Data scanner

Claim 3

The system of claim 1 in which said control means includes means for finding a transversely extending line of data to be scanned, said finding means including means for detecting the presence of a line of data on such a document and deenergizing said drive means to stop relative movement between said scanning head and such a document, whereby said scanning head can scan such a line.

Claim 4

The system of claim 2 in which said detecting and deenergizing means is disposed in series with said first switch means, whereby, when said first switch means is actuated by one of said actuating means and said detecting means simultaneously detects the presence of a line of data corresponding to said one actuating means, said drive means will be deenergized.

Claim 5

The system of claim 2 in which said detecting and deenergizing means includes electro-optical means for detecting indicia printed on a document.

Claim 6

The system of claim 2 in which said detecting and deenergizing means includes a light source arranged to direct light at such a document, a light-actuated semiconductor device and optical means for projecting the light reflected from such a document toward said semiconductor device.

Claim 7

The system of claim 5 in which said first switch means includes a first relay and means cooperatively associated with said actuating means and effective to operate said first relay, and including a second relay operatively connected to and operated by said semiconductor device, said first and second relays being connected in series, whereby, when said first switch means is actuated by one of said actuating means and said detecting means simultaneously detects the presence of a line of data corresponding to said one actuating means, said first and second relays will be operated to deenergize said drive means.

Claim 8

The system of claim 6 including a third relay effective, when deenergized, to maintain said drive means energized, said third relay being connected to the series circuit of said first and second relays, whereby, when said first and second relays are simultaneously operated, said third relay is energized to deenergize said drive means.

Claim 9

The system of claim 1 in which said drive means is arranged to move such a document longitudinally past said scanning head.

Claim 10

The system of claim 1 in which said drive means is arranged to move such a document longitudinally past said scanning head, and in which said control means includes means for finding a transversely extending line of data to be scanned, said finding means including means for detecting the presence of a line of data on such a document and deenergizing said drive means to stop relative movement between said scanning head and such a document, whereby said scanning head can scan such a line.

Claim 11

The system of claim 9 in which said detecting and deenergizing means is disposed in series with said first switch means, whereby, when said first switch means is actuated by one of said actuating means and said detecting means simultaneously detects the presence of a line of data corresponding to said one actuating means, said drive means will be deenergized.

Claim 12

The system of claim 1 in which said drive means is arranged to move such a document longitudinally past said scanning head, said drive means including a carriage arranged for longitudinal reciprocation relative to said scanning head, and clamp means carried on said carriage and arranged to clamp such a document for movement therewith.

Claim 13

The system of claim 11 in which said clamp means includes a clamp member mounted on said carriage for movement between a document engaging position and a document releasing position, spring means for yieldably urging said clamp member to its document engaging position, latch means for holding said clamp member in its document releasing position in opposition to said spring means, said latch means being supported by said carriagE, means for cocking said latch means, said cocking means being disposed adjacent one end of the travel of said carriage, and means for releasing said latch means, said releasing means being disposed adjacent the opposite end of the travel of said carriage.

Claim 14

The system of claim 12 in which said cocking means includes an abutment disposed in the path of movement of said latch means and arranged to cock said latch means when said carriage reaches said one end of its travel.

Claim 15

The system of claim 12 in which said releasing means includes a solenoid effective, when energized, to release said latch means.

Claim 16

The system of claim 13 in which said releasing means includes a solenoid arranged, when energized, to release said latch means.

Claim 17

The system of claim 11 in which said clamp means includes a clamp member mounted on said carriage for pivotal movement between a document engaging position and a document releasing position, a pinion gear rigidly connected to said clamp member and journaled on the pivot axis thereof, a spur gear journaled on said carriage and meshed with said pinion gear, spring means for yieldably urging said spur gear in one direction about its axis to hold said clamp member in its document engaging position, latch means for holding said spur gear in opposition to said spring means, thereby to hold said clamp member in its document releasing position, means for cocking said latch means to hold said clamp member in its document releasing position, said cocking means being disposed on one side of the transverse path of movement of said scanning head, and means for releasing said latch means so that said clamp member can be moved to its document engaging position, said releasing means being disposed on the opposite side of said transverse path.

Claim 18

The system of claim 16 in which said cocking means includes an abutment disposed in the path of movement of said latch means and arranged to cock said latch means when said carriage reaches one end of its travel and in which said releasing means includes a solenoid-operated device effective, when energized, to release said latch means.

Claim 19

The system of claim 17 including means for detecting the presence of a document and energizing said solenoid-operated device when such a document is in a position to be engaged by said clamping means.

Claim 20

The system of claim 18 in which said detecting and energizing means includes a light-actuated semiconductor device operatively connected to said solenoid-operated device, a light source arranged to project light at said semiconductor device, said light source and said semiconductor device being positioned so that, when such a document is in a position to be engaged by said clamp, the document is effective to block the light projected at the semiconductor device, thereby to establish a circuit condition effective to energize said solenoid-operated device.

