Abstract: A card printer is disclosed which uses shaped-illumination to illuminate the portion of a card upon which printing will occur. The shaped-illumination is produced by passing light from a light source through a light source shaping assembly. In an embodiment, the light source shaping assembly is composed of a plurality of baffles molded into the portion of the printer which defines the path of motion of the printer's print head. In this way, alignment between the shaped-illumination and the printing process is guaranteed with essentially no increase in the cost of printer and, in many cases, a reduction in cost.

Abstract: A time recorder includes a first sensor that detects the side edge of a time card having a cut-out formed at at least one corner of the bottom, a second sensor that detects the bottom of the time card, and a card feeding unit that feeds the time card. When the time card is fed by this card feeding unit, a pulse counter of the card feeding unit counts the number of pulses of predetermined pulse signals after the first sensor detects the time card and until the second sensor detects the time card. Next, the front and back faces of the time card are determined based on the number of pulses that is a counting result. Hence, the front and back faces can be determined by the first sensor and the second sensor only.

Abstract: A ribbon shield for a time clock may be provided which may be placed within a printing chamber along with a printing mechanism. The ribbon shield may also incorporate a light source (e.g., electroluminescent lamp) to illuminate the printing chamber and an inserted time card to aid an employee in aligning a time slot of the time card to a printing mechanism target area.

Abstract: A time recorder can print characters without reducing the print font size or increasing the width of a time card itself. Also, no limitations are imposed on the number of clock ins/outs per day. A control unit checks the identity of card identification information attached to the time card. The control unit instructs a printing unit to print clock in/out information in succession such that the printed line is changed for each one set of clock in/out, and records the information in a recording unit. When all the print lines are used up, clock in/out information recorded in the recording unit is taken over as card identification information on a new time card.

Abstract: A time recorder includes a digital display and a printer for printing selected information including time, date, comment and number. A removable cover covers programming text which surrounds the display. During programming, the cover is removed to expose the text and accept and change buttons which allow a user to accept or change entries in several printing and other categories. Programming entries are indicated either directly or through codes which are described in the programming text. Customized comments may be generated by a user. A character count is maintained on the display during programming. The display is inverted by the user to allow orientation of the time recorder for table or wall mounting.

Abstract: A time recorder receives bar coded time cards, punches time data on the cards and stores the time data in memory. Each card has a bar code at each end corresponding to the same value. For each pay period, a unique bar code and the card on which it is printed are assigned to each employee during an initialization process. A card is inserted upside down into the time recorder for each employee and the bar code is read by the system and assigned to an employee. At the same time, employee information is printed on the card.

Abstract: A printing device wherein top frontal positioning of motor and drive train is avoided so that the size of the top portion can be reduced thereby improving the ability of the operator to view the alignment of a printable article in relation to the printer. The device includes a printer rack having a vertical support member and a base; a moving clamping piece movably mounted on the printer rack permitting the clamping piece to move towards and away from the base; a printer movably mounted on the clamping piece; a cam shaft rotatably mounted on the printer rack and provided thereon with a cylindrical cam for moving the printer towards and away from the vertical support member and further provided thereon with means for raising and lowering the clamping piece so that the clamping piece clamps the article during printing and releases the article upon completion of printing; and a motor mounted on the printer rack for turning the cam shaft.

Abstract: A time recorder includes a digital display and a printer for printing selected information including time, date, comment and number. A removable cover covers programming text which surrounds the display. During programming, the cover is removed to expose the text and accept and change buttons which allow a user to accept or change entries in several printing and other categories. Programming entries are indicated either directly or through codes which are described in the programming text. Customized comments may be generated by a user. A character count is maintained on the display during programming. The display is inverted by the user to allow orientation of the time recorder for table or wall mounting.

Abstract: A method for establishing a code on a time card includes the step of selecting that day, among numerical figures representing dates printed in a date column on the time card, which is equal to an ID code number of a card user, and the step of applying a code read mark in the day indication column, thereby forming the ID code of the card user on the time card. A time recorder equipped with a code judgment function is also disclosed.

Abstract: A printer 7 mounted on a time recorder 1 is provided with a read sensor 10 including a function for determining whether the inserted card is a program setting card or a time card T, a function for reading a program marked on an inserted card when said inserted card is a setting card P, and a function capable of reading an ID code of the card user from a mark TM which is marked in said number of days indicating column TS of the inserted time card when said inserted time card is the time card T.

