecting rod 250 for this purpose.

The printer 162 comprises a print wheel 251 containing three rows of

print characters

252, 254, and 256 and rotatably driven at a constant speed by any suitable drive mechanism. A print hammer 258 is pivotally mounted below each of the

print rows

252, 254, and 256; and a magnet 260 is provided for actuating each of the print hammers. The magnets 260 are disposed in upper and lower tiers and are connected to actuate the print hammers through long and short connecting

rods

262 and 264.

The second incrementer wheel 164 is driven in increments similarly to the first incrementer wheel 154 and has an upper pressure roll 266 mounted above it on a lever 268. The lever 268 has a downwardly extending extension 270 and is movable by virtue of a flexure 272. A magnet 274 is effective on the extension 270 for the purpose of pivotally moving the lever 268 and roll 266.

The stacker 166 comprises a support plate portion 276 and a tray back 270 adapted to move toward and away from the plate portion 276 for receiving cards therebetween. A spring 280 is effective on the back 278 tending to hold it in a position adjacent the plate portion 276. A stacker shoe 282 is positioned adjacent a constantly rotating stacker wheel 284 for the purpose of guiding cards between the plate portion 276 and the tray back 278.

A punch emitter 286 is provided in connection with the eccentric drive mechanism 214 and comprises a disk 288 driven in connection with the eccentric drive mechanism 214 and having metallic inserts 290 in its periphery. A pair of

magnetic pickups

292 and 294 are provided adjacent the periphery of the disk 288 so that an electric pulse is provided in the

pickups

292 and 294 as the inserts 290 pass them.

A print emitter 296 is provided in connection with the printer 162. The print emitter comprises a wheel 298 driven along with the print wheel 251. The wheel 298 has 64 teeth 300 in it corresponding to the 63 characters and a space provided on each of the

print rows

252, 254, and 256; and one of the teeth 302 is elongated axially of the wheel 298. A pair of

emitter pickups

304 and 306 are provided adjacent the periphery of the wheel 298, and one of the emitters 304 is in such position that all 64 teeth are effective on it while the other emitter 306 is positioned so that only the elongated tooth 302 has an effect on the latter emitter.

The machine may utilize the keyboard 128 for causing actuation of the punches 210 in any suitable manner and utilizing any suitable interconnections between the keyboard 128 and punches 210.

In operation, stack of the document cards 100 is positioned on the bed plate 172 on the hopper 144. The pick roll 146 is continuously driven, and the lever 178 is moved downwardly under the action of the magnet 182 for engaging the uppermost card 100 in the stack in the hopper 144. Upon the downward movement of the pick roll [46, the roll 146 drives the uppermost card into the throat 184, and the two

blades

186 and 188 of the throat allow only the uppermost card 100 in the stack to pass through the throat 184 and into the nip of the transport roll 148 and idler roll 190. The card is propelled by the roll 148, which is continuously driven, on to the deck I70; and the card 100 when reaching the deck 170 is bent slightly so as to change its direction of movement to correspond with that of the deck 170 which extends horizontally, longitudinally of the deck 170.

As the card 100 passes across the card sensor 150, the photo transistor 202 of the sensor 150 is darkened; and the position of the card 100 is thus determined for appropriate controlling functions of the machine.

At about the time that the card 100 passing across the deck I50 darkens the photo transistor 202, the card moves the cam [94 upwardly, and the cam 194 remains in an elevated position until the trailing edge of the card 100 passes beyond the cam 194.

As the card 100 continues to travel longitudinally along the deck 170, it reaches the gate 156. The gate 156 normally at this time is energized so that the pole piece 204 engages the deck 170 to close the gate, and the forward motion of the card 100 is thus temporarily stopped. The cam 194 drops at this time and holds the card against the closed gate 156. The card 100 is thus in a fixed reference position for assuring that punching and printing is subsequently done in the correct column positions.

The gate 156 is then de-energized, and the incrementer wheel 154 propels the card 100 for a distance equal to one column. The wheel 154 at this time has a pressure nip with the roll 226 positioned above it, whereby the wheel 154 and roll 226 grip the card 100,

the roll 226 having been lowered to have a pressure nip with the wheel 154 by action of the magnet 232. The wheel 154 is driven in increments of partial revolutions so as to increment the card in this manner. At this time, assuming that punching is appropriate, one or more of the punches 210 isreciprocated to enter into a corresponding opening in the die 208 for punching one or more holes through the card 100. The punches 152 are reciprocated in this manner by means ofthe eccentric drive mechanism 214 and the punch bail 216, and reciprocations of the punches are under the control of the interposer springs 212. After punching action, as just described, is completed; the wheel 154 and roll 226 increment the card 100 to a second incremented position, and the same type of punching action takes place. This incrementing and punching action takes place for all of the 32 columns of the card 100.

