US3929278A - Prepayment apparatus with a coded ticket - Google Patents

Prepayment apparatus with a coded ticket Download PDF

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Publication number
US3929278A
US3929278A US443779A US44377974A US3929278A US 3929278 A US3929278 A US 3929278A US 443779 A US443779 A US 443779A US 44377974 A US44377974 A US 44377974A US 3929278 A US3929278 A US 3929278A
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United States
Prior art keywords
ticket
lever
slider
mechanical means
slide
Prior art date
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Expired - Lifetime
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US443779A
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English (en)
Inventor
Loic Balavoine
Robert Cadot
Jacques Sapy
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Thales Avionics SAS
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Crouzet SA
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M17/00—Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems
    • H04M17/02—Coin-freed or check-freed systems, e.g. mobile- or card-operated phones, public telephones or booths
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
    • G06K13/00—Conveying record carriers from one station to another, e.g. from stack to punching mechanism
    • G06K13/02—Conveying record carriers from one station to another, e.g. from stack to punching mechanism the record carrier having longitudinal dimension comparable with transverse dimension, e.g. punched card
    • G06K13/08—Feeding or discharging cards
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
    • G06K7/00—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns
    • G06K7/08—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by means detecting the change of an electrostatic or magnetic field, e.g. by detecting change of capacitance between electrodes
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G06Q20/00—Payment architectures, schemes or protocols
    • G06Q20/30—Payment architectures, schemes or protocols characterised by the use of specific devices or networks
    • G06Q20/34—Payment architectures, schemes or protocols characterised by the use of specific devices or networks using cards, e.g. integrated circuit [IC] cards or magnetic cards
    • G06Q20/343—Cards including a counter
    • G06Q20/3433—Cards including a counter the counter having monetary units
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F7/00—Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus
    • G07F7/02—Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus by keys or other credit registering devices

Definitions

  • FIG. 1 A first figure.
  • the present invention relates to a prepayment apparatus with a coded ticket paticularly of the kind wherein the ticket may allow a plurality of partial utilizations until the exhaustion of the prepaid sum.
  • prepayment telephone apparatus employing coded tickets in which the sum recorded on the ticket is spent in accordance with a number of basic telephone units used up, the sole available energy in the telephone installation consisting in brief pulse at the start (or at the end) of each basic telephonic unit and a watching current of the order of one milli-ampere in the line when it is not being used.
  • the invention has for its object the elimination of these drawbacks of the known devices.
  • the invention concerns a prepayment apparatus with coded ticket including a movable reading and erasing head for the data written on the ticket, first mechanical means for introducing and setting in place the ticket, second mechanical means for effecting the successive steps of the working cycle, and means for exploiting the coded data on the ticket to control said second mechanical means, wherein said first mechanical means is designed so as to store during the introduction of a ticket the mechanical energy necessary for the working of said second mechanical means.
  • said means for exploiting the coded data on the ticket includes an electronic circuit supplied with low voltage current, with low intensity and during a very short duration at each use.
  • the first mechanical means includes a ticket-carrying slider slidable on a slide fitted with a movable member including two coaxial pinions meshing respectively with a rack fixed to the frame of the apparatus and with a rack fixed to said ticket-carrying slider. Relative movement between these two elements produces the setting of helical springs and the movement of a weight.
  • the second mechanical means includes a lever associated with a crank which transmits an alternative motion to the magnetic head, a locking pawl for said lever, a setting lever coupled with said lever through a crank and including at one end thereof a longitudinal aperture, said both levers being permanently urged towards each other by a spring whose attachment points determine unequal lever arms, governor means for moving the magnetic head, a rack slider carrying an electrical feeler whose motion is controlled by a step-by-step escapement which is itself controlled by electrical impulses through an electromagnet.
  • the means for exploiting the coded data includes a counter-subtracter with reset controlled by a contact, a diode matrix decoding a plurality of N discrete positions of the counter and a switch a branch of which scan a series of N contacts connected to the conductors representing the N discrete positions of the counter.
  • FIGS. 1 and 2 are respectively front and side elevational views of a telephone device according to the invention, the receiver shown on the left of FIG. 1 giving an idea of the overall size;
  • FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the device, the case having been removed;
  • FIG. 4 is a view of the right side of FIG. 3 in which a plate has been removed;
  • FIG. 5 is a view equivalent to FIG. 4 after a manual arming
  • FIG. 6 is a top view of the push-member in the position shown in FIG. 4;
  • FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the push-member taken along line VIIVII of FIGS. 4 and 6;
  • FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a part of the elements taken along line VIII-VIII of FIG. 5;
  • FIG. 9 is a top view corresponding to FIG. 5;
  • FIG. [I] is a view of the left side of FIG. 9;
  • FIG. 11 is an electronic circuit diagram
  • FIG. 12 is an example of a ticket
  • FIG. 13 is a view of a part of FIG. 8 representing a modification for marking the ticket instead of punching the latter.
