Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
lV~59S8
This invention relates to a new and improved system compris-
ing a magnetic card, an encoder, and a rsader as well as a method
for using magnetic strip cards as a substitute for coins in
actuating laundry and other vending machines.
A serious problem in the business of providing laundry and
vending machines is the fact that dishonest patrons sometimes
open coin boxes which entails not only the loss of the coins but
the expense of repair of the coin boxes. Thus for a long time
the need for a s~stem to eliminate the use of coins in actuating
machines of this type has existed, but the various substitutes
for ccins have not proven to be commercially satisfactory. Ac-
cordingly, it is the purpose of the present invention to provide
a card having one or more magnetic strips printed thereon or
affixed thereto which may be encoded for a given number of machine
cycles, sold to Patrons and used by patrons for one or more
machine cycles.
One of the features of the present invention is the fact
that the reader apparatus fits into the coin box of an existing
type of laundry machine and is dimensioned so that it occupies
the space occupied by a conventional coin acceptor in a vending
machine or laundry machine. No change in the wiring of the
existing equipment is required in order to make the same compat-
ible with the present invention.
Another feature of the invention is the fact that the cards
and equipment are suitable for use under the conditions existing
in coin operated laundries. For example, there is frequently a
considerable amount of steam originating in the laundry equip-
ment, as well as dampness on the floor. The equipment is not
affected by such conditions; and even if the card is dropped on
a damp floorJ it is not adversely affected.
Other features of the invention are its simple and inexpen-
sive construction in that it uses few moving parts or other parts
requiring maintenance and the electronic components are solid state.
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One of the advantages of the present invention is the fact
that it is unneces~ary to modify either the encoder or the reader
when it is necessary to change the price charged for the service
or article vended. Heretofore, when coin acceptors have been
uqed, each time a price change occurred a considerable amount
o~ hardware was required to change the coin acceptors for the
revised price; and, further, labor was required in installing
new acceptors. These problems are eliminated in the use of the
present invention.
Another feature of the invention is the fact that hereto-
fore, for practical purposes, price changes have been limited to
5~ differentials. The present invention makes it possible to
change prices by lesser amounts and even by fractions of cents.
One of the features of the invention is the use of a pulse,
hereinafter described in detail as a l'saw tooth" pulse. Such a
pulse enableq the transducer of the reader to detect whether the
magnetic card is being insèrted in the reader or being withdrawn
therefrom. This distinction enables the up/down counter of the
reader to count up when the card i~ being inserted and to count
down when the card is being withdrawn. Although in a preferred
embodiment of the invention the card i~ transported into and out
of the reader by a motor drive, neverthele~s, by a modification
which is set forth herein the card may be manually in~erted and
withdrawn. The sawtooth pulse has even more utility when the
Gard is manually controlled.
Still another feature of the invention is the fact that each
card is encoded with one more pulse than the nominal number of
pulses or "credits" for which the card is sold. In the reader,
the ~irst pulse detected by the transducer is diverted or
"skipped" so that it does not actuate the up/down counter. Thus
when the counter counts down to zero, there is still one pulse
on the card and this pulse is erased as the laundry or vending
machine is energized. Thus even when the last credit is being
lV8S~58
used, there i9 still one pulse on the card to be erased a~ter
the counter has counted down to zero. Viewed from another
standpoint, on th~ use of the card for the last credit, the
~irst pulse does not energize the counter but is skipped as the
card '.i5 inserted. The second pulQe drives the counter up one
count. On the withdrawal of the card, the first pulse drives
the counter down to zero and the last pulse is then erased.
Hence the card cannot be used subsequently to actuate the
machine.
Other ob~ects o~ the present invention will become apparent
upon reading the following specification and referring to the
accompanying drawings in which similar characters of reference
represent corresponding parts in each of the several views.
In the drawings:
Fig. 1 is a top plan view o~ a typical card used in accord-
ance with the present invention,
Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a portion o~
the reader used to read the card.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the reader assembled
and a card about to be inserted.
Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view, somewhat schematic,
through the reader taken substantially along the line 4--4 of
Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially
along the line 5--5 of Fig. 4.
Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially
along the line 6--6 o~ Fig. 5.
Fig. 7 and 8 are fragmentary sectional views taken substan-
tiall~ along the lines 7--7 and 8--8 respectively Or ~ig. 5.
Fig. 9 is a perspective view of an encoder used in accord- -~
ance with the invention.
Fig. 10 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially
along the line 10--10 of Fig. 9~
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Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially
along the line 11--11 of Fig. 10.
Fig. 12 is a diagramatic representation of magnetic pulses
encoded onto the magnetic strip of the card with flux density
plott;ed against distance along the strip.
Fig. 12A is a diagramatic representation of the signals
generated in the reader when a card of the type shown in Fig. 1
having pulse~ recorded on it as shown in Fig. 12 is moving for-
ward (inward) in the reader.
Fig. 12B is a representation similar to Fig. 12A showing
the signal generated in the reader when the card is moving in
the reverse direction.
Fig. 13 is a block diagram of the card reader.
Fig. 14 i8 a schematic of the reader circuit.
Fig. 15 i8 a block diagram of the encoder.
Fig, 16 is a schematic thereof.
Coin box 21 ~hown in Figs. 2 and 3 is a rectangular metallic
box of a type commonly used with coin acceptors in automatic
laundry equipment. A pair of vertically spaced apart openings
22 is ~ormed in the front panel 23 thereof. A feature of the
present invention i~ the fact that it is adapted to fit into
such a box 21 without modification, it being understood that
other boxes may be substituted.
Fitting into the box 21 i9 a reader 26 having a front panel
27 compatible with panel 23 and formed with a slot 28 for recep-
tion of a card 31. Also formed in panel 27 is a display window
29 through which the patron may observe the number of "credits"
(iOe. the number of times which a washing machine may be ener-
gized in accordance with the amount paid in the purchase of the
card) at the beginning and at the completion o~ each use of the
card.
Card 31 is subject to considerable modification. As shown,
it is a thin rectangular member of cardboard or pla~tic having
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rounded corners and bearing one or more longitudinally extending
magnetic strips 32 which may be printed or otherwise affixed
thereon. Preferably, an arrow 34 is applied to indicate the
direction of insertion of card 31 in slot 28. A plurality of
magnetic pulse3 (indicated 3chematically by reference numeral
33 in Fig.1) i3 applied to strip 32. The original number of
pulses 33 applied depend~ on the smount charged the patron.
Each time the card is u~ed, one pulse 33 i8 removedO
Reader 26 compri~e~ a top ca~ing 36 horizontally disposed
and having its forward end attached to panel 27 and a bottom
casing 37 there-below and held parallel and spaced apart by one
or more shims 38 90 that a gap 39 exists between the casings 36
and 37 which is in registry with the slot 28 and is dimensioned
to accommodate passage of a card 31. Screws 40 spaced along the
longitudinal edge~ of casings 36 and 37 pass through holes in
shim~ 38 and hold càsings 36 and 37 assembled. The spacing
between shims 38 is equal to the width of oard 31. The forward
edge~ of shims 38 curve outwardly to facilitate insertion of
cards into gap 39.
Top casing 36 ha3 a ba~e 41, upstanding 3ides 42 and is
preferably closed with a cover 43. Mounted extending trans-
versely by means of a clamp 45 fastened to base 41 i~ a minia-
ture motor and reduction gear combination 46 which is preferably
D.C. operated and reversible. Pinion 47 is mounted on the outer
end Or the final shaft of motor and reduction gear 46 and pinion
47 drive a train of gears 40 which are affixed to one of the
sides 42 by means of a ~eries of pins 49. The final gear 51 of
the train of gears is rotatably mounted on the forward end of
top casing 36 and fits through a slot 52 in the base 41 to engage
a similar gear 51 in bottom casing 37 as hereinafter explained.
