Dulin, Thienpont, Potthast & Snyder, Ltd.
Embossed character reader
 Device and method for reading indicia embossed, punched or impressed in a sheet of base material, such as credit-type cards and the like. The reader employs a head having a plurality of movable fingers disposed to sense the holes or embossing when the card is moved relative to the head. The fingers carry light guides thereon which are spaced from and disposed to transmit light from a fixed source. A light cut-off shield is disposed between the source of the light and the light guides to intercept and prevent or permit transmission of the light when the fingers pass over the embossed indicia or holes. Light detectors are disposed at the opposite terminus of the light guides to detect the presence or absence of light and produce electrical pulses corresponding thereto. These electrical pulses can be used or processed in any circuitry as information input correlating to the indicia on the base material, e.g., as input for numerical or letter display, as input for counting, as input for correlation with other input or stored information, and the like. The device also employs a special card guiding mechanism, including special search finger for one-at-a-time sequential feeding of credit cards into proper position to be read by the reader fingers. The device and method are particularly useful for reading of credit-type cards at remote retail installations, for reading of credit-type cards in verifier inserter systems, and for reading of Braille, or punched tape or cards. 
Dynetics Engineering Corp.
G
G06K
inventional
James E. Baesley I.
Hill Dahlstrom