Magnetic card feed mechanism and impactor

A reader encoder apparatus for a card having a longitudinal strip capable of being magnetically encoded, said strip being encoded with a plurality of pulses, and a longitudinal zone to one side of said strip, said card having leading and trailing transverse edges, said apparatus comprising a casing formed with a longitudinal passageway shaped to permit longitudinal movement of said card through said passageway, at least one roller having a transverse axis mounted in said casing positioned to engage said card and drive said card longitudinally of said passageway, first electrical means for turning said roller in both directions, first means for sensing insertion of said card in said passageway and actuating said first electrical means in a first direction to drive said card longitudinally into said casing, second means for sensing presence of said card adjacent the inner end of said passageway and to effect reversal of said first electrical means in a second direction to drive said card longitudinally outwardly relative to said casing, a reading writing head positioned in said passageway in proximity to said strip, and punch means mounted in said casing having a punch reciprocable into said passageway to punch said card, punch actuating means to reciprocate said punch to punch said card at a pre-selected point in said longitudinal zone, second electrical means connected to said head for reading the information encoded in the pulses on said strip as said card is driven into said casing, energizing said punch actuating means at a time as said card is being driven outwardly of said casing dependent upon the information encoded in said pulses and for recording through said head on said strip as said card is being driven out of said casing a pulse train representing a number one less than the number read by said head as said card was being driven into said casing.