Gear 51 also turns horizontal transverse shaft 53 on which i3
mounted a rubberized roller 54 which fits into gap 39 through a
slot 55 cut in base 41. Shaft 53 i~ flexibly mounted by means
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~8S9S~
of two mounting brackets 56 shown in detail in ~ig. 7. Each
bracket 56 has a spring 57 held down by member 58 and formed
with a reverse bend 59 into which the shaft 53 fits. Screw 60
(Fig. 7) ad~usts the roller spring to set the pressure between
the top aod bottom rollers 54, 72. The mounting 56 permits the
roller 54 to be moved slightly upward when a card 31 passes
through the gap 39. It exerts sufficient downward force on
roller 54, however, so that the card 31 is driven into the gap 39.
Also mounted in top casing 36 is a microswitch 61 having a
switch arm 62 which extends down through a hole 63 in base 41
into the gap 39. When a card 31 is inserted through the slot 38
and into the gap 39, it engages arm 62 so that switch 61 starts
motor 46 in forward direction. Spaced rearwardly on base 41 is
a second microswitch 66 having a switch arm 67 extending into gap
39 through hole 68. When the card 31 is driven rearwardly through
gap 39 until it contacts arms 67, switch 66 reverses motor 46 and
causes the roller 54 which still engages the card to reverse the
direction o~ movement thereof and discharge the card through
slot 28.
Lower casing 37 has a base 71 in which is rotatably mounted
bottom roller 72 which is similar to roller 54 and which pro-
jects through a slot 73 formed in base 71 and rotates on a shaft
74 which carries the gear 51 mating with the gear 51 of casing
360 Shaft 74 may be mounted by means of mountings 76 which
resemble the mountings 56 of casing 36.
Likewise mounted on panel 27 is a bracket 78 for a plurality
of electronic compon;~nts 79 including the power supply and one
or more printed circuit boards (not shown) located in lowsr
casing 37.
Mounted on base 41 is a transducer (head) 69 which i9
located over the path of movement of strip 32 and functions to
read the number of pulses 33 on card 31 as well as identifying
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indicia to prevent substitution of cards, to display the number
o~ pulses on the card through window 29 and to erase one pulse
as the card 31 is di~charged. Simultaneously with the erasure
of one pulse, a relay i8 closed which starts the laundry machine,
vending machine, etc. The electronic system used with the head
69 is explained in detail hereinafter in this specification.
Referring to Fig. 12, there is recorded on the strip 32 of
card 31 a plurality of sawtooth shaped magnetic signals or
pulses 33 corresponding to the number of "credits" purchased by
a patron. Each pulse comprises a ramp portion of relatively low
slope and a step portion of relatively high slope. The sawtooth
signal or the like is employed for detecting the direction in
which the card 31 is moving past the head 69.
The magnitude of a current generated in a magnetic head,
such as head 69, is a function of the rate of change of magnetic
flux at the head. The polarity of the current is a function of
the polarity of the rate of change of the flux. If a square
pulse or any equivalently symmetrical pulse having a sufficient-
ly high rate of change of flux at both its leading and trailing
edges were employed on card 31, it may be noted that the head
would output a signal of the same polarity regardless of the
direction in which the card is moved past the head, This is
because the slope of the leading and trailing edges of such a
pulse would appear to the head as being of the same polarity.
For example, with the card moving in one direction, the leading
edge of a square pulse passing the head would have a positive
slope. Thereafter, as the card moved in a reverse direction,
the trailing edge of the same pulse would also appear to the
head as a leading edge having a positive slope.
In a preferred form of the invention, a sawtooth rather
than a square pulse, is used and a different result is obtained
if the slope of the ramp portion is low enough so that no signal
is generated in the head as the head traverses the ramp portion
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at a predetermined velocity. Under these circumstances, inso-
far as the head is concerned, it "sees" only the rapidly changing
step portion of the pulse snd that portion of the pulse has a
well defined polarity which i9 a function of the direction in
which the card is moving, Thus, if the card is moving in such
a direction that the head first traverses the ramp portion of
the pulse, it will output a signal of one polarity corresponding
to the negative slope o~ the high rate of change step portionO
Conversely, if the card i9 moving in the opposite direction, it
will rirst traverse the high rate of change step portion Or that
pulse and "see" a slope Or opposite polarity. In essence, then,
insofar as the head is concerned, with respect to any given
pulse, it will "see" either a pulse with an infi~ely long lead-
ing edge or an infinitely long trailing edge depending on the
direction in which the card is moving.
