US3105895A

US3105895A - Static card reader

Info

Publication number: US3105895A
Application number: US4946A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lyman R Lyon
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1960-01-27
Filing date: 1960-01-27
Publication date: 1963-10-01
Anticipated expiration: 1980-10-01

Description

Oct. 1, 1963 L. R. LYON STATIC CARD READER Filed Jan. 27, 1960 INVENTOR. 477714 )5? ya? \Nwx United States Patent 3,105,895 STATIC CARD READER Lyman R. Lyon, 3157 Evergreen, Royal Oak, Mich. Filed Jan. 27, 1960, Ser. No. 4,946 17 Claims. (Cl. 235-6111) This invention relates generally to a static business ma chine card reader, and more particularly to a novel contact system for a business machine card reader.

One form of business machine card that has found Wide acceptance in both commerce and industry is a card three and one-fourth inches wide and seven and three-eighth inches long capable of receiving nine hundred and sixty punched holes thereon in twelve rows of eighty holes. The rows are spaced one-fourth of an inch apart and are approximately seven inches long. Such a business machine card is capable of storing any intelligence definable by nine hundred and sixty charaeterisitcs.

Placement of this number of holes on such a relatively small business machine card complicates the problem of translating the intelligence contained thereon into a usable characteristic such as, for example, an analog characteristic. To accomplish reading of the card in the static condition a pair of contacts must be provided for each hole and at least one contact of each pair must be resilient with respect to its complementary contact. The pairs of contacts must be maintained in exact alignment with respect to each other and with respect to a datum point on the business machine card being read.

The problem presented, to which static card readers heretofore known and used do not present an adequate solution, is the problem of mounting closely spaced pairs of contacts so that one contact of each pair is resilient with respect to its complementary contact.

The present invention is directed to a novel contact system for a static card reader wherein nine hundred and sixty pairs of contacts are maintained in accurate alignment with respect to one another and wherein one contact of each pair is both movable and resilient with respect to a complementary aligned fixed contact. Such a novel contact system facilitates the accurate translation of intelligence on the business machine card into usable electrical charactenistics.

Accordingly, the broad object of the present invention is an improved static card reader.

Another object is an improved contact system for a static card reader.

Another object is a contact system having a plurality of relatively closely spaced, positively aligned pairs of contacts.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following specification, wherein reference is made to the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a card reader in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2, enlarged ifor clarity; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 of FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawings, a card reader in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention comprises an upper movable contact support member 12, preferably of conductive material, for example copper, mounted for movement in translation vertically, as seen in the drawings, with respect to a lower fixed contact support member 14 of insulating material, for example Bakelite. A plurality of positioning pins 16 extend upwardly from the fixed contact support member 14, preferably at the corners thereof, for the alignment and guidance of the movable contact support member 12 for movement in translation with respect to the lower contact support member 14. Suitable sleeve bearings 18 may be provided in the upper support member 12 for the acceptance of the alignment pins 16, if desired.

The movable contact support member 12 is provided with twelve longitudinally extending parallel grooves 20 in a bottom surface 22 thereorf for the support of a like number of contact retainer rods 24. The grooves 22 and therefore the retainer rods 24 are spaced one-fourth of an inch apart.

The rods are secured in the grooves 2t) of the upper contact support member 12 as by pairs of machine screws 26 and 28 that extend through suitable holes in the opposite end portions of each of the retainer rods 24 and into suitably threaded bores in the movable contact support member 12.

Each of the contact support rods 24 has a continuous helical groove 30 therein of generally V-shaped configuration for the acceptance and retention of a continuous helically wound contact member 32. The contact member 32 is preferably made from relatively fine Wire, for example 30 gauge palladium wire, that has been cold drawn to a high degree of springiness. The contact member 32 comprises a plurality of convolutions 34 that are held within an associated groove 30 on the retainer rod 24 :by contact of the rod 24 with the support member 12.