  • FIG. 14 is a diagrammatic view of display means.
  • FIGS. 1 and 2 are views of the outside of a prepayment telephone device according to the invention.
  • the device is contained in a case or housing B, the receiver C being at rest suspended from a movable lever L which cuts off in the known manner the communication. Shown on the front side of the case B are: a window F in which a counting roller indicates the 3 available credit expressed in basic units, a recess N the end wall B of which has an opening B' for allowing the passage of a manual actuating button 15 having a slot [SC for inserting a ticket.
  • the frame (FIGS. 3 and 4) comprises essentially a fixed slideway l, a plate 2 and a plate 3.
  • the slideway 1 is fixed to the plate by short pillars, such as 4 and S, and the plates 2 and 3 are interconnected by square pillars 6 and round pillars 6, 7 and 7'.
  • the square pillars 6 carry transverse tapped holes 60 and the slideway 1 has tapped holes la for fixing the apparatus to the interior of the case B, against its front face 8,.
  • the rear end of the slideway I and the rear edge of the plates 2 and 3 are at a distance from the rear inner face B of the plate B.
  • a slide 11 is guided by a T-section male portion in a T-section female portion of the slideway 1 whose lip lb is provided with teeth of a rack.
  • the slide 11 has on the upper face of T-section male portion for guiding a slider 12 provided with a T-section female portion one of the lips 12a of which is provided with teeth of a rack.
  • the slide I1 (FIG. 8) has a shouldered cylindrical cavity 11a in which there is movably mounted a member 13 having pivots 13a which are journalled in a centre aperture at the end of the cavity 11a and in an aperture in a plug 14 constituting a bearing.
  • the movable member 13 has a small gear pinion 13b meshed with the rack lb and a larger gear pinion 13c meshed with the rack 12a.
  • any movement of the slide 11 with respect to the slideway 1 results in a movement in the same direction but to a greater extent of the slider 12 with respect to the slide 11 so that the total movement of the slider 12 with respect to the slideway l is equal to the sum of the two relative movements.
  • the slide 11 is returned to its position of rest by a return spring 16 disposed in a longitudinal recess in the slideway and attached, at one end, to a pin 11b integral with the slide 11 and, at the other end, to a pin 10 integral with the slideway 1 (FIG. 7).
  • the slide 11 In the position of rest (FIG. 4), the slide 11 extends from the front of the wall B, of the case by a certain distance (for example 3 cm) and the slider 12 is in abutment with the inner wall a of the push-member l5 slightly projecting with respect to the slide 11.
  • the push-member 15 is secured by screws to bosses lld (FIG. 7) at the end of the slide 11.
  • bosses lld The purpose of the bosses lld is to define a space between the front end of the slide II and the inner wall 15a for the discharge of dust and foreign bodies which might hinder the abutment of the slider I2 against the wall 150.
  • the slider 12 (FIG. 7) is adapted to carry the ticket on its upper face; a flat attached member 17 (on the right in FIG. 7) and a thicker attached member 18 (on the left in FIG. 7) define with the slider 12 a slideway for maintaining the ticket.
  • the member 18 (FIG. 8) has ten piercing punches each one of which has a return spring, a back plate 18' maintaining the punches 180 and allowing the heads 1800 of the punches to extend therethrough.
  • the push-member 15 has on the outer face and on the lateral faces thereof a wall in the shape of a skirt 15b which surrounds, without contact, the parts of the slider 12 and of the guides 17 and 18 which are, in the position of rest, outside the case B.
  • the opening B (FIG. 7) of the face B of the case B has the same profile as the skirt 15b.
  • the push-member [5 has on its front face a slot 15c (FIGS. 1 and 4) for the insertion of the ticket and the upper face of the skirt 15b has an opening 15d (FIG. 6) to allow the passage of one finger for enabling pushing the ticket into position and withdrawing it after use.
  • the fixed ticket-guiding member 17 is replaced by a movable jaw 17' which is pivotable about a pin l7'a biased by a spring disposed in an aperture 12b guided by a stud I7'b so that the lip l7'c clamps the ticket against the upper face of the slider 12 when the latter is in the reading position (FIG. 5).
  • the convex head of the stud l7'b is inside the lateral wall of the skirt 15b, the spring is compressed and the lip [T0 is slightly raised and then allows the insertion or withdrawal of the ticket.
  • a pawl 20 (FIG. 4), pivotable on a pin 12c integral with the slider 12, carries a finger member 20a which assumes a position over the end of the ticket, which it overlaps to the extent of about 1 mm in the direction of the length, when the ticket has been suitably inserted.
  • the push-member 15 is pushed in, the movement of the slider 12 with respect to the slide 11 disengages the heel portion 20b from the stud 11f, the finger member 20 bears against the edge of the ticket whose thickness is sufficient to maintain the end 200 of the pawl 20 above a notch 11b in the slide 11, and the relative movement between slider 12 and slide 11 is possible.
