US3530793A - Method and apparatus for printing and recording on a card - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent 2,258,106 10/1941 Bryce 346/21 2,943,564 7/1960 Demer.... 101/93 3,029,919 4/1962 Stine 197/1 9X 3,045,795 7/1962 Morrison et a1. 197/20 3,146,702 9/1964 Buchsbaum et a1... 10l/90X 3,254,594 6/1966 Phelan et a1. 101/93 3,291,040 12/1966 Holloran et al. 101/93 3,291,277 12/1966 Borrelli et al 197/20 Primary Examiner-William B. Penn Attorney-Michael S. Striker ABSTRACT: 0n superimposed printing form and record carrier blanks, printable legible symbols and recordings are made, respectively, by the same impression means so that the same information is represented by the same. The printing form and the record carrier are used for imprinting and recording on the same card so that the card has the same information legibly printed and also recorded for being read out by a machine.

Patented Sept. 29, 1910 Sheet 1 of 16 ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 29, 1970 Sheet' 2 of 16 INVENTCR ,4 ,2;

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Patented Sept. 29 1970 Sheet 1 M16 INYENTOR x M i f Ed -26. I c

l J \J/ 1 ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 29, 1970 Sheet INVENTOR m/.171 Pzw/m" Patented Sept. 29, 1970 I2 of 16 Sheet Patented Sept. 29, 1970 Sheet. [3 of 1 Patented Sept. 29, 1970 Sheet 75 of 16 a INVENTOR 6 if [2/41 25120.7 1 1 BY Ann. 1 J fi/kw ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 29, 1970 3,530,793

Sheet /6 0116 INVENTOR Karlara' {d dd ATTORNEY METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRINTING AND RECORDING ON A CARD The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for printing and recording information on a card or the like, and more particularly to an arrangement by which the same information is printed and punched into a card in a simultaneous automatic operation.

The term "card is used in the present application to define any object capable of receiving imprints and recordings, for example punched perforations.

The present invention is particularly concerned with an apparatus including a selective printing machine operable to print only selected text sections of a printing form onto a card or other copy sheet, and in accordance with the invention, the information contained in the selected text sections is automatically recorded in the form of punched perforations on the imprinted card.

In accordance with the prior art, cards or other copy sheets printed in a selective printing machine, have to be punched later on to record information. Of the 80 positions of a standard punch card, often up to 60 positions had to be punched corresponding to information already punched on the card. Irrespective of that these operations require a great deal of time, a great number of perforators and testing perforators including complicated mechanisms are required, and cause errors which have to be checked again.

lt is one object of the invention to overcome the disadvantages of known arrangements for punching informationrepresenting perforations into a printed card, and to provide a method and apparatus for automatically recording information on a card which has just been printed.

Another object of the invention is to print on a card information in legible characters, and to automatically record, preferably by punching, the same information on the imprinted card.

Another object of the invention is to control the recording device, such as a punching device, by reading out a record car rier whose recordings were produced simultaneously with a printing form carrying the text by which the card is imprinted.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus for automatically and rapidly producing a punch card having legible imprints representing the same information as the perforations of the punched card.

With these objects in view, a preferred method according to the invention comprises the steps of legibly printing information on a card; reading out information from a record carrier having recordings; transporting the printed card to a recording device, such as a punching device; transferring the readout information to the recording device; and operating the recording device to record on the printed card the previously readout information. In this manner, a card having machine readable recordings and legible imprints is produced.

The same information is printed on the blank card which is recorded on the record carrier. It is advantageous to simultaneously produce a printing form representing information, and recordings on the record carrier representing the same information. The printing form is used with the card so that legible imprints are produced on the same, and thereupon the recording device, such as a punching device, records the same information on the imprinted card under the control of the readout and storing devices. The term recordings is used in the present application to describe recordings which can be read out by a machine.

