Abstract: A magnetic information card encoding apparatus wherein the train of clock pulses used to synchronize the release of binary data from a storage register to a recorder head is generated by the motion of the card itself. Structural means forms a card receiving slot into which the card is manually inserted and removed. A rotatable carriage assembly consists of a drive shaft, photoelectric means responsive to rotation of the drive shaft for generating the clock pulse train, an idler wheel, and spring biasing means for urging the idler wheel against the drive shaft in a friction drive relationship. A second spring biasing means urges the carriage assembly to rotate such that the idler wheel frictionally engages the card so as to be driven thereby. A switch is actuated by the leading edge of the card to provide a signal defining the position of the card in the slot. The arrangement is such that the information card is erased on insertion and encoded on withdrawal.