Abstract: A manually operable magnetic card reader including a housing 10 and a magnetic head assembly 40. The housing is provided with an elongate slot 23 adapted to receive a card C having a stripe MS of magnetized material extending along a major surface of the card. Intermediate the ends of the slot, the housing is cut-away to receive the magnetic head assembly which includes a block 42, 44 having defined therein a slot 80 which is in registry with the housing slot. Also defined in the block are first and second, opposing, aligned apertures 46, 64 which extend into the block from the block slot. A magnetic reading head 41 is reciprocally movable in the first aperture, and a pressure pad 43 is reciprocally movable in the second aperture. A pair of wire springs 45A, 45B are secured to the block and yieldably bias the magnetic reading head and pressure pad toward the block slot.

Abstract: A column sensor includes a disc which is rotatably supported at one end of a lever arm and in proximity to a card reading station of a manually operable card reader. The lever arm is itself supported for rotation and biased by a spring bearing on an end of the lever arm so that a circumferential surface of the disc is urged into contact with one of the major boundary surfaces of an elongated passageway in the card reader. As a card is moved through the passageway, incremental rotation of the disc due to contact of the circumferential surface thereof with a surface of the card is detected by a light source - light detector pair mounted on the lever arm and on opposing sides of the disc, with light being coupled from the light source to the light detector through a plurality of circumferentially-spaced, axially-extending apertures in the disc so that the light detector accordingly provides an alternating electrical output signal representative of the spacing of data columns on the card.

Abstract: A modular element is disclosed which includes a plurality of rib pairs protruding from a surface of a base. Each rib pair includes first and second ribs which extend longitudinally parallel to each other and which are transversely spaced to define therebetween a first groove. Similarly, the rib pairs also longitudinally extend parallel to each other with adjacent rib pairs defining therebetween a second groove. Various relationships among the transverse widths of the first and second ribs, the rib pairs, and the first and second grooves are disclosed to permit mating modular elements to have a plurality of orientations with respect to each other in face-to-face contact. Likewise, relationships among the transverse height of the base, and the transverse height of the modular element, and the transverse widths of the first and second ribs, rib pairs, and first and second grooves are also disclosed to permit mating modular elements to have a plurality of orientations in end-to-face contact.

Abstract: A modular housing molded of a thermoplastic material and arranged for containing electronic circuitry is disclosed. The modular housing includes a box-like base unit, two removable modules, and a rear cover unit. The base unit forms a first housing for containing electrical apparatus. The upper surface of the base unit includes two tray-like recesses for receiving and containing the two modules which are configured for containing additional electronic apparatus. The base unit recesses and the modules are configured and arranged such that each module is securely retained within the base unit recesses without the use of conventional fasteners such as screws. The upper surface of the base unit also includes an additional tray-like recess in which the rear cover unit is mounted to form a compartment for containing additional electronic apparatus.

Abstract: A manually operated card reader for reading punched data recorded on a standard sized tabulation card and for reading punched data recorded on an appropriately sized identification badge or card is disclosed. Data is read from the standard sized tabulation card when the card is inserted in a first opening and conveyed through a curved passageway by manually pulling the card from a second opening. Data is read from the identification badge or card when the badge is inserted in the second opening and then withdrawn. In either case, the punched data is detected by an array of optical sources and optical sensors mounted along the opposite walls of the passageway near the second card opening. A pair of rollers, mounted between the first and second card openings, turn freely to permit pulling the standard tabulation card from the second card opening.