The recordings on the record carrier which are read out are preferably magnetic, but other recordings adapted to be read out by an optical readout device, or by a readout device using an electric contact feeler, may also be used. The printed card is preferably punched, but other recordings permitting automatic handling and sorting of the card may also be produced.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, only selected sections of a printing form are printed on the card, and only the same selected sections of their record carrier are read out, so that the recordings or perforations on the printed card represent the same selected information which is imprinted in legible form on the card.

One embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention comprises printing apparatus including printing means for supporting a printing form representing information, and producing legible imprints of at least a part of the printing form on a card; readout apparatus including means for reading out recordings representing information recorded on a record carrier; storing means connected with the readout apparatus for storing readout information; and a recording device, preferably a punching device, having an inlet for receiving the printed card from the printing apparatus, and being connected with the storing means and controlled by the same to record the previously readout and stored information on the printing card, preferably in the form of punched perforations, so that the card has legible imprints and punched recordings representing information.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, impression means are provided for simultaneously producing the text of the printing form and the recordings on the record carrier so that the same information is represented by the printing form and by the record carrier. The printing apparatus is preferably a selective duplicator of known construction which is capable of printing selected text sections, such as lines, of the printing form. The readout apparatus is operated by the printing apparatus to read out only recordings containing the same information as the selected sections of the printing form.

The printing apparatus may include a printing drum, and each card is printed during one revolution of the printing drum which is connected with the readout apparatus so that within the same revolution, the record carrier is also readout.

One embodiment of the apparatus of the invention has stamping means mounted on the printing drum adapted to produce magnetic script or legible imprints. Before the printing from the printing form, the stamping device produces an additional record carrier, which is readout together with the first mentioned record carrier so that the additional information printed by the stamping device on the card, is also recorded or punched into the card.

The printing apparatus is preferably a rotary duplicator from which a magnetic or optical readout apparatus is driven so that the readout operation is carried out simultaneously with the printing of the card by the rotary duplicator, and the readout apparatus is controlled to read out only selected sections of the record carrier if the duplicator prints corresponding selected sections of the printing form.

While the readout operation takes place during a single revolution of the printing drum of the rotary duplicator, it may be completed during part of the time required for one revolution. I

In a preferred embodiment, the duplicating machine includes a counterpressure roller which is operated by cams or electromagnets to cooperate with the printing drum only when a selected section of the printing form passes through the printing line. The duplicating machine is provided with means for stepwise selecting lines of the printing form to be printed, and such means are connected with a readout device to cause stepwise movement of the same for successively reading out lines of recordings on the record carrier.

A rotary contact device is preferably provided for controlling the selective printing, and is connected with the means of the readout apparatus by which the lines of recordings of the record carrier are successively read out.

It is advantageous to magnetize the recordings of the record carrier directly before they are read out by the heads of the readout apparatus. lt is advantageous to first magnetically erase previously made recordings on the record carrier, and to permit the storing of the readout information in a storage means only when the readout head moves in one direction. A decoding device is advantageously provided between the storage device and the punching device.

ln one embodiment of the invention, a plurality of readout heads is provided for reading out the lines of recordings on the record carrier, and are rendered operable when the respective line is printed by the printing apparatus.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, and FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side view illustrating the making of a printing form and of a record carrier representing the same information, and being used for controlling the printing and punching operations on the card;

FIG. 3 is a schematic flow diagram illustrating the successive operations according to the invention;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective and schematic view illustrating an apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention including a selective duplicator, a readout apparatus, and a punching device;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary schematic side view illustrating a duplicating machine and connecting parts connecting the same with the readout apparatus, one side wall being omitted for the sake ofclarity;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line VI in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side view, partially in section along line VII in FIG. 6, and illustrating the parts connecting the duplicating machine with the readout apparatus;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view taken in the direction of the arrow E in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating the line shifting of the readout head;

FIG. I is a fragmentary side view, partially in section, illustrating an automatic stepping device for shifting the line selecting cams of the duplicating machine, FIGS. 9 and I0 including a diagram illustrating an electric circuit connecting the duplicating machine with the readout apparatus;