Each groove 20 in the contact support member 12 has angularly related side walls spaced apart that are of sufficient depth, with respect to the diameter of the rods 24, to tangentially engage the rods 24 at points approximately 90 apart. As best seen in FIG. 3, each rod 24 and each convolution 34 of the helically wound contact member 32 engages the contact support member 12 at two points 36 and 38 spaced approximately 90 apart. This engagement restricts the contact member 32 from movement axially or transversely with respect to the contact support member 12 or retainer rod 24. It is to be noted that the spacing of the respective convolutions 34 of the contact member 32 is defined by the lead of the groove 30 in the contact retainer rods 24 and therefore is precisely maintained.

Each convolution 34 of the helically wound contact member 32 has a contact surface 4t) on the lower peripheral surface thereof. Because the respective convolutions 34 of each cont-act member 32 are maintained in precise longitudinal alignment by their associated retainer rod 24, the respective contact surfaces 40 are maintained in positive alignment. Also, because each helical contact member 32 is restrained from movement transversely of its associated retainer rod 24, the transverse spacing of the contact surfaces 40 is positively maintained. Further, because the spacing of the convolutions 34 is maintained by the lead of the groove 30 in the rods 24, longitudinal spacing of the contact surfaces 46) is precisely maintained.

The insulating fixed contact support member 14 is provided with a plurality of fixed contact members 42 having upper contact surfaces 44 in complementary aligned relationship with respective ones of the lower peripheral contact surfaces 40 of the convolutions 34 of the contact member 32. In a constructed embodiment, the fixed contacts 42 comprise a plurality of relatively rigid electrical conductors, the transverse end faces thereof defining the fixed contact surfaces 44. The contact members 42 extend downwardly through suitable aligned holes 46 in the lower support member 14 for connection to any desired circuitry or indicating mechanism. From: the above description, it should be apparent that the fixed contact support member 14 has nine hundred and sixty fixed contact members 42 arranged in twelve rows of eighty, the rows being spaced apart one-fourth of an inch. Precise 3 alignment of the respective pairs of contact surfaces 49 and 4 on the convolutions 34 and contact members 42, respectively, is maintained by the vertically extending alignment plus 16.

A conventional business machine card 50 having punched holes 51 therein is read by the static card reader it) of the present invention by placing the business machine card 5%) between the

contact surfaces

40 and 44 in a reading position between suitable card guides 52. The upper movable contact support member 12 is then moved downwardly in translation toward the lower fixed contact support member 14 so that each contact surface 40 of each convolution 3-.- either engages the business machine card St, at locations not having a hole 51 punched therein, or extends through a punched hole 51 to engage its associated aligned fixed contact 44, thereby closing an electrical circuit from a source of electrical energy 54 to the contact 40, through its associated fixed contact 44 to an indicating device 56 or other suitable circuitry.

Each of the convolutions 34 of the contact members 32 is collapsible radially to provide the resilience required to accommodate the thickness of the business machine card 53 and to provide for lost motion engagement between the movable contact surfaces 40 and the fixed contact surfaces upon further movement of the movable support member 12 toward the fixed support member 14.

From the aforementioned description, it is obvious that the contact surfaces 49 on the helically coiled contact members 32 are maintained in fixed spacing and alignment with respect to one another and to their aligned fixed contact surfaces Spacing of the respective convolutions is effected by the lead of the grooves 30 in the contact etaincr rods 20. Each convolution 34 of each contact member 32 is collapsible radially, thereby providing the resilience necessary to accommodate the thickness of the business machine card 56 and to efiect proper electrical connection.

It is to be noted that each rod 24 and convolution 34, in the embodiment illustrated, is supported at two arcuately spaced points 36' and 33 in a groove 20 so as to preclude rotation or rolling thereof with respect to the contact support member 12. This angularly spaced engagement also requires that flexing or collapsing of the convolution 34, upon contact thereof with a business machine card 50 at locations not having a punched hole therein, is limited to that portion of the convolution 34 spaced downwardly, as seen in the drawings, from the points of engagement 36 and 38 thereof with the contact support member 12.

From the aforementioned description, it should be obvious that the contact system 10 of the present invention provides a relatively simple, positive and inexpensive means for mounting a plurality of closely spaced pairs of contacts, thereby to facilitate the reading of a standard business machine card having a large number of relatively closely spaced punched holes.

