Abstract: A data recorder includes a unitary housing such as comprised of a molded plastic having an open upper portion, a removable lower cover, and a data card receiving arrangement at one end thereof. The data card receiving arrangement includes a narrow slot of precisely fixed dimensions for preventing the insertion of more than one data card at a time. Disposed within the housing are various flat template members arranged in a layered array, with each template having a plurality of spaced apertures therein. Upon full insertion of a data card in the data recorder, the leading edge of the card urges a forward-biased mask member to the full aft position for aligning the apertures of the various layered members allowing the tip of a stylus to be inserted through aligned apertures in the mask and template members to permit severing of chips or punch portions from the data card, which may be either scored or unscored.

Abstract: A data registering apparatus includes a housing, a base member mounted to the housing and a resilient mat member mounted to the base member and having openings superimposed on the openings defined by the base member. The registering apparatus includes also a lower anvil having openings mounted to the base member, an intermediate template member having openings spaced apart from and fixedly mounted to the base member, and an upper mask member having openings and movable from a first, at rest position wherein the upper mask means blocks the openings in the intermediate template member and the anvil to a second position wherein the openings in the upper mask member are in alignment with the openings in the intermediate template member and the anvil, when an unscored data processable card is inserted into the apparatus.

Abstract: A stylus for entering perforations in a prescored card for the recording of data thereon is disclosed. The perforating end of the stylus includes a conically-shaped center portion positioned within and projecting from a concave-shaped end surface having a sharp edge around the periphery thereof. The scored portion of a card is initially engaged by the sharp cone-shaped tip of the stylus and partially displaced thereby. Continued displacement of the stylus causes the sharp peripheral edge thereof to engage and sever a portion of the card defined by the stylus tip cross section. The sequential and complementary action of the pointed center tip and the sharp-edged periphery of the stylus in engaging the prescored portion of a data card causes the thus engaged portion to be completely severed and displaced from the card in eliminating the need to subsequently wipe the card to remove partially severed chips, or punched portions, therefrom.