RECORD CARD HANDLING DEVICE WITH MULTIPLE FEED PATHS

• US 3,598,396 A
• Filed: 06/10/1969
• Issued: 08/10/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Donald R. Andrews, Larry H. Robbins
• Original Assignee: Donald R. Andrews, Larry H. Robbins
• Inventors: Andrews, Donald R., Robbins, Larry H.
• Application Number:
  US04/831,948
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• US Class Current: 271/111
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 13/08 Feeding or discharging cards

Abstract

A record card handling device incorporating multiple feed paths for automatic and manual card feeding operations and multiple feed paths for automatic and manual card ejection operations. Cards are automatically fed from a card hopper over a first feed path or from a manual entry station over a second feed path to a card transport for data processing operations. Cards are ejected from the card transport to a card stacker over a third feed path or to the manual entry station over the second feed path in accordance with the operation specified. Each of the feed paths are vertically oriented with respect to one another. A cardsensing device coacts with the card-feeding means to insure cards cannot be entered onto the transport through the manual entry station when a card is present on the card transport and is further utilized to control card motion on the card transport.

Claims

1. A record card-handling device comprising:

a record card transport for supporting a record card thereon for data transducing operations;

a record card entry and exit transport coupled to the record card transport for supporting a record card thereon for relative motion thereover;

first and second alternatively actuable drive means, said first drive means being located intermediate said second drive means and at least a portion of the record card transport for driving a record card in a first direction toward the record card transport over the entry and exit transport, said second drive means being located adjacent the entry and exit transport for driving a record card in a second direction opposite the first direction over the entry and exit transport;

means for initiating a card eject operation;

ejection means responsive to the means for initiating a card eject operation for ejecting record cards from the record card transport to the second drive means;

detection means for detecting the presence of a record card on the record card transport;

first means for determining the absence of a record card adjacent to the first drive means;

second means for determining the absence of a record card adjacent to the second drive means;

actuating means responsive to the first means, the second means, the detection means and the means for initiating a card eject operation for actuating the second drive means when a record card is present on the record card transport and not adjacent to the second drive means and when a record card is adjacent to the first drive means during a card eject operation.

2. The record card-handling device set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

a card hopper;

a card feed transport for coupling the card hopper to the record card transport at a location intermediate the second drive means and at least a portion of the record card transport;

actuable hopper feeding means for feeding a record card from the card hopper to the record card transport;

means for initiating an automatic card feed operation;

second actuating means responsive to the means for initiating an automatic card feed operation and to the detection means for actuating said hopper feeding means when an automatic card feed operation is initiating and when no record card is detected on the record card transport.

3. The record card-Handling device set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

a card stacker;

a card gate means located intermediate the record card transport and the record card entry and exit transport having a first operative position for coupling said transports and a second operative position for coupling the record card transport to the card stacker and wherein said ejection means is operative to eject record cards from the record card transport to the second drive means when the card gate means is in its first operative position and to eject record cards to the card stacker when the card gate means is in its second operative position;

said actuating means being responsive to the positioning of the card gate means in its second operative position for actuating said second drive means.

4. The record card-handling device set forth in claim 2 further comprising:

a card stacker;

a card gate means located intermediate the record card transport and the record card entry and exit transport having a first operative position for coupling said transports and a second operative position for coupling the record card transport to the card stacker and wherein said ejection means is operative to eject record cards from the record card transport to the second drive means when the card gate means is in its first operative position and to eject record cards to the card stacker when the card gate means is in its second operative position;

said actuating means being responsive to the positioning of the card gate means in its second operative position for actuating said second drive means.

5. The record card-handling device set forth in claim 4 wherein said card hopper, said card stacker, and said record card entry and exit transport are vertically arranged with respect to one another.