While it will be apparent that the embodiments of the invention herein disclosed are well calculated to fulfill the objects of the invention, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the proper scope or fair meaning of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A contact system comprising an electrical conductor having a plurality of generally aligned convolutions defining a first plurality of aligned contacts, means for supporting said convolutions in substantially equally spaced relation, and a second plurality of electrical contacts in spaced aligned relationship complementary to said first plurality of contacts, said first plurality of contacts being engageable with respective ones of said second plurality of contacts.

2. A contact system for a static card reader comprising an electrical conductor having a plurality of generally aligned convolutions defining a first plurality of aligned contacts, means for supporting said convolutions in substantially equally spaced relation comprising an elongated member disposed interiorly of said convolutions and extending longitudinally thereof, and a second plurality of electrical contacts in spaced aligned relationship complementary to said first plurality of contacts, said first plurality of contacts being engageable with respective ones of said second plurality of contacts.

3. A contact system for a static card reader comprising an electrical conductor having a plurality of generally aligned convolutions defining a first plurality of aligned contacts, means for supporting said convolutions in substantially equally spaced relation comprising a rigid member and means for biasing said convolution toward said rigid member, and a second plurality of electrical contacts in spaced aligned relationship complementary to said first plurality of contacts, said first plurality of contacts being engageable with respective ones of said second plurality of contacts.

4. A contact system for a static card reader comprising an electrical conductor having a plurality of generally aligned convolutions defining a first plurality of aligned contacts, means for supporting said convolutions in substantially equally spaced relation comprising a rigid member and an elongated rod disposed interiorly of and extending longitudinally of said convolutions for biasing said convolutions toward said rigid member, and a second plurality of electrical contacts in spaced aligned relationship complementary to said first plurality of contacts, said first plurality of contacts being engageable with respective ones of said second plurality of contacts.

5. A contact system for a static card reader comprising an electrical conductor having a plurality of generally aligned convolutions defining a first plurality of aligned contacts, means for supporting said convolutions in substantially equally spaced relation comprising a threaded rod, portions of successive convolutions of said conductor being disposed in successive ones of the threads in said rod thereby to define the axial spacing of said convolutions, and a second plurality of electrical contacts in spaced aligned relationship complementary to said first plurality of contacts, said first plurality of contacts being engageable with respective ones of said second plurality of contacts.

6. A contact system for a static card reader comprising an electrical conductor having a plurality of generally aligned radially collapsible convolutions defining a first plurality of aligned contacts, means for supporting said convolutions in substantially equally spaced relation, a second plurality of electrical contacts in spaced aligned relationship complementary to said first plurality of contacts, and means for guiding said supporting means for movement toward said second plurality of contacts to effect engagement between respective ones of said first plurality of contacts and said second plurality of contacts.

7. A contact system for a static card reader comprising an electrical conductor wound in a plurality of generally circular aligned convolutions defining a first plurality of aligned contacts on the outer peripheral surfaces thereof, means for supporting said convolutions in substantially equally spaced and aligned relation, a second plurality of electrical contacts in spaced aligned relationship complementary to said first plurality of contacts, and means for accepting an insulating member between said first and second contacts, said first plurality of contacts being engageable with respective ones of said second plurality of contacts at locations on said insulating member having an aperture therein.

8. A contact system for a static card reader comprising an electrical conductor having a plurality of generally aligned radially resilient convolutions defining a first plurality of aligned contacts, means for supporting said convolutions in substantially equally spaced axial relation comprising a member having a plurality of generally equally spaced grooves therein, portions of successive ones of the convolutions of said conductor being disposed in successive ones of the grooves in said member thereby to define the axial spacing of said convolutions, and a second plurality of electrical contacts in spaced aligned relationship complementary to said first plurality of contacts, said first plurality of contacts being engageable with respective ones of said second plurality of contacts.

9. A contact system for a static card reader comprising an electrical conductor having a plurality of generally aligned convolutions defining a first plurality of aligned contacts, means for supporting said convolutions in substantially equally spaced relation comprising a threaded rod, portions of successive convolutions of said conductor being disposed in successive ones of the threads in said rod thereby to define the axial spacing of said convolutions, and an insulating member having a second plurality of electrical contacts in spaced aligned relationship complementary to said first plurality of contacts and electrically isolated from one another, said first plurality of contacts being engageable with respective ones of said second plurality of contacts.