FIG. I1 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating a modified embodiment of the duplicating apparatus in which the counterpressure roller is operated by an electromagnet;

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating the electric circuit of the machine illustrated in FIG. 11;

FIG. I3 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a modified embodiment of the invention employing a modified readout apparatus;

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating the electric circuit of the embodimentofFlG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating another embodiment of the invention with a modified readout apparatus;

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary schematic side elevation ofa rotary duplicator used in the embodiment of FIG. 15, one side wall being omitted for the sake ofclarity;

FIG. 17 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line XVII in FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating a mechanism for operating the readout means to perform line steps; and

FIG. 19 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating another embodiment of the invention incorporating a modified readout apparatus.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, four sheets 1., 4, 5, 6 are placed in superimposed positions, although illustrated in a spaced position in FIG. 2 for the sake of clarity. The stack of sheets is located between a type lever 3 and a platen 30. Type lever 3a has a special type face adapted to produce impressions which can be read out by suitable readout apparatus. Sheet] is a record carrier and receives legible impressions 2 which are adapted to be read out by a magnetic head. The known CMC 7 font is suitable for this purpose. Sheet 4 is a carbon paper which produces corresponding imprints on sheet which is a printing form or master sheet adapted to be used in a duplicating machine. An inking sheet 6 follows the printing form 5, and produces on the right side of the printing form mirror script from which duplicating copies can be made in a well known manner. The left side of the printing form 5 receives from the carbon paper 4, legible imprints so that the contents of the mirror script of the printing form 5 can be ascertained.

It will be seen that 'by operation of a special typewriter producing CMC 7 imprints, a record carrier sheet I having magnetic or magnetizable impressions 2, and a printing form 6 having a text adapted to be duplicated are simultaneously produced, and that the information contained in the text of the printing form is identical with the information represented by the recordings 2 of the record carrier sheet 1.

Referring now to FIG. 3 which illustrates successive operations according to the invention, the special typewriter of which a type lever 3 and the platen 3a were described with reference to FIG. 2, produces the legible recordings on the record carrier sheet 1, and the mirror script text on the printing form 5. The printing form is placed on the periphery of a printing drum 12 which cooperates with a pressure roller 15. A blank card is inserted between pressure roller 15 and printing drum l2, and due to the engagement of the printing form 5 with the blank card 13, the latter is imprinted with a text of the printing form. If the counterpressure roller 15 is moved away from the printing drum 12 while undesired line sections of printing form 5 pass the printing line, the respective undesired sections are not printed, and only desired sections of the printing form are printed on the blank card 13.

The impressions on the record carrier 1 are magnetically or optically read out by a readout apparatus R which includes readout heads 9 and 9b. The impulses produced by the readout apparatus are stored in a storing means 18, decoded in a decoding device 151, and supplied to a recording device in the form of a punching device 17 of known construction. The imprinted card 13' is also supplied to the punching device 17 which is controlled by the impulses received from readout device R, to punch the information contained in the recordings of the record carrier sheet 1 into the printed card 13' so that the finished card 13" contains information in the form of perforations and in the form of legible imprints. Since record carrier sheet 1 and printing form 5 were simultaneously produced to have the same impressions representing the same information, the same information is also represented by the punched perforations and by the legible imprints on the finished card 13".

The making of the record carrier sheet 1 and of the printing form 5 by the special typewriter 150 is independent of the printing and punching of the card, and can be carried out at a different time. FIG. 4 illustrates an apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention in which a record carrier sheet and a printing form are used. The record carrier sheet 1 is placed on a table of the readout apparatus R and secured by a clamping means 8. Illuminated slots 10 are provided in table 7 to permit an accurate positioning of the record carrier sheet I in relation to the magnetic heads 9, 9a, 9b. Before the record carrier sheet 7 is clamped, a line thereon is accurately aligned with one of the illuminated slots 10. An additional record carrier sheet la is also aligned with a slot 10, and clamped by suitable clamping means, not shown. The additional record carrier sheet la carries impressions corresponding to impressions 2 on record carrier sheet 1, and adapted to be read out by a magnetic head 9a.

