Abstract: A card issuing and processing system embodied in a terminal to accomplish issuing and processing operations on cards bearing both human-readable and machine-readable data, e.g., cards bearing visual indicia, one or more magnetic stripes, and/or an integrated circuit ("chip") is provided, having an input hopper mechanism for storing and dispensing new cards, multiple transport mechanisms for transporting the cards, and various processing stations, including a cleaning station, an IC station, a magnetic-write station, a magnetic-read station, and a print station. The cleaning station cleans the surface of the card in preparation for a subsequent operation. The IC station accomplishes electronic data transfer with cards bearing a chip. The magnetic-write and read stations accomplish magnetic data transfer with cards bearing either high and/or low coercivity magnetic medium, and the print station accomplishes the application of visual data, including graphic images, text, background designs, or even bar codes.

Abstract: An improved automatic air pressure relief and check valve assembly which may be used in combination with a swimming pool filter tank or a swimming pool separation tank. The valve assembly includes a normally open lower valve which communicates with the inside of the tank and is responsive to the tank's being full of pressurized water for closing the lower valve. The valve assembly further includes a normally closed upper valve communicating with the lower valve and the outside of the tank, the upper valve being responsive to air being expelled from the tank through the open lower valve, when water is filling the tank, for opening the upper valve to permit the air being expelled to exit through the upper valve. Cooperating with the upper and lower valve of the improved valve assembly is means for precluding both the upper and the lower valves from being simultaneously maintained in their closed conditions.

Abstract: Valve assemblies having a valve seat with a conical surface for causing an included O-ring to roll upon and wedge against the conical surface for closing the port when a spherical valve member is forced against the O-ring.

Abstract: Valve assemblies having valve seats and/or valve members with conical surfaces which cause an included O-ring to roll upon and wedge between the valve member and the seat for reliably closing the valve.

Abstract: An automatic air pressure relief and check valve assembly which may be used in combination with a swimming pool filter or separation tank. The valve assembly includes a normally open lower valve which is responsive to the tank's being full of water for closing the lower valve, and a normally closed upper valve which is responsive to air being expelled from the tank through the normally open lower valve for opening the upper valve during times when water is filling the tank. The upper valve may be selectively opened when air is required to enter the tank so that water may be drained from the tank. Preferred embodiments of the upper and lower valves include valve seats having conical surfaces and respective valve members which cause an included O-ring to roll upon and wedge against its conical seat for reliably closing each valve.

Abstract: The subject information recording methods and apparatus are capable of handling either a recording medium strip wound on a supply roll with the information recording surface layer facing inwardly, or a recording medium strip wound on a supply roll with the information recording surface layer facing outwardly. In particular, a drive roller is mounted at a recording station and the recording medium strip is run from the particular supply roll about part of the drive roller with the information recording surface layer facing away from the drive roller at the recording station irrespective of the direction in which the recording surface layer faces on the supply roll. The drive roller is rotated at the recording station and the recording medium strip is driven from the supply roll through the recording station.

Abstract: A programmable action sampler system (PASS) is described which holds a large number of discrete samples in a matrix of separate sample cups. The system is capable of dispensing a sample from a sample line into any one of the sample cups. At a pre-determined later time, using a cannula, the system addresses the sample from the cup for further measurement or analysis. In the preferred system, the samples flow sequentially through a tube, the liquid intermediate the samples being dispensed into a liquid waste line. The cannula between samples is bathed constantly in a wash tube, even while moving from one sample location to another. Further, in the preferred application, bacterial samples are employed, the sample cups being immersed in a constant temperature liquid bath to hold the bacterial samples at a constant incubation temperature. Among the various novel features employed in the system is a blade brake structure that accurately locates the sample head and cannula over any selected sample cup.