Electronic embossing machine

An electronic embossing machine comprising:

• a keyboard having a plurality of characters,
• a memory electronically associated with said keyboard to receive information therefrom and operative for storing such information,
• a logic controller associated with said memory for receiving information therefrom, said memory being operative to inform said logic controller as to the character selected by said keyboard,
• a drum supported upon a rotatable shaft for rotation therewith, said drum having a plurality of numerically arranged code addresses about the perimeter thereof,
• a scanner adjacent to said drum for reading said code addresses as they are conveyed thereacross, said scanner being operatively connected with said logic controller for supplying information thereto and informing said logic controller as to the code address being read,
• a die head bearing a plurality of dies thereon and an opening intermediate adjacent dies, said die head being supported by said shaft for rotation therewith, said dies on said die head having characters thereon corresponding to the characters on said keyboard and to the code addresses on said drum, wherein the embossing position is defined as the posture of the die head when the code address corresponding to the die having the character selected by the keyboard is adjacent said scanner,
• brake means associated with said logic controller and operative to brake said shaft upon receipt of a brake signal from said logic controller, said brake means including a pair of brake straps disposed about said drum and a movable pawl disposed adjacent said die head,
• electromagnetic means connected to said one end of each brake strap and operative to extend its respective brake strap to engage said drum upon receipt of said brake signal and means for moving said pawl into an opening within said die head upon receipt of said brake signal,
• a pair of opposed electromagnets each operatively connected with said logic controller to be alternately energized thereby,
• drive means operatively connected to said shaft for rotation thereof in an "A" direction upon one of said electromagnets being energized and in a "B" direction upon the other of said electromagnets being energized, said logic controller upon receiving information from said memory indicating the selected character to be embossed and information from said scanner indicating which die is in the embossing position being operative to determine the required direction of rotation of said shaft for the shortest distance to place the die with the selected character into the embossing position and being operative to send a signal energizing the appropriate one of said electromagnets to drive said shaft until said selected character is placed in the embossing position, at which time said logic controller is operative to terminate the energizing of said electromagnets and actuate said brake means to hold said die head stationary with said selected die in the embossing position.