The printing form 5 is clamped to the periphery ofa printing drum 12 in a position in which its lines extend in axial direction of the printing drum, and the side of the printing form 5 which was provided with inked impressions by the inked sheet 6 faces outward. A counterpressure roller 15 cooperates with the printing drum along a printing line located in a printing plane 14 passing through the axes of rollers 15 and 12.

During rotation of the printing drum 12 in the direction of the arrow F, a blank card 13 is supplied to the printing line and imprinted with the text of the printing form. If the pressure roller is moved to the operative printing position only if a desired and selected line, or group of lines, of the printing form passes the printing line, only desired and selected lines of the printing form are printed on the blank card 13, whereas undesired lines of the printing form are omitted. Card 13 is then automatically transported by transporting means, not shown, to the position 13', and then transported by a conveyor 16a into the inlet opening 16 of a decoding device 151 which forms part of a recording and punching device 17.

The rotary printing drum 12 is connected by a shaft to a mechanism within the readout apparatus R which causes a movement of the magnetic heads 9, 9a and 9b in the directions of the arrows G, which is the direction of the lines of impressions or recordings on the record carrier sheet 1. The mechanism also causes shifting of magnetic head 9 when the reading out of one line has been completed, and the magnetic head 9 is to be moved to the next following line of impressions for reading out the same. These operations will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

The impulses produced in the magnetic heads 9 and 9a by the magnetizable impressions on the record carrier sheet 1, which are preferably magnetized by magnetic head 9b, are amplified and supplied to storing means 18, preferably a core storage device 18 which has a storing means for each readout line. When card 13 moves through the inlet opening 16, it is sensed by a sensing means, not shown, which is connected with storage device 18 and causes the storing device 18 to supply impulses to the decoding device 151 representing the information read out from record carrier sheet 1. Decoding device 151 controls the punching device 17 to punch corresponding coded perforations into card 13 so that the cards 13" discharged from outlet opening 19 and deposited in a stack, are imprinted with legible impressions, and provided with perforations representing the same information. While the information can be immediately determined by an operator reading the legible imprints, the cards can also be used in sorting machines and accounting machines which are controlled by the punched perforations. Evidently, the device 17 may produce also magnetic recordings on the cards which can be interpreted in a similar manner.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, FIG. 5 illustrates parts ofa conventional duplicating machine including a printing drum 12 supporting the printing form 5 and rotating in direction F. A gear train 20, 21, 22 connects the printing drum with a shaft 23. A counterpressure roller 15 is mounted on a lever 41, and can be operated by a linkage 35, 37, 42 to move between the illustrated inoperative positions spaced from the printing drum, and in operative printing position for pressing a blank card against the printing form 5. The blank card is transported by transporting rollers 50a and moistened by a moistening device M with alcohol in order to receive an imprint of the inked printing form 5. These conventional parts of a rotary duplicator are shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 in connection with readout apparatus by which the record carrier sheet 1 and the additional record carrier sheet 10 are read out, as described with reference to FIG. 4. The reading out takes place in the direction of the arrow G, and the shifting of the magnetic heads 9 takes place in the direction of the arrow H, as shown in FIG. 6.

