Abstract: A rewritable card printer useful as a rewritable card printer. The rewritable card printer includes a print module coupled to one or more separate card magazines, each having independent card drives. The operation of the print module and one or more card magazines are controlled by a printer controller. Cards may be exchanged between multiple card magazines so that cards can be escrowed, exchanged, or selectively located and retrieved. The print module may receive as well as dispense cards from and to an external card source so that the card magazines may be replenished without opening up a gaming machine hosting the rewritable card printer. The print module may further include a security device reader that is used to read security features embedded in the cards. The security features may be used to track individual card use and to guard against card duplication and fraud.

Abstract: A rewritable card printer useful as a rewritable card printer. The rewritable card printer includes a print module coupled to one or more separate card magazines, each having independent card drives. The operation of the print module and one or more card magazines are controlled by a printer controller. Cards may be exchanged between multiple card magazines so that cards can be escrowed, exchanged, or selectively located and retrieved. The print module may receive as well as dispense cards from and to an external card source so that the card magazines may be replenished without opening up a gaming machine hosting the rewritable card printer. The print module may further include a security device reader that is used to read security features embedded in the cards. The security features may be used to track individual card use and to guard against card duplication and fraud.

Abstract: A rewritable card printer useful as a rewritable card printer. The rewritable card printer includes a print module coupled to one or more separate card magazines, each having independent card drives. The operation of the print module and one or more card magazines are controlled by a printer controller. Cards may be exchanged between multiple card magazines so that cards can be escrowed, exchanged, or selectively located and retrieved. The print module may receive as well as dispense cards from and to an external card source so that the card magazines may be replenished without opening up a gaming machine hosting the rewritable card printer. The print module may further include a security device reader that is used to read security features embedded in the cards. The security features may be used to track individual card use and to guard against card duplication and fraud.

Abstract: Card printing apparatus, for example, for printing identification cards, pass cards and the like generally comes with a relatively restricted size card input hopper. The number of cards that can be processed in a single operation is accordingly limited. The capacity for a single run of card printing can be materially increased without leading to card feed problems because of the increased pressure at the bottom of a stack of cards by arranging that at least part of the in-feed hopper is inclined away from the vertical. In order to maintain the footprint of the printer relatively small, the hopper preferably has two vertical sections and an intermediate inclined section.

Abstract: In a method of forming an identification card printer a sheet feed printer is provided having a printhead and a sheet feed mechanism that is driven by a sheet feed drive to feed paper sheets to the printhead for printing. Next, the sheet feed mechanism is replaced with a card transport mechanism that is used to feed cards from a card supply to the printhead for printing. The card transport mechanism is then linked to the sheet feed drive through a feed drive link. Finally, a master controller for controlling the operation of the card transport mechanism is installed. Additional aspects of the present invention relate to an identification card printer formed in accordance with the above-described method.

Abstract: A device for transporting a sheet (18) to be printed in a printer is described, with a carriage (14) which is designed for receiving the sheet and which can be displaced on a fixed stand (12) perpendicularly to the line direction between a starting position for inserting and removing the sheet and an end position moved into the printer. Mounted on the carriage (14) is a releasable clamping device (26) which comprises a bearing surface (22) for the sheet (18) and a clamping lever (35) spring-loaded in the clamping direction. The latter is provided with an actuating cam (48) which co-operates with a control bar (40) provided on the stand (12), in such a way that the clamping device (26) is opened in the starting position, closes after this starting position has been passed in the direction opposite to the end position and opens again when the carriage (14), coming from the end position, reaches the starting position.

Abstract: A mounting head is used to fix a print wheel to the free end of a drive shaft provided on a carrier. The head extends from the print wheel toward a platen. The head lies in a space defined by the print wheel and a document guide device which is located between the platen and the print wheel and which guides a document downward in front of the platen. A document is not blocked by the mounting head while it is guided through the gap between the platen and the document guide device.

Abstract: A single piece paper guide device incorporating an aligning scale which is movably hinged to allow movement from a working position to a service position.

Abstract: A device for facilitating location of the printing point and/or the correction of characters comprises a mechanism actuated by a back space key to shift the printing point back. A second mechanism, also actuated by the back space key, moves a pointer to a set position over the printing point simultaneously with the back spacing. A restoring element controlled by a typing mechanism automatically restores the pointer to an inoperative position clear of the printing point before the typing of the selected character. A correcting key, when actuated, sets a suppressor which arrests the movement of a spring actuated actuator to lock the escapement and prearranges a lift mechanism for raising a correcting ribbon into an operative position. A positioner connected to the lift mechanism holds the suppressor in the set position in opposition to the action of a returning spring when the mechanism is prearranged for use and releases the suppressor when the correcting ribbon is raised into the operative position.