  • the nose portion 20c descends low enough to engage in the notch 11b and prevent the relative displacement between slider 12 and slide 11.
  • FIG. 4 the, plate 3 has been removed to show a lever 21 integral with a pin 2 la joumalled between the plates 2 and 3, and a lever 22 integral with a pin 22a also journalled between the plates 2 and 3.
  • the lever 21 is pivoted at 211: to a link 23 which is pivoted at its other end at 22b to the lever 22, this pivotal connection being achieved by means of a longitudinal slot 23a.
  • the leverarms 21a, 21b and 22a, 22b are equal and constitute with the link 23 a parallelogram structure.
  • the two levers 21 and 22 are elastically yieldably interconnected by a drive spring 24 attached to two studs 21c and 22c.
  • the spring 24 In the position of rest shown in FIG. 4, the spring 24 is under tension, that is to say, its length, when free, is shorter than the distance between the points 210 and 220 determined by the link 23.
  • the lever arm between the pin 21a and the connecting stud 21c is smaller than the lever arm between the connecting stud 22c and the spring 220.
  • the lever 21 is therefore biased by the spring 24 to rotate in the clockwise direction (in FIG. 4) with a torque c which is proportional to the distance between 214 and 21c whereas the lever 22 is biased in the counterclockwise direction by the same spring 24 with a larger torque C which is proportional to the distance between 22a and 22c.
  • the lever 21 is biased in the counterclockwise direction with a torque c' C c, which, in the position of rest (shown in FIG. 4), maintains the lever 21 against a stop 3a integral with the plate 3.
  • the narrow front face 264 and an inclined upper face 26b and an inclined lower face 26 are the faces of a small prism the base of which has a diamond shape and whose edges are perpendicular to the plane of the pawl 26.
  • the lever 25b When at the end of the communication interrupted deliberately by the user or automatically by the exhau'stion or running out of the credit, the lever 25b is shifted downwardly by a means which will be explained hereinafter, the catch 25 is raised and leaves the finger member 22d of the lever 22 which is then free to rotate under the action of the-spring 24 in the counterclockwise direction.
  • the rotation of the lever 22 is transmitted by the link 23 to the lever 21 whose rotation in the counterclockwise direction occurs at a speed which is substantially constantand is regulated, as already mentioned, by the governor 27.
  • the lever 21 At the end of the return rotation, the lever 21 has returned to abutment with the stop 30 as shown in FIG. 4.
  • MECHANICAL READING HEAD DRIVING OPERATION (FIGS. 4 AND 5)
  • a magnetic reading head 28 is maintained in a rectangular-sided support 29 on the lower face of which there is secured a-first resilient strip 30 by means of a counterplate 290 and a second identical strip 13 is secured to the upper face of the support 29 by means of a counterplate 291.
  • the two resilient strips 30 are, at their end opposed to the support 29, secured to the arm 31a of a slider 31 by means of a spacer member 310, having the same height as the support 29, and a counterplate 311.
  • the support 29, the two strips 30 and the spacer member 310 constitute a parallelogram structure which ensures that the reading head 28 exerts an elastically yieldable 4, and 9) is formed by a sheet which is folded at right angles and has a horizontal branch which is cut to constitute the head-holder arm 31a and a vertical branch which extends downwardly so as to constitute a vertical arm 31b (FIG. 3).
  • the plate 3 (FIGS. 3 and 9) has in the front and at the rear two folded tabs 3b, 3c which support two parallel rods 3d and 3c.
  • the plate 3 Between the tabs 3b, 3c has an aperture 3f throughout its length so as to allow the passage therethrough of the horizontal branch 31a of the slider.
  • the rod 3e is trapped with clearance in the right angle of the slider 31 by the rollers 32 and 320.
  • the pressure exerted downwardly by the head 28 on the ticket, owing to the effect of the strips 30, produces an upward reaction on the slider 31 which maintains the rollers 320 in contact under the rod 3e.
  • the head 28 is in contact with the ticket by a cylindrical surface whose generatrices are perpendicular to the axis of displacement, that is to say, perpendicular to the rod 3:. It is necessary, in order to achieve a good reading, that the head be in contact with the surface of the ticket throughout the lenth of the generatrix; now, the precision of a folding operation and errors of construction do not permit guaranteeing the perfect application of the generatrix of contact of the head 28 on the plate of the ticket.
  • the support has therefore been bent in such manner as to define an angle which is greater than 90, for example 92', and a second rigid arm 31] which carries an adjusting screw 31g has been fixed to the vertical arm 31b.
  • a second rigid arm 31] which carries an adjusting screw 31g has been fixed to the vertical arm 31b.