Claim 21

The system of claim 19 including a solenoid-operated stop arranged to position such a document to be engaged by said clamping means, said solenoid-operated stop being movable, when energized, to a position out of the path of movement of such a document, said semiconductor device being operatively connected to and effective to energize said solenoid-operated stop.

Claim 22

The system of claim 12 including a frictional drive roller for engaging and moving such a document longitudinally past said scanning head, said drive roller being drivingly connected to said drive means and positioned and arranged to continue to move such a document longitudinally after said clamp member is moved to its document releasing position and said carriage is returned toward said other end of its travel.

Claim 23

The system of claim 1 including a support member extending in the direction of relative movement between said scanning head and such a document, each of said switch actuating means being a pin carried by said support member.

Claim 24

The system of claim 22 in which said first switch means includes a frame, a light-actuatEd semiconductor device and a light source arranged to direct light at said semiconductor device, said light source and said semiconductor device being mounted on said frame, said frame being arranged for movement along and relative to said support member with said light source on one side of said pins and said semiconductor device on the opposite side of said pins, each pin being proportioned and designed, when said semiconductor device is adjacent thereto, to block the light directed thereat by said light source.

Claim 25

The system of claim 23 in which each of said pins is selectively movable between an operative position effective, when said semiconductor device is adjacent thereto, to block the light directed thereat by said light source, and an inoperative position which is not effective to block the light directed at the semiconductor device.

Claim 26

The system of claim 24 including a pushbutton associated with each of said pins and linkage means arranged to connect each of said pins to its associated pushbutton and to move said pin transversely to the direction of relative movement between said scanning head and such a document.

Claim 27

The system of claim 23 in which said support member is a bar and in which each of said pins is selectively slidably movable in said bar between an operative position effective, when said semiconductor device is adjacent thereto, to block the light directed thereat by said light source, and an inoperative position which is not effective to block the light directed at the semiconductor device.

Claim 28

The system of claim 25 including a housing for said system, said housing having an aperture associated with each of said pins, a visual indicating means operatively connected to each of said pins to indicate the position thereof, each of said last-mentioned means being adjacent one of said apertures.

Claim 29

The system of claim 27 in which each of said visual indicating means comprises a movable member having a first position corresponding to the operative position of its associated pin and a second position corresponding to the inoperative position of its associated pin, each of said movable members having its first and second portions alternatively visible through the adjacent aperture.

Claim 30

The system of claim 25 including manually operated means for moving said pins to their respective inoperative positions, said manually operated means being operatively connected to said linkage means.

Claim 31

The system of claim 1 including transversely extending guide means for said scanning head, energy storage means for urging said scanning head toward its starting position and along said guide means, means for moving said scanning head along said guide means and in opposition to said energy storage means, said moving means comprising a pair of spaced apart support means, an endless, flexible means trained about said support means, at least one of said support means being rotatable and drivingly connected to said flexible means, said support means being positioned to support one run of said flexible means for movement in a direction substantially along said guide means, a pusher carried by said flexible means, a hook member arranged to extend into the path of said pusher defined by said one run, means for mounting said hook member on said scanning head, whereby, when said hook member is engaged by said pusher, said scanning head will be moved away from its starting position and along said guide means, said hook member being proportioned and designed so that, when said pusher starts to move about said support means at the end of said one run remote from the starting position of said scanning head, said hook member will disengage the pusher so that said scanning head will be returned to its starting position.

Claim 32

The system of claim 30 in which said mounting means is arranged so that said hook member is movable on said scanning head between a first position in the path of said pusher and a second position out of the path of said pusher, said hook membeR being biased toward its second position, and means, adjacent the starting position of said scanning head, for moving said hook member from its second position to its first position.

Claim 33

The system of claim 31 including a solenoid cooperatively connected to said hook member and arranged, when energized, to move said hook member from its first position to its second position, thereby to disengage said pusher.

Claim 34

The system of claim 32 including code reading and detecting means carried by said scanning head and operatively connected to said solenoid, said reading and detecting means being effective to energize said solenoid upon detecting a coded indicia printed on such a document and representing the end of a line of data to be read.

Claim 35

The system of claim 33 including means for inhibiting said code reading and detecting means when said solenoid is energized and said scanning head is being returned to its starting position.

Claim 36

The system of claim 1 in which said scanning head comprises a frame, a light source carried by said frame and arranged to project light at such a document, a light-actuated semiconductor device carried by said frame, and optical means carried by said frame and arranged to project the light reflected from such a document toward said semiconductor device.

Claim 37

The system of claim 35 in which the axis of said light source is disposed at an angle of approximately 45* to such a document and the optical axis of said optical means is disposed substantially perpendicularly to such a document.

Claim 38

The system of claim 35 in which the axes of said light source and said optical means lie in a transverse plane which is perpendicular to such a document and which includes the transverse path of movement of said scanning head.

Claim 39

The system of claim 37 in which said optical means includes a diaphragm having a slit elongated in a direction substantially perpendicular to the transverse path of movement of said scanning head, said slit being effective to concentrate reflected light on a particular portion of said semiconductor device.