10. A contact system for a static card reader comprising an electrical conductor having a plurality of generally aligned radially resilient convolutions defining a first plurality of aligned contacts, means for supporting said convolutions in substantially equally spaced axial relation comprising a member having a plurality of generally equally spaced holding means thereon, portions of successive ones of the convolutions of said conductor being engaged with successive ones of the holding means in said member thereby to define the axial spacing of said convolutions, and a second plurality of electrical contacts in spaced aligned relationship complementary to said first plurality of contacts, said first plurality of contacts being engageable with respective ones of said second plurality of contacts.

11. The contact system of claim wherein said sec- 0nd plurality of contacts are electrically isolated from one another by an insulating member.

12. The contact system of claim 11 having means for guiding said holding means and said insulating member for movement toward one another to effect engagement of said first and second plurality of contacts.

13. A contact system for a static card reader comprising a plurality of electrical conductors each having a plurality of generally aligned convolutions defining aligned contacts, respectively, means for supporting said convolutions in substantially equally spaced relation, means for maintaining said supporting means in equally spaced aligned relationship, portions of successive convolutions of each of said conductors being engaged with successive ones of the supporting means thereby to define the axial spacing of said convolutions, and a second plurality of electrical contacts in spaced aligned relationship complementary to said first plurality of contacts, said first plu- (i rality of contacts being engageable with respective ones of said second plurality of contacts.

14. An electrical contacting device comprising a plurality of externally grooved rods precisely located in spaced parallelism from each other, a plurality of coiled members each having a plurality of coils, each of said coiled members being associated individually with one of said rods, each of said coiled members being eccentrically externally disposed with respect to that one of said rods with which it is individual, each of said coils of each of said coiled members being disposed consecutively in each of said grooves of that one of said rods With which it is individual, each of a plurality of contact means spaced in precise positional relationship with respect to each of said coils of said coiled members, said contact means being engageable and in conductive contact with said coiled members.

15. A contact system for a static card reader comprising a rigid member, an electrical conductor having a plurality of generally aligned convolutions defining a first plurality of aligned contacts, means for supporting said convolutions in substantially equally spaced relation comprising a threaded rod, groove means in said rigid memher for precluding transverse movement of said supporting means, portions of successive convolutions of said conductor being disposed in successive ones of the threads in said rod thereby to define the axial spacing of said convolutions, and a second plurality of electrical contacts in spaced aligned relationship complementary to said first plurality of contacts, said first plurality of contacts being engageable with respective ones of said second plurality of contacts.

16. A contact system for a static card reader comprising a movable contact support member having a plurality of aligned grooves therein of generally V-shaped configuration, a plurality of electrical conductors each having a plurality of generally aligned convolutions defining a plurality of aligned contacts, means for supporting one of said conductors in each of said grooves comprising a plurality of threaded rods, portions of successive convolutions of each of said conductors being disposed in successive ones of the threads in the rod associated therewith thereby to define the axial spacing of said convolutions, and a second plurality of electrical contacts in spaced aligned relationship complementary to said first plurality of contacts, said first plurality of contacts being engageable with respective ones of said second plurality of contacts.

17. The contact system of claim 16 wherein said second' plurality of contacts are electrically isolated from one another.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 395,781 Hollerith Jan. 8, 1889 2,484,114 Page et al Oct. 11, 1949 2,915,243 Lapointe Dec. 1, 1959

Claims

3. A CONTACT SYSTEM FOR A STATIC CARD READER COMPRISING AN ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR HAVING A PLURALITY OF GENERALLY ALIGNED CONVOLUTIONS DEFINING A FIRST PLURALITY OF ALIGNED CONTACTS, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID CONVOLUTIONS IN SUBSTANTIALLY EQUALLY SPACED RELATION COMPRISING A RIGID MEMBER AND MEANS FOR BIASING SAID CONVOLUTION TOWARD SAID