Abstract: A resonance chamber is provided in a printing device, or in a print medium supply tray of the printing device, to determine the size of the print medium in the printing device. The supply of print medium and the resonance chamber are positioned so that the print medium covers a portion of the resonance chamber. An audio signal system then emits an audio signal to drive the resonance chamber. The frequency of the audio signal is varied until the natural resonance frequency of the chamber, as partially covered by the print medium, is discovered. The resonance frequency of the chamber will correspond to the amount of the chamber that is covered by the print medium and, hence, to the length (or width) of the print medium. In this way, the size of the print medium, whether standard or custom, can be determined.

Abstract: An input hopper (20) for inputting card members to card processing modules (14) includes a tray (22) for storing the cards which are maintained in a stack by a pusher mechanism (30) having a plate (23) biasing the card stack toward a first end of the tray (22). A notched cam (42) at the first end of the tray (22) rotates and engages the edge of a lead card to separate it from the stack. Rollers (50,52,54) engage the separated card and deliver the card from the input hopper (20). The cam (42) and main roller (50) are driven by a motor (60) and drive linkage (61) including a coiled spring (70) to provide an override to the drive linkage (61) in the event of jamming.

Abstract: A card housing section has at a front surface a cut portion provided with an opening and closing portion and at a lower end an opening provided with a receiving rib, and a card is held between the receiving rib and a push-plate mounted on an upper plate of a housing box through a coil spring. A second supporting rod slidably and rotatably connected to a first supporting rod stood upright on the push-plate is held in the horizontal state on the housing box by the action of the coil spring, and cards may be supplied through the cut portion in the front of the housing box into a space formed between the push-plate and the receiving rib while the housing section is being assembled into a dispenser body. In addition, a card dispensing section comprises a guide hole extending in a direction of dispensing cards and having sliding grooves provided on opposite sides thereof and inlet and outlets which are downwardly opened into one place forward and backward, and a sliding rod reciprocably fitted in the guide hole.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding tags from a tag hopper to a tag attaching station includes a spring biased push member having a notched front end for cooperation with a downwardly inclined shutter at the entry of the tag hopper for engaging the lowermost tag and pushing the same to the tag attaching station. A second shutter at the exit of the tag hopper contains a resilient finger for exerting a drag force against any tags above the lowermost tag so as to retain all but the lowermost tag in the hopper during a feed stroke.

Abstract: A card dispensing mechanism for withdrawing individual cards from a stack thereof and feeding it to a use station including a stack support structure and a pressure plate urging the stack with the foremost card at a dispensing point. A carriage has a roller at a first end riding along a track longitudinally parallel to the foremost card front face and is engaged by a rocked lever at its opposite end and a pawl element is mounted proximate the carriage first end and projects toward engagement with the foremost card trailing edge to rotate and rock with the carriage. With the rocking of the lever on its advanced stroke the pawl element initially engages the card trailing edge to impart an advancing outwardly inclined force thereto and during the major advance of the card applies a longitudinal force thereto parallel to the card face and approaching the end of the stroke, the force is again outwardly inclined.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding data processing record cards seriatim from the bottom of a stack to a data sensing station or the like including a pair of oscillating picker members for displacing a record card from the bottom of the stack, and a pair of sector rollers for intermittently gripping the displaced card and moving it at right angles to the direction of displacement to the nip of a set of feed rollers. Both the picker members and sector rollers are driven from a common source, the picker members being harmonically driven through a unique coupling device including a pair of flexural elements mounted at right angles to each other to give a universal action.