  • the forward and rearward displacement of the slider 31 is ensured by a link 33 of which one end is pivoted to a tab 31b which is folded to be in a vertical plane from the horizontal branch of the slider 31, whereas the other end of the link is pivoted to the end 21 of the lever 21.
  • the reading head 28 must be raised slightly to permit the passage without rubbing of the part of the slider 12 which is not covered by the ticket and to permit without hindrance the insertion of the ticket to its reading position under the head 28.
  • This is achieved (FIG. 4) by means of a member 34 having a generally U-shaped section and provided with an aperture 34a for the passage of a pillar 7 on which the member 34 is held fast by a screw 340.
  • the two branches of the U are spaced apart enough to leave only the intermediate portion of the U which interconnects the branches above another piller 7' and only two thin lips 34b under this pillar 31.
  • An adjusting Lil screw 240 extending through the top branch of the U-sectioned member bears against the second pillar 7'.
  • the other end of the two branches of the U-section member 34 is bevelled was to form two inclined planes 34c which are located on each side of the head support 29.
  • the counter-plate 291 carries on' each side two projecting tabs which, at the end of travel, in arriving at the position of rest cooperate with the inclined plane 34c so as to raise the' head slightly.
  • the lips 34b are made to bend more or less and the member 34 is rotated slightly about the pillar 7 to adjust the height of the raising of the head 28 at the end of travel.
  • a shaft 35 is journalled in the plate 2 and in a folded car of the plate 10 (FIG. 9).
  • a lever 350 is keyed on the shaft 35 in front of the plate 2 and a crank arm 3S1, carrying a crank pin 3510, is keyed on the shaft 35 behind the ear 2a.
  • the assembly 35-350-351 assumes, under the simple effect of gravity, the position of rest shown in FIG. 4.
  • a stop block 36 is secured to the end of the slide .1 1 and carries a projecting portion 364 in the vertical plane containing the lever 350.
  • the stop block 36 moves fromthe positon shown in FIG. 4 to that shown in FIG. 5 and, during this movement, the projecting portion 364 drives the lever 350 through a certain angle and then leaves it so as to allow it to return to its position of rest.
  • the crank pin 351a moves from the lower position of rest, shown in dotted line in FIG. 4, to a higher position and then returns to the position of rest.
  • a fork 37 (FIGS'. 3 and 9) which is integral, through its side walls 374 and 37b folded at right angles, with a shaft 370 pivoting in the plates 9 and 10, carries a bar 371 parallel to the shaft 370'and extending through the plates 9 and 10 by way of openings in the shape of an arc of a circle 9b, 10b concentric with the shaft 370.
  • the bar 371 is resiliently biased to the position of rest in abutment with the lower part of the openings 9b, 10b by a spring 38 which bears against the fork 37 and against a pillar 8.
  • a fork 39 whose side portions 39a, 39b bend at a right angle and are guided between the side portions 37a, 37b, defines with the fork 37 a hinge pivoted to the bar 371.
  • the fork 39 carries a hammer 390 the intermediate portion of the fork 37 and the intermediate portion of the fork 39 being maintained in abutment with each other and in the same plane by a very light spring 40 whose ends extend through apertures 37c and 39c.
  • the side portion 370 of the fork 37 constitutes a cam whose profile 37d is concentric with the shaft 370 and has a slope 37b so as to meet a portion 37f of smaller radius.
  • a lever 41 biased by a small spring 410 pivotably mounted on a pin 10c of the plate 10, follows by its feeler heel portion 41a the profile 37d and is capable of booking by its nose portion 41b a pin 42a of the armature 42 of an electric relay 420 when the slope 37s is in front of the feeler heel portion 410.
  • the armature 42 has a branch 42b constituted by an attached resilient strip.
  • the assembly 35-350-351 When upon pushing on the push-member IS, the assembly 35-350-351 is made to rotate as explained hereinbefore, the crank-pin 3510 in assuming the upper position raises the bar 371 and rotates the assembly 390-39-37 about the shaft 370 in opposition to the action of the spring 38, the heel portion 41a of the lever 41 engages the slope 37 and the nose portion 41b is maintained by the lug 42a of the armature 42.
  • the energy which will be employed for punching or marking the ticket is stored in'the spring 38.
  • the user decides to interrupt the communication and hangs up the receiver and, in doing so, causes a mechanical means (not shown) integral with the conventional hook for hooking the receiver, to exert a force in the direction of the arrow (FIG. 3) on the resilient strip 42b.
  • the armature 42 rotates slightly and its lug 42a releases the nose portion 41b of the lever 41 whose heel portion 41a is urged by the slope 37c.
  • the assembly 390-39-37 suddenly falls under the action of the spring 38 and the bar 371 suddenly abuts the lower ends of the openings 9b, 10b.
  • the hammer 390 travels during a very short period of time downwardly beyond the position of rest shown in FIG. 3 and bends the spring 40 and causes that one of the punches 180 selected for punching a numbered box of the ticket the number of which indicates the number of basic units still available on the ticket.