Abstract: When a time card is inserted in a time recorder, for daily flextime, and selection is made of a work starting time column using a printing column selection key, the current time is printed onto a specific location of the work starting time column of the card. The printer time may be a work starting time rounded off in any desired manner. The standard number of work hours is stored in a memory circuit and any break times are added to the standard number to obtain an anticipated work ending time. The anticipated work ending time is displayed on a display unit and/or printed on the card.

Abstract: A printing portion of a time recorder having belt printing types comprises a plurality of hour-use belt printing types arranged in a row on a surface of a first belt and gradually fed by hour unit in accordance with a time signal, a plurality of minute-use belt printing types arranged in a row on a surface of a second belt and gradually fed by minute unit in accordance with a time signal, and urging and rotating means for urging printing typefaces of the printing types arranged on the first and second belts against a printing surface of a time card inserted into the time recorder and rotating the same in order to effect a printing on the printing surface of the time card.

Abstract: A time clock housing has a back plane circuit providing parallel circuit connections between identical pins on a plurality of circuit board connectors mounted on the back plane. This permits mounting any circuit board to any connector. The time clock includes a basic configuration of components as follows: a power supply, a floppy disk controller, a central processing unit, a ROM, a RAM, a real time clock having its own battery, an input/output circuit, an interface circuit, a keypad, a card reader, a liquid crystal display and an internal printer. The time clock optionally includes components as follows: a backup battery, a hard disk controller and hard disk, a video display circuit, a modem and a local area network circuit. Connectors may also be provided for connecting other devices to the time clock to enter data or receive data.

Abstract: This invention relates to a time clock device, which contains a hinged time card shelf, which is adapted to be pressed down by the user of the time clock when he inserts his time card into the time clock. Upon pressing down on the time card and time card shelf, which the operator can do with one hand, the time, date, and other desired information, is printed onto the time card by a thermal printer which is actuated by a switch activated by the movement of the time card shelf to its lower or pushed down position.

Abstract: A system to process employee and job data, in a shop having a number of mechanic employees and a number of machines, including at least a first employee-input station, a second timekeeping station, and a third management station. A printer and a computer at the second station includes a program in the computer calculating from employee clocking of time and jobs the employee hours, the time spent on each job, accumulated job hours, and percentages of completions of jobs. Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) displays and keyboards are at each station. The keyboards at the first and third stations being special purpose keyboards primarily concerning employee clock-in and clock-out on each job and several cost-class keys that can be associated with various jobs. The program computes different costs on jobs depending on the use of cost-class keys. The first station has a listing of jobs and employees by character.

Abstract: An elapsed time recorder comprising an entrance recorder installed at the entrance for printing the entry time on a time card and simultaneously coding this entry time and printing the coded entry time on the time card, and an exit recorder installed at the exit for printing the exit time on the time card carried to the exit and simultaneously reading the coded entry time recorded on the time card, computing the elapsed time or the difference between the entry time and the exit time and printing the time difference on the time card.

Abstract: A time recorder includes a clock circuit for producing a clock signal, a detector for detecting when a time card is loaded in the time recorder to produce a detection signal, and a correcting circuit for producing a correcting signal effective to correct time information. A printing wheel assembly is rotationally driven to print the time information which is displayed in a display device. A positioning mechanism receives the loaded time card and moves relative to the printing wheel assembly for positioning the loaded time card in a print position relative to the printing wheel assembly. A hammer is opposed to the loaded time card and actuated to act thereon against the printing wheel assembly to thereby print the time information.

Abstract: A time recorder is normally powered by a main power source for supplying a commercial power and occasionally powered by a back-up power source during interruption of the commercial power supply. A clock means counts time to constantly produce a clock pulse, and a digital display constantly digitally indicates updated time data in response to the clock pulse. An analogue display is driven for analogically indicating time information and a recording mechanism is driven for recording time information on a recording medium. A driving device drives the analog display and recording mechanism in response to the clock pulse to update the time information indicated in the analog display and recorded by the recording mechanism. A detecting device is connected to the main power source for detecting the interruption of the commercial power supply.