For the roregoing reasons, as shown in Fig. 12A as the card
31 is moved inward of the reader 26 past head 69, the abrupt
change in each of the ramps causes a positive pulse signal.
When the card is moving in a reverse direction, there is a simi-
lar sharp pulse output signal of negative characteristics as~hown in Fig. 12B. The output signals in either direction are
used to perrorm the functions which have been hereinbe~ore gen-
erally described and which are hereinafter described in detail.
Figure 13 is a preferred block diagram for the reader 26.
Figure 14 is a preferred schematic of the block diagram Fig. 13,
it being understood that modifications therein will readily
occur to one skilled in the art, The principal components of
Fig. 13 block diagram as set forth in Fig. 14, are detailed in
accompanying Table I. Values of the various components of Fig.
14 are set forth in accompanying Table II, it being understood
that these values are merely illustrative.
Head 6~ derives signals from the card 31 inserted in the
machine. Head 69 produces positive pulses as the card enters
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1~85958
the machine and negative pulses as the card emerges from the
machine. These pulses are amplified in the pre-smp section and
passed either to the positive pulse ampli~ier (which amplifies
the "up" pulses or the "in" pulses) or to the negative pulse
amplifier se¢tion (which amplifies the "down" pulses or the
"outgoing" pulses). The positive pulse amplifier and negative
pulse amplifier are biased in ~uch a manner that they only ampli-
~y the pulses which are intended to pass through them. These
puLses are used, in turn, to cause the up/down counter to count
up or down. The "skip one pulse" is used to make possible the
counting completely down to zero on the card as hereinafter
explained. The up/down counter counts up until the first down
pulse causes the down pulse enabler to feed a pulse into the
counter which causes it to start counting down. The same pulse
sets a long delay reset so that after lapse o~ a preselected
time period (e.g~ ten-fi~teen seconds) everything is reset to
zero condition. The successive "down pulses" derived ~rom card
31 cause the up/down counter at this time to count down sequen-
tially to zero. However, a~ter one down pulse has passed, as
determined by the "skip one down pulse'l box, a ~reeze pulse is
presented to the 7 segment digit driver which rreezes it at the
number which is one less than the highest number to which the ~-
counter counted. This is an optional but pre~erred arrangement
used in order to indicate the number Or credits le~t on the card
a~ter it has been used. This number is displayed by the 7 seg- ~ -
ment digit until the pulse which is designated "reset pulse" rrom
the long delay reset causes the 7 segment digit to return to zero.
When ~irst, the counter has returned to the zero level and,
second, the down pulse output is in the down direction and, third,
more than one pulse has been determined on the input, these three
conditions cause the "AND gate" to enable an erase circuit which
enables an erase oscillator signal to head 69 and thus erases the
- 1~85958
last pulse on the card as the card is emerging from the machine.
At this time, the "wash enable" activates the "wash relay" which
in turn is used to start the laundry machine or vending machine.
Since the erase oscillator output feeds into head 69 and the pre-
amp and all the other amplifiers can upset the counting sequence,
the enabling pulse for the erase oscillator is also used to bias
off the negative pulse amplifier and the positive pulse ampli-
fier so that the subsequent circuits will be immune to this
interfering signal in the head. This sequence of events occurs
for each insertion of the card in the machine until there is
only one pulse left on the card. The single last pulse does
not enter into the up/down counter because of the "skip one"
pulse circuit and the counter remains at zero and tke "wash
relay" is not activated.