  • the hammer 390 After punching (or marking), the hammer 390 resumes its position of rest under the action of the spring 40.
  • the user uses the whole of the credit: as soon as the last basic unit has started, the coil 420 is energized, the armature 42 is attracted, the punching is effected by the same process as just described. The zero box of the ticket is punched.
  • FIG. I2 An example of a ticket is shown in FIG. I2: it has, for example, a rectangular shape, 4.4 cm long and 3 cm wide, a longitudinal band 0.5 cm wide is coated with a magnetic substance for the recording of the coded information of the number of counting units represented by the new ticket, for example 10 units.
  • the coded information is recorded in a median region, that is to say that about I cm at each end of the magnetic band is not employed.
  • the two edges of the ticket are divided into I l boxes numbered 0 to 10.
  • the ten punches I80 are each above one of the ten boxes numbered 0 to 10 on one side of the ticket.
  • the box numbered I0 has never to be punched. It is marked with a cross by a typographic printing of the ticket since, if the telephone call is successful, that is to say if the correspondent replics, there is at least one unit consumed and in 10 this case the'box to be punched (or marked) is the box numbered 9.
  • Ten small dies I20 (FIG. 8) of hard metal placed in the slider I2,-each one on the axis of one of the ten punches I80, communicates with an elongated opening llk of the slide II which itself communicates with an elongated opening Ie of the fixed slideway so as to discharge the confetti or slugs produced by the punching.
  • the heads [a of the ten punches I80 are at a certain distance under the hammer 390 (position of rest).
  • a selecting block 430 carried by a resilient strip 43, is displaced selectively step-by-step a few tenths of a millimetre above the row of the ten heads 1800 of the punches I80 and a few tenths of a millimetre below the lower face of the hammer 390 (position of rest).
  • FIG. 12 shows, by way of example, a ticket which has been employed a first time when it consumed two units, the box numbered 8 indicating that there are 8 units left to be used.
  • the ticket was then employed a second time, inserted in the apparatus by its other end, three units were consumed, the punched box numbered 5 indicating that 5 units are left.
  • FIG. I3 reproduces a part of FIG. 8 which is modified to replace the punching by a marking.
  • the end 431k carrying the mark to be marked is a few tenths of a millimetre above the ticket whereas the other end of the ticket 43Ib is at a few tenths of a millimetre below the hammer 390 in the latters position of rest.
  • the plate 2 has two folded ears 2a, 2b (FIG. 9) for supporting two parallel rods 2d, 2c on which is freely slidable a light slider 44 comprising a thin sheet folded in the shape of a U, one side portion 44a of slider 44 being provided with two apertures through which pass with very slight clearance the rods 2c, 2d and cut so as to constitute the attachment 44b of a spring 45.
  • the other side portion 44c of slider 44 is provided with an aperture for allowing the passage with little clearance of the rod 2c and a larger aperture for the rod 2d. The slider 44 is thus guided at three points.
  • the profile of the slide portion 440 is so arranged as to allow the passage of the spring 45 without touching the latter.
  • An arm 44d is folded at a right angle and supports the strip 43 and the block 430.
  • the lower edge of the slider 44 is cut in the form ofa rack 44a (FIG. 10) so as to mesh with a gear pinion 46 integral with a ratchet wheel 460.
  • a wheel 47 is freely rotatable on the shaft of the pinion 46 and is driven in the counterclockwise direction by a pawl 47a which cooperates with the ratchet wheel 46a.
  • the wheel 41 drives in ;.the clockwise diregtion the pinion 48a integral with an escape wheeliilil having three teeth.
  • An escape anchor 4lL-lta s ansarm with a nose portion 49a, an arm-with aheelportion 49b,- and an arm 49c defining a moving armature of a relay 490.
  • the relay 490 When the relay 490 is unenergized, one tooth of the wheel 48 is stopped by the nose portion 49a, the slider 44 is fixed and the block 420 is in one of the. selected positions.
  • the anchor resumes the illustrated position, the toothof the wheel 48 which was on the heel portion 49b is released and abuts the nose portion 490.
  • the slider 44 still carries an arm 44f in which is secured in an electrically insulated manner a contact switch 440 having two lips 440a, b.
  • the lip 440a is in permanent contact with a continuous band 504 of printed circuit 50 whereas the lip 4411b explores or scans a series of eleven conductive contacts 50b connected to eleven tenninals 50c. Ten unconnected contacts 504 are placed in the intervals-between the eleven contacts 50b.
  • the coincidence of the lip 4441b with each one of the contacts 5% corresponds to that of one .of the selected positions.
  • a slider 51 (FIGS. 3and I0) constituted bya sheet with two side portions 514 and 51b folded at right angles freely slides, in the same way as the slider 44, on the two rods 2c, 2d. the side portion 51c being cut out so as to constitute an attachment 51b for the other end of the spring 45.