Abstract: A time recorder which can be used for both vertical and horizontal states is disclosed. It has a box shaped main body just as a usual time recorder. The main body has an end face in which an insertion slot for inserting a time card is formed. Adjacent to this end face, there is formed an inclined portion. This inclined portion which is integrally connected to the end face constitutes a mounting portion. A panel including an indicator and an operation apparatus mounted thereon is detachably fitted to the mounting portion. By merely reassembling the recorder by shifting the panel at 180.degree. when mounting to the inclined portion of the main body, the time recorder can be used in both vertical and horizontal states.

Abstract: A time card carrier has means for alterably storing employee identification, time and attendance data, and means for releasably retaining an employee time card having an imprintable portion. The time card has an extended tab portion for proper orientation of the card on the carrier. The time card carrier is reusable to allow a fresh time card to be inserted onto the time card carrier at the beginning of each new payroll period.

Abstract: This disclosure is concerned with automatically identifying authorized break, meal and other time intervals in check-out and check-in of employee timecards in time-recording systems and the like and accommodating for the same in computing total working hours in such systems.

Abstract: A time card recorder for recording an employee's clocking times, such as his clocking-in and clocking-out times at the beginning and end of a work period, upon a time card and for indicating a relationship between such clocking times and a working schedule which has been assigned to that employee. The time card recorder includes apparatus for storing each of a plurality of possible working schedules and apparatus for reading a symbol from the employee's time card which identifies the working schedule associated with that card. The symbol is the same for a plurality of time cards of different employees associated with the same working schedule.

Abstract: A device for recording both machine readable information and visible information on a recording member such as a time-card or ledger card or pass-book with a strip of magnetic record material on it. The device includes recording apparatus for recording machine readable information on the recording member, a transport mechanism for moving the recording member and the recording apparatus relative to each other, a printer for printing visible characters or other marks upon the recording member, and print spacing apparatus which uses the relative motion between the recording member and the recording apparatus to space the characters from one another on the recording member. In a preferred embodiment, the recording apparatus is a magnetic recorder and the magnetic recorder and the printer are fixed relative to each other during the motion created by the transport mechanism. Preferably, the same mechanism which creates the relative motion for recording also moves the record card into and out of the device.

Abstract: A single piece trigger and knock off mechanism for a switch operated card printer includes a lever integrally connected to a resilient mounting bracket which provides a first flexural pivot. The lever comprises a pair of integrally connected arms, each provided with an ear. A moving card contacts the ear on one arm, causing the lever to swing about the first flexural pivot. As the lever swings, the ear on the other arm contacts a switch which triggers a card printer solenoid. The solenoid operates a card printer hammer. The card printer hammer is driven towards the card when the solenoid is triggered. As the hammer is driven towards the card, a moveable element associated with the card printer strikes the arm whose ear is in contact with the switch, causing the arm to swing about a second flexural pivot formed by a bend in the arm. As the arm swings, the ear releases the switch. This knocks off the solenoid just before the hammer contacts the card.

Abstract: A card locking device for use in a time recorder which is constructed in such a manner that while a wire type dot matrix type printer performs its printing operation such as time printing or the like on a time card inserted into a card guide passage, a locking lever is effective in clamping the inserted time card in the card guide passage for the purpose of preventing it from being removed therefrom, and on completion of the intended printing operation, the locking lever is disengaged from the inserted time card so that the time card can be removed.

Abstract: A printer countwheel mechanism in a time stamp machine keeps a running count of the number of groups of documents stamped by automatically advancing a countwheel to the next highest number when all documents in the group have been stamped. A document group comprises one or more documents. Each document in the group is stamped with the same countwheel number. When stamping single documents, i.e. groups consisting of only one document, the countwheel is advanced every stamping operation so that every document is stamped with a different number. When stamping duplicates, i.e. groups of two documents, the countwheel is advanced every other stamping operation so that duplicates are stamped with the same number. The mechanism may also be disengaged when it is not necessary to keep a count of the number of documents stamped.

Abstract: A time recorder comprising, in combination, read-out means for reading out a personal code shown on a time card inserted; print line number storage means provided correspondingly to each personal code for storing data expressing a print line number on the time card; positioning control means for reading out the data from said print line number storage means corresponding to a personal code previously read out at the time of insertion of the time card, and for positioning a print line of the time card in conformity with said data; and data update means for updating data in said print line number storage means in accordance with predetermined criteria.

