Apparatus and method for automated printing, reading, and dividing of information-carrying documents
First Claim
1. Apparatus for automatically printing, reading and otherwise treating tickets and other documents having provided thereon an information carrier which carries data that can be read magnetically, optically or in some other way, said apparatus being useful for reading and otherwise processing ATB-tickets (1) at airport gates, called gate readers (8), wherein the tickets (1) have a magnetic strip (2) provided on one side thereof, called the rear side, and lack an information carrier on the other side thereof, called the front side, and have a first set of perforations (3) and a second set of perforations (4) which respectively divide the ticket (1) into a binding stub (5), a flight coupon (6) and a boarding pass (7), or into separate boarding passes (7), said gate reader (8) having at least one latchable ticket insertion opening (10) ad at least three ticket outfeed openings (11, 12, 13), characterized in that for the purpose of handling an ATB-ticket (1) or some other document provided with an information carrier on which data can be entered and read magnetically, optically or in some other way with the ticket moving in a circular pathway, the gate reader (8) includes a cylindrical ticket cylinder (16) which can be divided readily in a plane which passes through its center lines and in which the ticket (1) or some other document provided with an information carrier in which data can be inserted and read magnetically, optically or in some way, is able to move both clockwise and anti-clockwise;
- and in that there is provided inwardly of at least one of the ticket outfeed openings (11, 12,
13) a document divider (19) which functions to separate the boarding pass (7) from the remainder of the ticket (1), said ticket cylinder (16) is comprised of the generally cylindrical space which is defined inwardly by a drive wheel (22) having a drive shaft (21), and outwardly by counter-pressure rollers (23);
in that the drive shaft (21) is journalled in a dividable bearing housing (9F);
in that for the purpose of obtaining a dividable ticket cylinder (16) a first cog wheel (9D) is mounted in the body of the gate reader (8) and a second cog wheel (9E) is mounted on one side of the drive wheel (22) concentrically with said drive shaft (21), said two cog wheels (9D, 9E) meshing with one another when, and only when, the drive wheel (22) is not separated from the apparatus in general;
in that mounted in the gate reader (8) is a drive motor (9A) which functions to drive the first cog wheel (9D) through the medium of a drive belt (9C), such that when the dividable bearing housing (9F) is separated from the remainder of the apparatus, a number of the aforesaid counter-pressure rollers (23) will accompany the uplifted part of the gate reader (8), whereas the drive wheel (22) with the second cog wheel (9E) attached thereto can be removed from the gate reader (8) without difficulty.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for automatically printing, reading and otherwise treating an information-carrying document, particularly apparatus having a mechanically dividable circular pathway for reading and otherwise processing ATB-ticket (Automated Ticket/Boarding document) at airport passenger gates, so-called gate readers (8), and a method in which such apparatus is used. The gate reader (8) includes a simple, dividable ticket cylinder (16) which lacks a casing and which includes a drive motor (9A), drive belts (9B, 9C), a first cog wheel (9D) which is firmly mounted on the body of the gate reader (8) and which functions to drive a second cog wheel (9E) mounted on one side of the drive wheel (22) and concentrical with the drive shaft (21). For the purpose of discharging separated ticket parts, the gate reader (8) is also provided with ticket switching devices (17A, 17B, 17C, 17D, 17E) of particular construction and mounted in a particular manner, and also with means for dividing an ATB-ticket (1) into its separate parts.
66 Citations
37 Claims
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1. Apparatus for automatically printing, reading and otherwise treating tickets and other documents having provided thereon an information carrier which carries data that can be read magnetically, optically or in some other way, said apparatus being useful for reading and otherwise processing ATB-tickets (1) at airport gates, called gate readers (8), wherein the tickets (1) have a magnetic strip (2) provided on one side thereof, called the rear side, and lack an information carrier on the other side thereof, called the front side, and have a first set of perforations (3) and a second set of perforations (4) which respectively divide the ticket (1) into a binding stub (5), a flight coupon (6) and a boarding pass (7), or into separate boarding passes (7), said gate reader (8) having at least one latchable ticket insertion opening (10) ad at least three ticket outfeed openings (11, 12, 13), characterized in that for the purpose of handling an ATB-ticket (1) or some other document provided with an information carrier on which data can be entered and read magnetically, optically or in some other way with the ticket moving in a circular pathway, the gate reader (8) includes a cylindrical ticket cylinder (16) which can be divided readily in a plane which passes through its center lines and in which the ticket (1) or some other document provided with an information carrier in which data can be inserted and read magnetically, optically or in some way, is able to move both clockwise and anti-clockwise;
- and in that there is provided inwardly of at least one of the ticket outfeed openings (11, 12,
13) a document divider (19) which functions to separate the boarding pass (7) from the remainder of the ticket (1), said ticket cylinder (16) is comprised of the generally cylindrical space which is defined inwardly by a drive wheel (22) having a drive shaft (21), and outwardly by counter-pressure rollers (23);
in that the drive shaft (21) is journalled in a dividable bearing housing (9F);
in that for the purpose of obtaining a dividable ticket cylinder (16) a first cog wheel (9D) is mounted in the body of the gate reader (8) and a second cog wheel (9E) is mounted on one side of the drive wheel (22) concentrically with said drive shaft (21), said two cog wheels (9D, 9E) meshing with one another when, and only when, the drive wheel (22) is not separated from the apparatus in general;