  • the slider 44 In the position shown in FIG. 10, the slider 44 is in its initial position (position corresponding to the selection for a new ticket before the correspondent has replied), the block 430 is in the position corresponding to the box of the ticket.
  • the spring 45 is fully tensioned since the slider 5 1 has been brought to the illustrated position (fully to the left of FIG. [0) by a finger member 121 integral with the ticket-carrying slider I2 when, in depressing the pushmember 15, the ticket has been brought to the reading: position.
  • the finger member I21 traverses the plate 2 without touching it in an opening 2e and its end enters an opening 51d of the slider 5!.
  • the finger member 121 bearing against the left edge 51: of the opening Sid, maintains the slider SI against the action of the spring 45.
  • the slider 44 can move toward the left in a step-by-step manner until the selection of the box zero of the ticket; the side portion 44c is then very near. to the side portion 51c.
  • the slider [2 When, at the end of the procedure, the push-member IS has moved out of the case, the slider [2 has returned to the position of rest shown in FIG. 4.
  • the finger memher 121 has moved to the right of the opening 2e and, in cooperating with the right edge 51] of the opening 514;. has returned the slider 51 to the right, the side portion 514 assuming a position close to the car 20.
  • a pusher 52 supported by a support 53 fixed to the plate 2, is biased upwardly (FIGS. 4 and 5) by a very light spring 54 and its lower end is above the end of the lever 25b.
  • a resilient strip 39] fixed to the member 39 urges the pusher 52 downwardly against the action of the spring ing h'ead.
  • the voltage received by the line 50a and amplified by an amplifier 58 controls the selecting relay 490.
  • the conductor corresponding to the discrete zero position is connected to an amplifier 59 whose output controls the relays 420 and an inputof an AND gate 60 whoseother input is controlled by a contact 61 and whose output controls a static reversing switch 62 connecting the reading head 28 selectively either to the amplifier 63 or to the eraser 64.
  • the signals of the head 28 amplified by the amplifier 63 are sent through a contact 65 closed selectively by the inverter 610 which is mechanically integral with the contact 61, either to the counting input K or to an input 660 of an OR gate 66 whose output is connected to the subtracting input D and whose other input 66b receives from the telephone line the signals counting the basic 13 units consumed.
  • the common point of the relays 420 and 490 is earthed through aswitch 67.
  • the assembly is supplied with power through a switch 68 which closes as soon as the push-member l5 and the 5 slide 11 are depressed.
  • the electronic circuits are arranged in such manner that, in the matrix 57, the eleven outputs numbered -10 carry current to the exception of that whose row represents the discrete position defined by the counter SETTING when the push-member l and the slide 11 are depressed so as to bring the ticket under the reading head 28, the following switchings are effected in the indicated order:
  • the contact 61 is opened and the reversing switch 610 is put on the counting input K of the counter 55,
  • the resetting puts the counter 55 and the matrix 57 in the state corresponding to that of a ticket whose credit has been used up. This is without effect of the relay 420 which causes the fall of the hammer 390 and on the relay 490 which ensures the step-by-step displacement of the slider 440 since the switch 67 is open; this is also without effect on the static reversing switch 62 since the AND gate 60 does not allow energy through, the switch 61 being open.
  • the switch 67 is closed and three cases are to be considered:
  • the ticket has been partly used (it is good for example, for a further eight units): it is the output numbered 8 which is the sole not to be under tension when the switch 67 is closed, the relay 490 is energized, the slider 440 advances a fraction of a step, arrives on an electrically unconnected contact 50d, the relay 490 ceases to be energized and the slider 440 terminates the started step and reaches the contact 50b corresponding to the output numbered 9.
  • the relay 490 is once again energized and the same cycle recommences, the slider 440 arrives at the contact 50b corresponding to the output numbered 8 which is not carrying current and remains there so long as the correspondent has not replied in the case of failure to obtain the communication, the box numbered 8 of the ticket which was already punched (or marked) is punched once again without inconvenience.
  • the switch 61 is closed and the reversing switch 610 is placed on the input 66a of the OR gate 66 controlling the subtracting input D of the counter 55.
  • the reading is started in the return direction and the counter 56 and the matrix 57 indicate the discrete positions decreasing unit by unit until the position Nr 0.
  • the static reversing switch 62 is actuated as soon as the state of the counter is 0, since contact 61 is closed, the head 28 is connected to the eraser 64,
  • the general supply switch 68 (which has only been diagrammatically represented in FIG. 11) is closed as soon as the slide 11, upon arming, leaves the position of rest; it is open when, at the end of the procedure, the
  • the resetting switch 56 (FIGS. 4, and 11) is closed by an insulating crank-pin 352a of a crank 352 keyed on the shaft 35.
  • the crank pin 352a reaches the upper position to raise the strip 56 before resuming, at the end of the arming, the illustrated position.