Directing attention now to Fig. 14, when card 31 is inserted
in the machine, transducer head 69 derives signals which are
positive pulses as the card moves into the machine and negative
pulses as the card moves out of the machine. These pulses are
fed to the pre-amplifier and amplified by a factor of approx-
imately 1,000. The output of the pre-amplifier is divided into
two sections each of which consist of low-pass filters to sup-
press unwanted noise transients which might be present in the
signal, The filtered signal is then passed into terminals 6 and
13 of I.C. 1-2 and I.C. 1-3. These two amplifiers are biased
in opposite directions in order that one of them will amplify
negative going pulses and one of them will amplify positive
going pulses. The negative going pulses which are derived from
the card as it travels out of the machine are titled "B" on the
drswing. The positive going pulses which are derived from the
card coming into the machine are entitled "A" in the drawing.
The pulse polarities are depicted in the small diagrams accom-
panying each of the amplifiers on the drawings. At the output
of the positive pulse amplifier and negative pulse amplifier,
11
S9S8
the amplitude of the wave form is approaching plus and minus
five volts. At this point, the signal is introduced to standard
TTL integrated circuits through resistors R-10 and R-22. The
"up" pulses "A" are shaped so that at terminal 6 o~ I.C. 2-3
there is a negative going pulse of five volts amplitude. IoC~
2-6 shapes the "B" pulse to a positive going pulse at terminal
12 of I.C. 2-6. I.C. 5-2 and I.C. 6-2 are used together to skip
the first type "A" pulse that enters the circuit so that the
first pulse of the "A" type which reaches the counter I.C. 7 at
terminal 15 is pulse number two of the "A" type. The reason for
skipping the first pulse will be described later. The "A" type
pulses cause the counter I.C. 7 to count up from zero to the -
maximum count or the maximum number of credits on the card. The
binary coded output of I.C. 7 is fed to the 7 segment digit
driver I.C. 4 which in turn drives the digital number displayed
on I.C. 12. This i~ a 7 segment number of the type ~requently
used for digital numeric displays.
The maximum number of credits allowed in the present system
is nine. There~ore, the digital indicator I.C. 12 shows "9"
when a ~ull card is inserted into the machine. As the direction
Or motion of the card reverses and the card starts out of the
machine, negative going pul~es or pulse types "B" com~ence
emerging from the transducer head 69 and these pulses are red
to the counter I.C. 7. When, first, the counter I.C. 7 output
indicates zero and, second, the counting sequence direction is
in the down direction and, third, i~ more than one pulse has
been fed into the syst.em as determined by the "up" pulse enable,
the coincidence of these conditions being determined in the "AND"
gate, a pulse is generated by the AND gate which causes the two
subsequent multi-vibrators I,C. ~ and I.C. 10 to be activated.
The output of I.C. 10 (erase enable) activates the erase oscil-
lator circuit consisting of T4 and the coil Ll in its collector
circuit. This 3O5KHz~ 5 or 6 milliamp (for example) signal is
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)8S9~8
transmitted to head 69 through capacitor C18 and the two back-
to-back diodes D6 and D7. Diodes D6 and D7 i~olate the erase
circuit from head 69 when the head is being used for reading
purposes. The diodes Dl, D2 tied to pin 3 on I.C. 1-1, tend
to limit the amplitude o~ the erase circuit signal so as not to
damage I.C. 1-1. The amplitude of the erase signal is approx-
imately 16 volts at head 69. Since this large amplitude signal
would saturate the amplifiers and tend to disrupt the counting
sequence in the sub~equent circuitry, the output of I.C. 9 which
occurs at the same time as the initiation of the erase signal is
used to bias "off" the amplifier I.C. 1-2 and amplifier I.C. 1-3
so as not to allow any signal to come through these sections.
The biasing action is achieved through the operation Or bias
gates designated Tl and T2 and remains in effect until after
the era~e signal has terminated. In other words, the time con-
stant of I.C. 9 is slightly greater than the time constant of
I.C. 10.
The first "down pulse" out of I.C. 5-1 which was used to
control the direction of counting of I.C. 7 is also used to
initiate the monostable multi-vibrator I.C. 11, which has a
very long time constant and which determines the total length
of time that the digit is displayed on I.C. 12. At the end of
this time constant, a pulse is derived through I.C. 3-3 and
capacitor C13 and fed to the reset terminal of counter I.C. 7.