in that mounted in the gate reader (8) is a drive motor (9A) which functions to drive the first cog wheel (9D) through the medium of a drive belt (9C), such that when the dividable bearing housing (9F) is separated from the remainder of the apparatus, a number of the aforesaid counter-pressure rollers (23) will accompany the uplifted part of the gate reader (8), whereas the drive wheel (22) with the second cog wheel (9E) attached thereto can be removed from the gate reader (8) without difficulty. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
- and in that there is provided inwardly of at least one of the ticket outfeed openings (11, 12,
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19. Apparatus for automatically printing, reading and otherwise treating tickets and other documents having provided thereon an information carrier which carries data that can be read magnetically, optically or in some other way, said apparatus being useful for reading and otherwise processing ATB-tickets (1) at airport gates, called gate readers (8), wherein the tickets (1) have a magnetic strip (2) provided on one side thereof, called the rear side, and lack an information carrier on the other side thereof, called the front side, and have a first set of perforations (3) and a second set of perforations (4) which respectively divide the ticket (1) into a binding stub (5), a flight coupon (6) and a boarding pass (7), or into separate boarding passes (7), said gate reader (8) having at least one latchable ticket insertion opening (10) and at least three ticket outfeed openings (11, 12 13), characterized in that for the purpose of handling an ATB-ticket (1) or some other document provided with an information carrier on which data can be entered and read magnetically, optically or in some other way with the ticket moving in a circular pathway, the gate reader (8) includes a cylindrical ticket cylinder (16) which can be divided readily in a plane which passes through its center line and in which the ticket (1) or some other document provided with an information carrier in which data can be inserted and read magnetically, optically or in some other way, is able to move both clockwise and anti-clockwise;
- and in that there is provided inwardly of at least one of the ticket outfeed openings (11, 12,
13) a document divider (19) which functions to separate the boarding pass (7) from the remainder of the ticket (1);
said document divider (19) is mounted adjacent the ticket cylinder (16) and is provided with an immovable, sharp ticket-dividing edge and includes a pressing device and is also constructed so as to assist in separating the boarding pass (7) from the remainder of the ATB-ticket (1) in the following fashion;An instruction is issued by a main control system to divide the ticket (1)d, whereupon the ticket is partially extended from the ticket cylinder (16) through a slot or some other opening provided adjacent said dividing edge of the ticket divider (19) and wherein said ticket can be extended through the slot both when the ATB-ticket (1) moves clock wise and when the ticket moves anti-clockwise in the ticket cylinder (16). Extension of the ticket through said slot is stopped when a pre-perforation, embossment or some other dividing indication on the ticket (1) is located a short distance from said dividing edge of the document divider (19). The ATB-ticket (1) is folded by means of said pressing device along said pre-perforation, embossment or like dividing indication through an angle greater than 90 degrees and in a direction towards said dividing edge and is there held in a folded state by means of the pressing device. The ATB-ticket (1) is fed into the ticket cylinder (16) in a direction opposite to the direction in which said ticket was partially extended through said slot, said pre-perforation, embossment or like dividing indication being moved against said dividing edge such as to effect division of the ticket (1) as close as possible to the pre-perforation, embossment of like ticket-dividing indication, said dividing edge preferably being angled so as to lie against the pre-perforation, embossment or like ticket-dividing indication at only one single point which moves along said pre-perforation, embossment or like ticket-dividing indication as the ticket (1) is divided, so as to effect division of the ticket with the smallest possible force.
- and in that there is provided inwardly of at least one of the ticket outfeed openings (11, 12,
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20. A document reading and processing device, comprising:
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a document inlet to which a document having an information carrier or record medium is inserted; a width determining mechanism for determining correct document insertion; a length determining mechanism for determining the type of document inserted; transport means for transporting said document from said document inlet to a cylindrical document cylinder; reading means for reading information recorded on said document, said reading means being formed of at least one reading head on opposing sides of said document cylinder; a document divider coupled to said cylindrical document cylinder for dividing said document into at least two parts; and transport means for transporting said document from said cylindrical document cylinder to said document divider and for transporting at least one part of said document from said document divider back to said cylindrical document cylinder. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method of reading and processing a document having an information carrier or record medium, comprising:
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inserting said document into a document inlet; determining the width of said document for verifying correct document insertion; determining the length of said document to determine the type of document inserted; transporting said document from said document inlet to a cylindrical document cylinder; reading the information recorded on said document regardless of document orientation, said reading being performed by one of at least one reading head on opposing sides of said document cylinder; transporting said document from said cylindrical document cylinder to a document divider, dividing said document regardless of document orientation, and transporting at least one part of said document from said document divider back to said cylindrical document cylinder.
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Specification