Selective imprinting machine

Abstract

A selective imprinting machine of the type used for addressing mailed material, utilizing embossed card-sized media of the 'credit-card' type having a matrix of perforations sensed for comparison against the master. The master is another perforated card with the perforations on both cards photoelectrically sensed. In one embodiment the cards move along a linear path, and in another they are carried on a rotating drum which also bears the master card. The media are placed on the drum by a rocker arm actuated by a cam driven by the drum, scanned simultaneously with the master for comparison and ejected tangentially from the drum to a receiver. A print signal is produced until inhibited by mismatch between the master and the individual embossed media. The elected media are imprinted against a receiving medium such as an envelope by a print roller, at the periphery of the drum, urged toward the periphery by a cam driven by the drum. The follower linkage for that cam has a movable link moved by an actuator in response to the absence of the print signal to disable the follower linkage. The cards are sensed by phototransistors, and the comparison between the individual card and the master is made by logic circuitry. The master has two hole locations for each hole location on the individual card, one hole location specifying presence of a hole on the individual card, and the other specifying absence of a hole on the individual card. A form is also shown having two receivers for the individual cards and a diverter operated in response to the logic circuitry to divert cards from the first receiver to the second.