As the card 100 passes over the read station 158, punched holes in the document card are sensed by the photo transistors 234.

The verify notcher is located just downstream of the read station 158; and, assuming that the card 100 is passing down the deck in a verify operation (using the read station 158 to sense the punched holes in the document card 100), the magnet 246 of the notcher may be energized so that the punch 242 notches the card 100 to indicate that a successful verify operation has been completed.

The card 100 passes from the position of the notcher 160 to the printer 162. Assuming that a print operation is appropriate. as when the card 100 has just been punched by the punch 152, the print hammers 258 are actuated by means of the magnets 260 and connecting

rods

262 and 264 so as to print the proper characters in the

print lines

1, 2 and 3 indicated in FIG. 1. The card 100 is incremented through the printer 162 while the printer is thus effective, particularly by the second incrementer wheel [64 and the pressure roll 266 mounted above the wheel [54. The wheel 164 is incrementally driven in the same manner as the first incrementer wheel 154.

The card 100, subsequent to any printing operation, moves along the deck 170 on to the constantly rotating stacker wheel 284. The wheel 284, cooperating with the stacker shoe 282 turns the card 100 through 90, and consecutive cards [00 stack between the tray back 278 and support plate portion 276 in substantially vertical disposition as viewed in FIG. 6. The spring 280 ef fective on the back 278 tends to maintain a stack of the cards [00 that extends in the same direction as the deck 170.

Advantageously, the keypunch or data recorder of the invention provides an operator-oriented standalone device capable of punching, printing, and reading data at electronic speeds (at 20 columns per second, for example) into and from a document card 100 which is considerably smaller than the conventional 80- column or Hollerith card-the punching, printing, and reading being done in non-serial fashion with respect to the plurality of tiers of the document card. Punching and printing may be done in parallel fashion with three aligned columns in the three tiers being punched and printed at the same time, additional incremental movements of the card being utilized for completing the punching and printing of the card.

The punching, reaching, and printing assembly 126, due to the relatively small document card 100 that is utilized, is relatively small and utilizes only substantially one-half the length of the table top 116 so as to provide an adequate work surface, which may easily amount to 350 to 400 square inches, for the operator.

The machine document transport 142 utilizes a clutchless, straight-line feed path with continuous motion of the cards 100 during punching and printing and allowing easy operator access to the cards 100 passing through the transport. The hopper 144 is a top-feeding hopper which allows any data on the cards that are being fed from the hopper to be viewed by the operator, since the cards 100 are in the hopper face up with their registration edge (the card edge adjacent columns 1, 33, and 65) to the left as seen in FIG. 5 (in the direction in which the cards pass through the transport). For the purpose of rendering the upper faces of the cards 100 easily seen by the operator so that the operator may easily read any printed or written material thereon, the plate 168 of the hopper 144 extends downwardly at approximately an angle of 35 with respect to horizontal as previously described; and, therefore, the upper faces of the cards 100 in the hopper 144 extend at the same angle with respect to vertical and are approximately perpendicular to the operators line of sight Magnet action allows the pick roll M6 to pick a card 100 from the top out of the hopper I44 so that the card moves against the registration gate 156 at the punch station in which the card I is in a column 0 position. During the dwell portions of an incremental card movement. the pressure rolls 226 and 266 grip the card 100 against the lower continuously incrementing

wheels

154 and 164 so that the card travels incrementally through the punch, read, and print stations to the stacker 166 and so that punching and printing actually take place when the card is momentarily stationary. It will be noted that the hopper 144 is preferably slanted at an angle of about l with respect to the deck 170 so that the cards 100 feed slightly downwardly onto the deck [70, and the stacker shoe 282 cooperates with the constantly rotating stacker wheel 284, which rotates on an axis parallel with the deck 170 and the cards 100 thereon, for the purpose of turning the cards 100 through a right angle and stacking them in the stacker 166 at right angles to the plane of the deck 170.

