Patent · US Expired

Indexing mechanism for card acceptor

US4389564A · kind A · utility

5Cited by
1References
5Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 1, 1981
Grant dateJun 21, 1983
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 1, 2001

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG07F7/12
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A cash replacement system including an encoded plastic card and a card acceptor mechanism is provided by punching a number of specially shaped apertures with predetermined orientations into a card. The acceptor mechanism which receives the card has a sensor pin aligned with each of the punched apertures of the plastic card. The sensor pins have a probe section at one end which is shaped to substantially conform to the shape of the punched apertures of the plastic card so that when they are in alignment with the apertures the probe sections will fit in the apertures as the sensor pins are depressed toward the card. The sensor pin also has a surface area adjacent the probe section which engages the card so that when the probe section extends through the aperture it insures that the aperture is of the correct shape and orientation. The sensor pins are lowered toward the card by a drive mechanism which is linked to a handle or other control device. The upper end of the sensor pins have grooves in them, and an operating plate is driven by the control device which has protrusions that pass through these grooves when all of the sensor pins are located in the holes of the punch card with t…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.