Shaft 23 which is driven from the shaft of the printing drum 12 carries fixed thereon a wheel 24 carrying stepping pawls 26 and 27 cooperating with a ratchet wheel 28. Pawls 26 and 27 are biased by springs 66 and 67. Pawl 26 transmits the rotary motion from wheel 24 to ratchet wheel 28 which is connected by a flanged member 29 with cams 30, 31 and 32 associated with the lines of the printing form. A cam 33 for printing a head section of the printing form on all successive cards is fixed to shaft 23. During rotation of the printing drum and of shaft 23, cams 30 to 33 cooperate with the follower rollers 34 of cam follower levers 35 so that the same turn about the journal 36 in the direction of the arrow .1, turn lever 37 about its journal 38 whereby link 39 is displaced in'the direction of the arrow K acting on the pivot pin 39a of a pair of toggle levers 40 and 41 so that counterpressure roller 15 is displaced and turns with lever 42 about journal 38 to the printing position in close proximity with the printing drum 12. The exact position of counterpressure roller 15 can be adjusted by turning the eccentric member 40a which provides the pivot axis for toggle lever 40.

By means of a flanged member 43, the line cams 31 and 32 can be displaced along shaft 23 to a position cooperating with a cam follower roller 34 so that the counter pressure roller 15 is also actuated under the control of cams 31 and 32. In this manner, the counterpressure roller can be held in the printing position while a corresponding number of lines of the printing form passes the printing line. In the illustrated embodiment l, 2. or 3 consecutive lines of the printing form can be selected for printing during one revolution of the printing drum. The selection of lines of the printing form in this manner is known, and not an object of the invention.

During rotation of the printing drum 12, the magnetic heads 9, 9a and 911 also perform a motion in the direction of the arrow G for reading out lines of the record carrier sheet 1, and of the additional record carrier sheet 1a.

The pawl-carrying wheel 24 has peripheral gear teeth meshing with a pinion 44 which drives a gear 45 on a shaft 46, as best seen in FIG. 6. A bevel gear 47 on shaft 46 meshes with another bevel gear 49 secured to a spindle 48 which is rotatably mounted in a frame of the machine.

Spindle 48 has a grooved track 50 engaged by a follower shuttle 52 mounted on a holding screw 51. Screw 51 is secured to a plate 53 carrying a rod 54 which is slidably mounted in a body 56, as best seen in FIG. 7.

A body 55 is secured to rods 57 and 58, while body 56 by which the shifting of the magnetic head 9 to different lines is controlled, is mounted for sliding movement on guide rods 57 and 58. A winding, not shown, magnetizes the magnetic head 9b so that the same magnetizes the magnetizable impressions on the record carrier sheet 1, whereas another winding, not shown, is energized by thereadout head 9 when the magnetic impressions are read out. The readout head 9a on body 55 reads out a line on the additional record carrier sheet la.

In a modified arrangement of the magnetic head means 9, an eraser winding is provided for erasing remnant magnetism, whereupon the magnetizing winding and the readout winding become successively operative.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7, the readout head 9 is rendered operative by electric switching means, not shown, when plate53 has reached an end position after moving in the direction G and abuts stop 61 on spindle 50. The readout head 9 is again disconnected from the circuit when plate 53 arrives in its other end position abutting the stop 62. In this manner, reading out of a line of recordings in the wrong direction from the right to the left is prevented.

While magnetic heads and magnetizable impressions have been described, it will be understood that optical readout means, or sensing means for reading out graphite recordings on record sheet 1 may also be used.

After a line of recordings on record carrier sheet 1 has been read out corresponding to a line printed from printing form 5, and another line or section of the printing form is to be printed and punched on the card, line cam 30, and if desired also line carns 31 and 32, must move opposite to the normal direction of rotation F, while the readout head makes a step in the direction H.

A shifting roller 63 which is mounted on a stationary frame wall, as best seen in FIG. 6, is shifted to a position located in the plane of the pawls 26 and 27 as illustrated by dash-and-dot lines in FIG. 6. When shifting pawl 27 runs against shifting roller 63 during rotation of pawl carrying wheel 24, pawl 27 engages the ratchet wheel 28, and causes locking pawl 26 to release the same so that a spiral spring 64 whose ends are secured to a hub portion of pawl carrying wheel 24 and to the flanged member 29, turns the latter together with line cams 30, 31 and 32 in a direction opposite to the arrow F until a tooth of ratchet wheel 28 abuts a tooth 65 of shifting pawl 27.

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