Abstract: A ticket processing system in which a single ticket drive cylinder drives a ticket on a circular ticket guide path past stations for visibly printing and for magnetically encoding or bar encoding the ticket. A passive ticket inverter adjacent the circular ticket guide receives a ticket and guides a first end of the ticket into an inverting space while the drive cylinder rotates the second end of the ticket past the first end and draws the ticket, second end first and inverted, back into the circular ticket guide.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing a ticket includes a circular ticket guide having a drive apparatus for driving a ticket in the circular ticket guide, an arcuate ticket guide having a ticket drive apparatus for driving a ticket in the arcuate ticket guide, a ticket transfer guide extending tangentially between the circular and arcuate ticket guides for transferring a ticket between the circular and arcuate ticket guides, at least one ticket input guide extending tangentially into the circular ticket guide for inputting a ticket into the circular ticket guide from an associated ticket input area, a ticket output guide for outputting a ticket from the arcuate ticket guide to an associated ticket output area, ticket writing and reading mechanisms for writing and reading information on a ticket and a ticket printer for printing information on a ticket.

Abstract: A ticket processing terminal includes a cylindrical ticket guide around which tickets are driven by a single drive cylinder which rotates in the ticket guide. An entry port, a feed port, and an exit port all connect to the ticket guide in a spaced relationship around the guide. Raed/write mechanism are placed adjacent the guide at a position which is passed by a ticket entering the guide through the entry or feed port and before the exit port is passed. Tickets are issued by the terminal by providing information to the write mechanism from an external source, feeding a ticket into the guide from either the feed port or the entry port, writing the information on the ticket, reading the printed information for validation, and then diverting the ticket to the exit port before completing a revolution. After being issued, a ticket bearing written information can be processed by the terminal for cancellation.

Abstract: An apparatus for printing and issuing tickets has a circular ticket guide in which a drive cylinder is disposed to selectively rotate in a forward or reverse direction. A ticket magazine feeds a blank ticket into the ticket guide in the forward direction and the cylinder rotates, driving the ticket in the forward or reverse direction in order to execute a series of process steps involved in issuing the written ticket. Arrayed in an arcuate sequence adjacent the ticket guide in the forward direction are a printing and reading apparatus, a ramped impound aperture, and a ramped issue aperture. A ticket is fed from the hopper in the forward direction and the drive cylinder is rotated to carry the ticket past the printing and reading apparatus where information is written and verified on the ticket. The drive cylinder continues to rotate in the forward direction, carrying the ticket past the impound, and then the issue aperture.

Abstract: Secure placement of confidential information on tickets distributed in blank is permitted by opaquely overlaying an area of the ticket upon which the information is to be placed in visible form and employing a printing apparatus that prints the visible information on the ticket area through the opaque overlay without leaving any easily-discernible trace in the overlay that reveals the imprinted information. A ticket can be given in blank to a ticket holder. Then, when the ticket holder makes an exchange in order to receive the information, the information can be placed on the ticket, with the opaque overlay concealing the information until selectively removed by the ticket holder.

Abstract: A wear-resistant thermal printhead employs a wearplate deposited atop the printhead substrate adjacent the resistive print element as a hard shield to impacting tickets and abrasive material propelled across the printhead. The wearplate comprises a layer of thick film glass doped with a suitably hard material such as zirconia, alumina, or diamonds. Printhead position is adjusted so that the wearplate is impacted instead of the print element and conductive traces carrying current to the print element are routed out of the way along the backside of the substrate opposite the side subject to abrasion.