The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 31, 1978
Filed:
Jun. 09, 1977
Vincent E Eitzen, Marco Island, FL (US);
Robert R Moore, Glenview, IL (US);
American Hospital Supply Corporation, Evanston, IL (US);
Abstract
Apparatus for reading a plurality of apertured cards in sequence in response to a series of command signals includes a supply hopper for storing a vertical stack of cards. The apertures of the cards are located in a matrix of columns and rows. A solenoid-actuated plunger moves the bottom card from beneath the stack and into engagement with a card drive mechanism. The card drive mechanism includes a floating transport equipped with endless tracks for riding on top of cards passed from the bottom of the stack and exerting a substantially constant downward and forward force on the cards while continuously moving each card in sequence across an array of optical detectors in register with the columns on the cards. A line source of light is carried by the transport for illuminating a card along a line parallel to the rows of apertures on the card. As the detectors beneath the cards are illuminated by light passing through the apertures in the cards, binary electrical signals are generated, representative of the information on the cards.