This resets the counter to zero. It also resets the circuitry ~-
that is used to skip the first input pulse. As the series of
"down" pulses commences, the counter I.C. 7 changes its output
indication to correspond to the appropriate down pulse number.
The display driver I.C. 4 subsequently causes the appropriate
number to be displayed on the digital display I.C. 12. However,
after the down counting sequence has moved one digit, the cir-
cuitry involving I.C. 8-2 generates an output pulse which freezes
the number represented by the second down pulse so as to give a
~8sg~8
continuous display on I.C. 12 of the number of credits remaining
on card 31.
In the foregoing description, it is noted that there is one
extra pulse on card 31. The reason for this is now described.
As card 31 emerges from the machine, the up/down counter I.C. 7
counts down to zero, at which time the erase enable I~C. 10 is
initiated to erase a pulse on the card. However, when the ;
counter counts to zero, there would be no more pulses on the
card and there would be nothing left to erase, so an extra pulse
is recorded on card 31 initially; and then when the counting se-
quence commences a9 the card enters the machine, the first pulse
is skipped by the "skip one pulse" bo~ consisting of I.C. 5-2
and I.C. 6-2. When the counter counts up and then subsequently
counts down to zero and the erase circuit is activated, there is
still one remaining pulse on the card to be erased by the erase
current.
In order to prevent card 31 from being returned to the
patron when the last credit has been erased, another set Or
rollers may be mounted in the reader 26 which is energized from
motor 46 through a clutch to drive the card to the left, as
viewed in Figs. 5 and 6, and into a receptacle in box 21. Thus
the card 31 may be re-used after being encoded once again.
Further, the fact that the card is not returned to the patron
reduces the possibility of litter from discarded cards and also
any temptation for the patron to tamper with the encoding.
In the foregoing description and accompanying drawings, card
31 is motor-driven past the head 69. However, with the sawtooth
pulse being encoded on the card, the motor 46 and rollers 54,
72 may be eliminat0d and the card 31 manually inserted in slot ~-
38 and into gap 39 and then withdrawn. If the card is moved
manually with sufficient velocity the electronic circuitry above
defined will function satisfactorily.
Moreover, the use of the sawtooth signal and circuitry
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1~8S9S~
re~ponsive thereto as described herein avoids the necessity for
requiring complete insertion Or the card in the machine since
the circuitry will still function to activate the machine even
though the card is only partially inserted, one pulse being
erased ~or each energization of the wash relay even though it
is not the last pulse on the card.
Encoder ô6 is used to encode cards 31 with a number of
pulses 33. Such encoder is located at a central point where
suitable security exists. Top casing 87 is closed with a top
cover 88 and mounted above bottom casing 89 with a gap 91 dimen-
sioned for card 31. Bottom casing 89 has a front panel 92 formed
with an indicator window 93 surrounded by a bezel and also having
extending therethrough the perimeter of a wheel 94 which may be
manually adjusted for a given number of pulses to be encoded on
to the card 31. Within casing 89 is a motor 96 having a sha~t
97 here shown as projecting out one ~ide of ca9ing 86 and carry-
ing a drive pulley 98 which, through belt 99, drives a plurality
of,speed reduction idler pulleys 101 mounted on the outside Or
casing 86 through belts 102. The final shaft 103 extends into
the casing 89 and carries on its inner end a gear 106 which mates
with a gear 118 on front bottom transverse horizontal shart 118
on which i8 mounted bottom roller 119. Shaft 118 carries a gear
(not shown) which me~he~ with gear 107 on top ~ront transverse
horizontal shaft 108, appropriate holes being formed in the cas-
ing 90 that the gears can me~h. Front top roller 109 is ~ixed
to shaft 108. Shaft 108 also carries one of a pair of pulleys
111 which are connected together by belt 112, the rearward pulley
111 being fixed on rear top shaft 113 which also carries a rear
top roller 114. Rollers 109 and 114 extend down through slots
in the bottom of casing 87 into the gap 91 through which card 31
passes. Top shafts 108 and 113 are mounted on casing 87 by means
of supports 116 which resemble the support 56 shown in Figo 7.