  • the switch 61 and reversing switch 610 which are mechanically integral with each other, are controlled by a earn 220 integral with the shaft 220 of the lever 22.
  • switch 61 will be closed and switch 610 will be closed onto D.
  • the switch 65 (FIGS. 4, S and 11) is open at rest; as soon as the lever 21 starts to rotate to effect the scanning in the forward direction, a cam 210 keyed on the shaft 21a of the lever 21 closes the switch 65.
  • the switch 67 (FIGS. 4, S and 11) is opened in the position of test when the lever 21 has sufficiently rotated to terminate the reading in the forward direction, a cam 211 keyed on the shaft 210 closes the switch 67.
  • the shaft 46b of the pinion 46 In order to display the available credit, the shaft 46b of the pinion 46, whose angular position is related to the selected discrete position, is connected by a mechanical transmission, of any type having a suitable ratio diagrammatically represented by the dotted line 69, to a driving shaft 70 carried by bearings 70a carrying a small transverse magnetized bar 71.
  • a shaft 72, carried by bearings 720, located in the extension of the shaft 70, carries at one end a horse-shoe magnet 73 the arms of which face the poles of the bar 71 whereas the other end carries a graduated drum 74 which appears in the window F of the case B (FIG. 1).
  • connection between the shafts 70 and 72 through the magnets 71 and 73 transmits a torque which is sufficiently small not to hinder the operation of the assembly in the case where a user, with intention to fraud, would have the idea of blocking the drum 74. Only the display would be put out of use in this case.
  • the invention may be employed for parkmeters or prepayment telephone apparatus.
  • Prepayment apparatus with coded ticket including a movable reading and erasing head for the data written on the ticket, first mechanical means for introducing and setting in place the ticket, second mechanical means for effecting the successive steps of the working cycle, and means for exploiting the coded data on the ticket to control said second mechanical means
  • the first mechanical means includes a ticketcarrying slider slidable on a slide fitted with a movable member including two coaxial pinions meshing respectively with a rack fixed to the frame of the apparatus and with a rack fixed to said ticket-carrying slider, relative movement between these two elements producing the setting of helical springs and the movement of a weight, the slide being also fitted with a retaining pawl
  • the second mechanical means includes a lever associated with a crank which transmits an alternative motion to the magnetic head, a locking pawl for said lever, a setting lever coupled with said lever through a crank and including at one end thereof a longitudinal aperture, said both levers being permanently urged towards each other by a spring whose attachment points determine

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Computer Security & Cryptography (AREA)
  • Computer Vision & Pattern Recognition (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Artificial Intelligence (AREA)
  • Accounting & Taxation (AREA)
  • Strategic Management (AREA)
  • General Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
  • Devices For Checking Fares Or Tickets At Control Points (AREA)
  • Control Of Vending Devices And Auxiliary Devices For Vending Devices (AREA)
  • Prepayment Telephone Systems (AREA)
  • Coin-Freed Apparatuses For Hiring Articles (AREA)
  • Control Of Motors That Do Not Use Commutators (AREA)
US443779A 1973-02-23 1974-02-19 Prepayment apparatus with a coded ticket Expired - Lifetime US3929278A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR7306637A FR2219729A5 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1973-02-23 1973-02-23

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US3929278A true US3929278A (en) 1975-12-30

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US443779A Expired - Lifetime US3929278A (en) 1973-02-23 1974-02-19 Prepayment apparatus with a coded ticket

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US3929278A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
JP (1) JPS5441440B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
ES (1) ES423581A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR2219729A5 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
IL (1) IL44226A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
IT (1) IT1003569B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4517412A (en) * 1982-03-09 1985-05-14 Martha Newkirk Card-actuated telecommunication network
US4575624A (en) * 1982-12-01 1986-03-11 Rheinmetall Gmbh Arrangement for activating and/or deactivating a marker strip having a magnetizable layer
US4595983A (en) * 1983-10-27 1986-06-17 Reliance Electric Company Central office powered credit only telephone paystation
US4670643A (en) * 1984-10-03 1987-06-02 Ncr Corporation Data sensing system for currency cassettes
EP0323679A1 (en) * 1988-01-05 1989-07-12 Philips Norden AB A record and read device
