Magnetic card read-out and timing circuitry

A system for actuating apparatus external to said system comprising a card having at least one longitudinal strip of magnetic material thereon encoded with two separate longitudinal tracks, a first said track being magnetically encoded with first signals indicating a number of potential uses of said card to actuate said apparatus, said second track being magnetically encoded with second signals comprising timing pulses spaced longitudinally along said second track at equidistant intervals,

• a card reader comprising guide means shaped to receive said card, reversible drive means for driving said card in both directions longitudinally of said guide means, a read-write first head positioned to read said first track as it moves inward of said guide means and write on said first track as it moves outward of said guide means and a second read head positioned to read said second track as said card is driven in either direction by said drive means, a counter receiving said signals from said second head at a rate proportional to the speed of movement of said card, a shift register storing said first signals on a time sequence as determined by said second signals, first means receiving said first signals from said shift register and emitting a third signal which is numerically one less than said first signal, said first means being a PROM, second means for energizing said apparatus if said third signal is numerically at least one, reversing means to reverse said drive means to drive said card out of said guide means, said PROM emitting a signal to re-encode on said first track a signal for one less use than had been encoded thereon before insertion of said card in said system, a noise suppressor connected to said second head to prevent noise from the write functioning of said first head from affecting reading of the signals of said second track by said second head.

A system for actuating apparatus external to said system comprising a card having at least one longitudinal strip of magnetic material thereon encoded with two separate longitudinal tracks, a first said track being magnetically encoded with first signals indicating a number of potential uses of said card to actuate said apparatus, said second track being magnetically encoded with second signals comprising timing pulses spaced longitudinally along said second track at equidistant intervals,

• a card reader comprising guide means shaped to receive said card, reversible drive means for driving said card in both directions longitudinally of said guide means, a read-write first head positioned to read said first track as it moves inward of said guide means and write on said first track as it moves outward of said guide means and a second read head positioned to read said second track as said card is driven in either direction by said drive means, a counter receiving said second signals from said second head at a rate porportional to the speed of movement of said card, a shift register storing said first signals on a time sequence as determined by said second signals, first means receiving said first signals from said shift register and emitting a third signal which is numerically one less than said first signal, said first means being a PROM, second means for energizing said apparatus if said third signal is numerically at least one, reversing means to reverse said drive means to drive said card out of said guide means, said PROM emitting a signal to said counter to re-encode on said first track a signal for one less use than had been encoded thereon before insertion of said card in said system, third means in proximity to said guide means to sense when said card has been inserted, in said guide means to start said drive means in forward direction and electrical means to disable said counter from counting for re-encoding on said first track during said forward direction movement and said card thereby to prevent said counter from emitting a signal during said forward direction movement.

A system for actuating apparatus external to said system comprising a card having at least one longitudinal strip of magnetic material thereon encoded with two separate longitudinal tracks, a first said track being magnetically encoded with first signals indicating a number of potential uses of said card to actuate said apparatus, said second track being magnetically encoded with second signals comprising timing pulses spaced longitudinally along said second track at equidistant intervals,

• a card reader comprising guide means shaped to receive said card, reversible drive means for driving said card in both directions longitudinally of said guide means, a read-write first head positioned to read said first track as it moves inward of said guide means and write on said first track as it moves outward of said guide means and a second read head positioned to read said second track as said card is driven in either direction by said drive means, a counter receiving said second signals from said second head at a rate proportional to the speed of movement of said card, a shift register storing said first signals on a time sequence as determined by said second signals, first means receiving signals from said shift register and emitting a third signal which is numerically on less than said first signal, said first means being a PROM, second means for energizing said apparatus if said third signal is numerically at least one, reversing means to reverse said drive means to drive said card out of said guide means, said PROM emitting a signal to said counter to re-encode on said first track a signal for one less use than had been encoded thereon before insertion of said card in said system, a punch to punch said card as it moves in said guide means in reverse direction, a solenoid actuating said punch, a machine timer to initiate actuation of said apparatus external to said system, said second means including a monostable vibrator "one-shot" actuated by said third signal and by a signal from said counter, said "one-shot" actuating both said machine timer and said solenoid.