In bottom casing 89 are similar supports 117 for bottom front
1~859S8
shaft 118 which carries bottom front roller 119 whieh mates -
with roller 109. Bottom rear shaft 122 is driven from shaft ~
118 i.n the same manner as shaft 113 is driven from shaft 108. ~ -
Shaft; 122 earries a roller 123 whieh mates with roller 114.
Mounted in easing 87 is a magnetie reeord head (transdueer)
126 whieh is positioned to magnetically act upon the strip 32
of eard 31. A photoeell 127 and exeiter lamp mounted in easings
87 and 89 has an upper element whieh views through a hole 128 in
easing 87. Motor 96 drives rollers 109, 114, 119, 123 eontinu-
ously while the encoder is operating. The photoeell and lamp
127 operating together indicate when card 31 is in proper posi-
tion with respect to head 126 gap and at such time the electri-
eal eomponents herei~after described generate the appropriate
number Or pulse~ (determined by the manual setting of selector
switch 94) to be reeorded on card 31.
Figure 15 is the block diagram of the magnetie card recorder
circuit and Fig. 16 i8 the circuit diagram therefor. Table III ~ -
shows the principal components Or the blocks of Fig. 15 as are
set rorth in the circuit diagram Fig. 16. Table IV shows repre-
sentative values Or the various components of Fig. 16, it being
understood that these are subject to variation.
When the recording maehine is turned on, the rollers 109,
119, 114, 123, whieh draw eard 31 into the eneoder 86 and push
it out are eontinuously turning so that any time a eard 31 is ~ -
; inserted, it i8 imme-`iately pulled through the maehine. When
the leading edge of eard 31 reaches photocell 127, it interrupts
light rrom the exciter lamp and, in turn, aetivates the rest of
the eircuitry. The output from the photocell 127 i~ amplified
in photocell amplifiers T41 and T42. It then opens a gate in
the block entitled "count inhibit" which allows the pulses from
the pulse generator to pass into the programmable counter. This
counter has been set by a digital decade selector switeh SWl so
that when the desired number Or pulses has passed through the
16
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85958
transmission gate into head 126, the count inhibit circuit stops
~urther pulses. The block entitled "skip one pulse" enables the
counter to record one more pulse on the card than has been indi-
cated by the position of the switch SWl. The purpose o~ this
extra pulse has been described in connection with the reader
circuit. The output ~rom the pulse generator is also fed to ~ -
the box entitled "pulse shaper" which converts the pulses into
a ramp shape or sawtooth wave form. (See Fig. 12). The purpose
o~ the sawtooth wave form is to cause the card reader head 69 to
produce positive pulses when the card is passing into the reader
and negative pulses when the card is coming out of the reader.
The box entitled "record bias oscillator" T44 is required in
order that the ramp section of the sawtooth wave form be record-
ed in 8 linear manner a~ is normally done in direct recording Or
signal~ on magnetic tapes.
A signal rrom the record bias oscillator is also fed to an
"erase" head 131 positioned ahead o~ "record" head 126 to remove
any remnant magnetic signals still on card 31.