EP0372770A3 (en) * 1988-11-29 1990-08-16 Kabushiki Kaisha Nippon Conlux Card puncher and method of controlling the puncher
US5061842A (en) * 1988-07-12 1991-10-29 Ampy Automation - Digilog Limited Erasure mechanism for card readers
US20020039409A1 (en) * 1985-07-10 2002-04-04 Ronald A. Katz Technology Licensing, L.P. Voice-data telephonic interface control system
US20020196915A1 (en) * 1985-07-10 2002-12-26 Katz Ronald A. Telephone interface call processing system with call selectivity
US6678360B1 (en) 1985-07-10 2004-01-13 Ronald A. Katz Technology Licensing, L.P. Telephonic-interface statistical analysis system
US6785372B1 (en) 1999-10-12 2004-08-31 Sbc Properties, L.P. Method and apparatus for providing prepaid local telephone services in metered states

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2485771B1 (fr) * 1980-01-10 1985-10-25 Dassault Electronique Carte d'enregistrement propre a comptabiliser des informations numeriques
WO1981003562A1 (en) * 1980-06-03 1981-12-10 K Payne Debit card system
JPH0140699Y2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1981-01-29 1989-12-05

Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3039582A (en) * 1959-04-09 1962-06-19 Universal Match Corp Subscriber controlled apparatus
US3051079A (en) * 1960-06-07 1962-08-28 Nat Automation Corp Tabulating card perforating apparatus
US3156793A (en) * 1962-05-24 1964-11-10 Datex Corp Contact elements for perforated record reading devices
US3419710A (en) * 1965-04-02 1968-12-31 Mkc Electronics Corp Magnetic card reader having sequential indicia sensing means
US3513441A (en) * 1967-10-16 1970-05-19 Clary Corp Verification system
US3541575A (en) * 1968-10-25 1970-11-17 Hans Weiss Computer and recorder
US3559175A (en) * 1967-10-23 1971-01-26 Ivan Dwayne Pomeroy Credit card system
US3571799A (en) * 1969-08-21 1971-03-23 Ibm Data transmission terminal
US3754119A (en) * 1972-01-07 1973-08-21 E Scott Lunch ticket tabulating mechanism

Patent Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3039582A (en) * 1959-04-09 1962-06-19 Universal Match Corp Subscriber controlled apparatus
US3051079A (en) * 1960-06-07 1962-08-28 Nat Automation Corp Tabulating card perforating apparatus
US3156793A (en) * 1962-05-24 1964-11-10 Datex Corp Contact elements for perforated record reading devices
US3419710A (en) * 1965-04-02 1968-12-31 Mkc Electronics Corp Magnetic card reader having sequential indicia sensing means
US3513441A (en) * 1967-10-16 1970-05-19 Clary Corp Verification system
US3559175A (en) * 1967-10-23 1971-01-26 Ivan Dwayne Pomeroy Credit card system
US3541575A (en) * 1968-10-25 1970-11-17 Hans Weiss Computer and recorder
US3571799A (en) * 1969-08-21 1971-03-23 Ibm Data transmission terminal
US3754119A (en) * 1972-01-07 1973-08-21 E Scott Lunch ticket tabulating mechanism

Cited By (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4517412A (en) * 1982-03-09 1985-05-14 Martha Newkirk Card-actuated telecommunication network
US4575624A (en) * 1982-12-01 1986-03-11 Rheinmetall Gmbh Arrangement for activating and/or deactivating a marker strip having a magnetizable layer
US4595983A (en) * 1983-10-27 1986-06-17 Reliance Electric Company Central office powered credit only telephone paystation
US4670643A (en) * 1984-10-03 1987-06-02 Ncr Corporation Data sensing system for currency cassettes
US20020196915A1 (en) * 1985-07-10 2002-12-26 Katz Ronald A. Telephone interface call processing system with call selectivity
US20020039409A1 (en) * 1985-07-10 2002-04-04 Ronald A. Katz Technology Licensing, L.P. Voice-data telephonic interface control system
US6678360B1 (en) 1985-07-10 2004-01-13 Ronald A. Katz Technology Licensing, L.P. Telephonic-interface statistical analysis system
US6039259A (en) * 1988-01-05 2000-03-21 U.S. Philips Corporation Magnetic card read/write apparatus
EP0323679A1 (en) * 1988-01-05 1989-07-12 Philips Norden AB A record and read device
US5061842A (en) * 1988-07-12 1991-10-29 Ampy Automation - Digilog Limited Erasure mechanism for card readers
EP0372770A3 (en) * 1988-11-29 1990-08-16 Kabushiki Kaisha Nippon Conlux Card puncher and method of controlling the puncher
US6785372B1 (en) 1999-10-12 2004-08-31 Sbc Properties, L.P. Method and apparatus for providing prepaid local telephone services in metered states
US7092501B2 (en) 1999-10-12 2006-08-15 Sbc Properties, L.P. Method and apparatus for providing prepaid local telephone services
US7110512B2 (en) 1999-10-12 2006-09-19 Sbc Properties, L.P. Method and apparatus for providing prepaid local telephone services

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPS5441440B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1979-12-08
IL44226A (en) 1976-12-31
FR2219729A5 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1974-09-20
DE2408492B2 (de) 1977-03-24
IT1003569B (it) 1976-06-10
ES423581A1 (es) 1976-06-01
JPS5049000A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1975-05-01
IL44226A0 (en) 1974-05-16
DE2408492A1 (de) 1974-08-29

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