This same machine, utilized for punching and printing the cards I00, advantageously also allows the cards to be verified. A document card 100 is stopped at a verify notch locationthis pause being effective by lifting the pressure roll 266 by magnet action; and when the magnet action is discontinued, the roll 266 and second incrementer wheel 164 again cause the card 100 to increment until it passes between the stacker shoe 282 and stacker wheel 284 into the stacker 166. A following card 100 is moved in the same manner behind a previous card I00 to maintain sequence and form the stacked deck. The configuration of the transport provides simplicity, accessibility, and flexibility in a small volume and is made possible in particular due to the relatively small card 100 which may only be, for example, 3% inches long and 2% inches wide, even though it provides 96 columns for punch data in three tiers and provides three print lines corresponding to the 96 columns.

The machine as above described may be controlled by the control circuitry and mechanism disclosed in the application of Donald E. Bean et al., Ser. No. 845,817, filed July 29, I969 (now U.S. Pat. No. 3,642,!97) of which this application constitutes a division. in addition, the control devices and circuitry disclosed in the following applications and patents may be utilized for controlling the machine as above described, if desired:

John J. lgel and Myron D. Schettl, Ser. No. 835,548, filed June 23, 1969, (now US, Pat. No. 3,602,894); John J. lgel and Myron D. Schettl, Ser. No. 838,969, filed July 3, 1969 (now U.S. Pat. No. 3,602,897); and John J. lgel and Myron D. Schettl, Ser. No. 24,780, filed Apr. 1, I970, (now US. Pat. No. 3,665,403),

What is claimed is:

l. A machine for operating on document cards and adapted to rest on a horizontal surface and having front, back and ends and comprising,

a hopper for holding a supply stack of document cards and positioned at one end of the machine,

a stacker for receiving the document cards and positioned at the other end of the machine,

a flat deck extending between said hopper and stacker,

means including driven feed rolls for moving the doc umcnt cards along said deck longitudinally of the deck from said hopper to said stacker,

an encoding means positioned at said deck for encoding information on document cards moving along the deck,

reading means positioned at said deck and between said encoding means and said stacker for reading encoded information on document cards moving along the deck,

printing means positioned at said deck between said reading means and said stacker for printing information on document cards moving along the deck,

said deck being horizontal in its longitudinal direc tion when the machine rests on said horizontal surface,

said hopper extending below the level of said deck and being inclined at an acute angle with respect to the plane of said deck so that the document cards are fed downwardly from the hopper at this acute angle on to the deck,

said stacker extending in substantially the same direction as said deck,

a pick roll for feeding document cards off the top of the stack of document cards in said hopper and on to said deck for subsequent transport on the deck to said encoding means and said reading means and said printing means and ultimately to said stacker, and

means for turning the document cards through right angles as they leave said deck and enter said stacker so that the cards are individually substantially vertically disposed in said stacker and form a stack extending in the same direction as said deck,

said deck being inclined at an acute angle with respect to horizontal from the front to the back of the machine and said hopper and said stacker thus having their sides declining at acute angles with respect to horizontal when the machine rests on said horizontal surface.

Claims

1. A machine for operating on document cards and adapted to rest on a horizontal surface and having front, back and ends and comprising, a hopper for holding a supply stack of document cards and positioned at one end of the machine, a stacker for receiving the document cards and positioned at the other end of the machine, a flat deck extending between said hopper and stacker, means including driven feed rolls for moving the document cards along said deck longitudinally of the deck from said hopper to said stacker, an encoding means positioned at said deck for encoding information on document cards moving along the deck, reading means positioned at said deck and between said encoding means and said stacker for reading encoded information on document cards moving along the deck, printing means positioned at said deck between said reading means and said stacker for printing information on document cards moving along the deck, said deck being horizontal in its longitudinal direction when the machine rests on said horizontal surface, said hopper extending below the level of said deck and being inclined at an acute angle with respect to the plane of said deck so that the document cards are fed downwardly from the hopper at this acute angle on to the deck, said stacker extending in substantially the same direction as said deck, a pick roll for feeding document cards off the top of the stack of document cards in said hopper and on to said deCk for subsequent transport on the deck to said encoding means and said reading means and said printing means and ultimately to said stacker, and means for turning the document cards through right angles as they leave said deck and enter said stacker so that the cards are individually substantially vertically disposed in said stacker and form a stack extending in the same direction as said deck, said deck being inclined at an acute angle with respect to horizontal from the front to the back of the machine and said hopper and said stacker thus having their sides declining at acute angles with respect to horizontal when the machine rests on said horizontal surface.