US 3,940,796 A · Card readout apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus is provided in which a card, such as a credit card, carrying a magnetic strip of one or more tracks of coded data is inserted. Manual operation of an external crank or lever causes the card to be drawn into the apparatus. At the end of the stroke, the carrier in which the card rides is freed from the crank and returns at a constant, spring-driven speed, past a magnetic readout head, the output of which is connected to any suitable decoding circuit. The readout head is gimbaled so that it can ride with constant pressure against the magnetic strip on the card while at the same time adjusting itself to undulations or other slight deformations in the card. There is no significant amount of magnetic material within magnetic range of the readout head, so that danger of spurious signals being injected into the decoding circuit is minimized.

Claims4

Dependent claims

Signal head assembly comprising:

carrier means for carrying a thin flat record member adapted to have signal data recorded thereon;
means for mounting said carrier means for movement along a given path;
a signal head having a convex face and located adjacent said path with said face in position to bear against the record member;
a mounting arm positioned substantially parallel with said path and having a cradle formed therein;
means for mounting said arm for pivoting about an axis substantially parallel to said member and transverse to said path;
means for mounting said head in said cradle for pivoting about an axis substantially parallel to said path;
means for biasing said head against a record member held in said carrier;
abutment means opposite said head against which the member is pressed by said head.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Card readout apparatus

Life of this patent

Card readout apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims4