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.

Description

Claims

1. 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.

2. Head assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein:

said arm mounting means is located at one end of said arm;

means at the other end of said arm for restricting movement of said other end to an arcuate path centered on said arm mounting axis.

3. A magnetic head mounting for assuring accurate position of the head against a magnetic strip comprising:

an arm attached to a pivot at one end for rotation about a vertical axis and slideably supported in a grooved bracket at the opposite end;

a spring biasing said arm for rotation about a vertical axis;

a downward projecting head carrier in said arm forming two parallel gimbal arms and a bottom;

first and second pointed pivot pins passing through the gimbal arms and engaging sockets on either side of the magnetic head;

whereby said magnetic head may rotate about horizontal axis.

4. Head mounting assembly in accordance with claim 3 wherein:

at least one of said pointed pivot pins is adjustable;

a leaf spring is mounted in a groove in the bottom of the head carrier for centering the magnetic head about the horizontal axis.