1~8S958 ~:
TABLE I
Fiq. 13 Block Fiq. 14 PrinciPal comPonents
Pre Amp I.C. 1-1
Positive Pulse Amp I.C. 1-3
Negative P~lse Amp I.C. 1-2
Skip One Pulse I.C. 5-2, 6-2 :
Up Pulse Enable I.C. 5-2, 6-2, 8-1
Down PUlse Enable I.C. 5-1
"or" Gate I.C. 6-1
"A~d" Gate I.C. 6-3
Up/Down Counter I.C. 7
7 Segment Digit Driver I.C. 4
7 Segment Digit I.C. 12
Long Delay Reset I.C. 11
Skip One "Down" Pulse I.C. 8-2
Erase Enable I.C. 10
Erase Oscillator T4
Wash Enable I.C. 9, T3, I.C. 3-1
Wash Relay RYl
Bias Gate #1 T2
Bias Gate #2 Tl
~08sg~
~ TABLE II
R 1 2.4 K B 14 1 M R 27 15
2 3.3 M 15 3 M 28 1.5 M
3 1.6 K 16 560 29 .9 M
4 .33 M 17 1.2 K 30 13 K
1~2 K 18 1.2 K 31 68 -- n
6 1.2 K 19 2.4 M 32 0.5 M
7 13 K 20 3.3 K 33 -5 M
8 1.2 K 21 33 M 34 5.1 K
g .91 M 22 5.6 K 35 2.2 K
5.6 K 23 220 36 2.2 K
11 1 K 24 1.5 K 37 3-3 K
12 680 25 1 K
13 .47 M 26 15 K
C 1 1 ~fd C 7 0.1 C 13 0.01
2 1 8 0.1 14 3
3 0.1 9 0.001 15 2
4 0.01 10 0.01 16 .44
11 0.01 17 3~3
6 1 12 3 18 0.1
T 1 2N 3906 Fairchild D 1 to D 8 914 Fairchild
2 2N 3906 Fairchild L 1 Miller H 109
3 2N 3906 Fairchild RY 1 Rolay
4 2N 3904 Fairchild
-- 19 --
108$9~E~
TABLE II (continued)
I.C. 1-1L 144 SiliconixI.C. 5-17474 Fairchild
1-2L 444 Siliconix 5-27474 Fairchild
1-3L 144 Siliconix 6-19015 Fairchild
2-19016 Fairchild 6-29015 Fairchild
2-29016 Fairchild 6-39015 Fairchild
2-39016 Fairchild 7 ~CD.4510 R.C.A.
2-59016 Fairchild 8-17474 Fairchild
2-69016 Fairchild 8-27474 Fairchild
3-19016 Fairchild 9555 Signetics
3-39016 Fairchild 10555 Signetics
3-59016 Fairchild 11555 Signetics
3-69016 Fairch/ild 12FND 507 Fairchild
4 9374 Fairchild
- 20 -
~.g85958
TABLE III
Fia. 15 Blbck Fiq. 16 Principal ComPOnentS
Photocoll Amp T 41, 42
Skip 0~e Pulse I.C. 41-6, 42-3
Count Inhibit I.C. 42-1, 41-2, 43-1, 42-2, 42-4, 41-4
Programmable Counter I,C. 44 :
Decade Selector Switch SW 1
Transmission Gate I.C. 47
Mixer T 43
Record Bias Oscillator T 44
Pulse Generator I.C. 45
Pulse Shaper IoC~ 46
- 21 -
` IV8S951S
TABLE IV
R 41 0.1 M ~ 48 5 K Pbt. R 55 3 K
42 5.6 K 49 10 K Pot. 56 10 K
43 13 K 5 1 K 57 1.2 K
44 1 K ~1~ 10 K Pot. 58 75 K
45 10 K 52 10 K Pot. 59 1.6 K
46 0.27 M 53 .27 M
47 62 54 22 K
C 41 0.1 ~fd C 45 0.01 C 49 0.01
42 Ool 46 3.2 50 0.0015
43 0.1 47 2 51 0.01
44 4 4~ 1
T 41 2N 3904 Fairchild L 41Miller H 104
42 2N 3904 Fairchild L 42M~ller 6333
43 2N 3904 Fairchild
D 41 914 Fairchild
44 2N 3904 Fairchild
I.C. 41-1 CD 4049 RCA I.C. 42-3 CD 4001 RCA
41-2 CD 4~49 RCA 42-4 CD 4001 RCA
41-3 CD 4049 RCA 43-1 CD 4013 RCA
41'4 CD 4049 RCA 43-2 CD 4013 RCA
41-5 CD 4049 RCA 44 CD 4018 RCA
41-6 CD 4049 RCA 45 555 fi~gnetics
42-1 CD 4001 RCA 46 741 Fairchild
42-2 CD 4001 RCA 47 CD 4066 RCA