Abstract: A printing device for a time recorder in which printing operation is performed on a preselected printing column of a time card by means of a dot printer, while the latter is transversely displaced by a distance equal to the width of a printing column of the time card inserted into a card pocket.

Abstract: This disclosure is concerned with presequencing machine-readable time card identifications in the printing of decks of time cards, automatically using the time-recording clock to fill in corresponding human-readable identification, and with a correspondence map memory between machine-and-human readable identifications, enabling repetitive assignment of the machine-readable identification of subsequent decks of time cards to provide complete use of the decks by changing such assignment correspondence.

Abstract: A device for recording, handling and documentation of time/activity data. The duration of different categories of work occasions and/or activities, as for example down time, can be measured by activation of a press button corresponding to each category of work. A pulse train (11), generated in a pulse generator (10), is provided to at least one of a plurality of storage cells (12). As the time between two pulses (11a), following after each other, is constant and known, e.g. one hundredth of an hour, the total number of pulses (11a) the storage cells (12) are fed with, will correspond to a time value required for the respective output of work and/or activity. When desired the information content of all storage cells (12) is read. This information is converted and/or handled and the result is printed (7) in a manually readable form on an information carrier (6). The information content of the storage cells (12) can also be transferred to and handled by a central reading unit.

Abstract: This invention relates to a new time clock system comprising a memory counter which counts seconds, minutes, hours, days, months and years for a 9,999 year period; a microprocessor which controls the counting of the time, which also operates a time display in 7-segment form, a thermal printer which prints the time on heat sensitive paper and finally computes the hours worked of an employee on a weekly or other payroll basis.

Abstract: A time accounting system including at least three distinct elements: a magnetic stripped card, a recording clock and a recorder/encoder assembly. The magnetic stripped card is fed into the recording clock which prints and electromagnetically encodes predetermined information such as the date and time upon the card. The card is then output from the recording clock. At the end of a given accounting period, the cards are gathered and stacked in the input portion of the recorder/encoder assembly. The recorder/encoder assembly accepts each card and transfers the information contained onto magnetic tape for direct input to a computer. As each used card is read, the recorder/encoder prints and encodes a new card.

Abstract: A time recorder with a time controlled printer for recording time data in the lines of a stamping card, with a card slide forming a stop abutment for the stamping card which can be slid into the apparatus in the direction perpendicular to its lines, an electrical circuit including a switch which can be operated by sliding the stamping card to trigger the printing mechanism when the stamping card is in the printing position also with a plurality of stop abutments as a first element for defining the possible positions of the card slide when printing the stamping card and a bolt, adapted to cooperate with the plurality of stops and acting as a second element, both elements being movable relative to each other into an engagement and non-engagement position and one of the elements being associated with the card slide and being slidable therewith in relation to the other element, the two elemets being driven into the engagement position by the stamping card and are slidable in the said engagement position together

Abstract: An improved time-registration device for recording date and work times on lines of a registration card including a day-program wheel of at least 31 sectors, of which the 29th to 31st sectors contain cams of varying height, and a month-program wheel with at least 12 sectors, each of said sectors having a cam height corresponding to the number of days in each month, scanners for the day- and month-program wheels operating together mechanically at the end of each month to operate a switch to advance the wheels for the following month, the improvement comprising the month-program wheel being frictionally driven by the day-program wheel at the end of each month.

Abstract: A time recorder for recording time data in columns by means of a time controlled printing device on a data medium, the printing device and data medium being slidable relative to each other and every numerically recorded time datum having an identical feature, including a device having electrical circuit means with scanning means for the data medium to prevent overprinting on time data, the scanning means comprising an optical tracing device which is orientated to the position of the defined mark and responds to the presence of the said mark and drives a stop abutment.

Abstract: A recording time clock whose housing has an orifice for insertion of a time card and another orifice in which a punched coding plate may be inserted. A reading device reads the code of perforations in the coding plate and sets a code printing wheel in the printing mechanism of the clock for printing a code symbol simultaneously with the hour and minute on an inserted time card.