Claim 40

The system of claim 38 in which said control means includes means for finding a transversely extending line of data to be scanned, said finding means including means for detecting the presence of a line of data on such a document and deenergizing said drive means to stop relative movement between said scanning head and such a document, whereby said scanning head can scan such a line, said detecting and deenergizing means including a second light source carried by said frame and arranged to project light at such a document, a second light-actuated semiconductor device carried by said frame and second optical means carried by said frame and arranged to direct light reflected from such a document toward said second semiconductor device.

Claim 41

The system of claim 39 in which the axis of said second light source is disposed substantially perpendicularly to the axis of the first-mentioned light source, the axis of said second optical means is disposed substantially perpendicularly to such a document, said first-mentioned semiconductor device, said second semiconductor device, said first-mentioned light source and said second light source being disposed on the same side of such a document, and all of said axes lie in said transverse plane.

Claim 42

The system of claim 40 in which said second optical means includes a diaphragm having a slit elongated in a direction substantially parallel to the transverse path of movement of said scanning head, this last-mentioned slit being effective to concentrate reflected light on a particular portion of said semiconductor device.

Claim 43

The system of claim 39 in which the axis of said second light source is disposed substantially perpendicularly to the axis of the first-mentioned light source, the axis of said second optical means is disposed substantially perpendicularly to such a document, said first-mentioned semiconductor device, said second semiconductor devIce, said first-mentioned light source and said second light source being disposed on the same side of such a document, and all of said axes lie in said transverse plane.

Claim 44

The system of claim 42 in which said second optical means includes a diaphragm having a slit elongated in a direction substantially parallel to the transverse path of movement of said scanning head, this last-mentioned slit being effective to concentrate reflected light on a particular portion of said second semiconductor device.

Claim 47

The system of claim 44 in which said drive means is arranged to move such a document longitudinally past said scanning head, said drive means including a carriage arranged for longitudinal reciprocation relative to said scanning head, and clamp means carried on said carriage and arranged to clamp such a document for movement therewith.

Claim 48

The system of claim 44 including transversely extending guide means for said scanning head, energy storage means for urging said scanning head toward its starting position and along said guide means, means for moving said scanning head along said guide means and in opposition to said energy storage means, said moving means comprising a pair of spaced apart support means, an endless, flexible means trained about said support means, at least one of said support means being rotatable and drivingly connected to said flexible means, said support means being positioned to support one run of said flexible means for movement in a direction substantially along said guide means, a pusher carried by said flexible means, a hook member arranged to extend into the path of said pusher defined by said one run, means for mounting said hook member on said scanning head, whereby, when said hook member is engaged by said pusher, said scanning head will be moved away from its starting position and along said guide means, said hook member being proportioned and designed so that, when said pusher starts to move about said support means at the end of said one run remote from the starting position of said scanning head, said hook member will disengage the pusher so that said scanning head will be returned to its starting position.

Claim 49

The system of claim 44 in which the axes of said light source and said optical means lie in a transverse plane which is perpendicular to such a document and which includes the transverse path of movement of said scanning head, the axis of said light source being inclined relative to the axis of said optical means within said transverse plane.

Claim 50

The system of claim 44 in which said drive means includes an electrically operated motor and means for engaging such a document, said engaging means being drivingly connected to said motor and arranged to move such a document longitudinally past said scanning head, and in which said control means includes circuit means for operatively connecting said semiconductor device to said drive means.

Claim 51

The system of claim 48 includinG second drive means for transversely reciprocating said scanning head relative to such a document and along and above lines of data thereon, said control means including additional circuit means for operating said second drive means, said additional circuit means being cooperatively associated with said first-mentioned circuit means and effective, when said first-mentioned circuit means stops such relative longitudinal movement, to start said second drive means to move said scanning head along and above a corresponding line of data.

Claim 54

The system of claim 50 in which the axis of said light source is disposed at an angle of approximately 45* to such a document and the optical axis of said optical means is disposed substantially perpendicularly to such a document.

Claim 55

The system of claim 51 in which the axes of said light source and said optical means lie in a transverse plane which is perpendicular to such a document and which includes the transverse path of movement of said scanning head.

Claim 56

The system of claim 52 in which said optical means includes a diaphragm having a slit elongated in a direction substantially perpendicular to the transverse path of movement of said scanning head, said slit being effective to concentrate reflected light on a particular portion of said semiconductor device.

Claim 57

The system of claim 52 including drive means for providing relative longitudinal movement between said scanning head and such a document, and control means for said drive means, said control means including means for finding a transversely extending line of data to be scanned, said finding means including means for detecting the presence of a line of data on such a document and deenergizing said drive means to stop relative movement between said scanning head and such a document, whereby said scanning head can scan such a line, said detecting and deenergizing means including a second light source carried by said frame and arranged to project light at such a document, a second light-actuated semiconductor device carried by said frame and second optical means carried by said frame and arranged to direct light reflected from such a document toward said second semiconductor device.

Claim 58

The system of claim 50 including drive means for providing relative longitudinal movement between said scanning head and such a document, and control means for said drive means, said control means including means for finding a transversely extending line of data to be scanned, said finding means including means for detecting the presence of a line of data on such a document and deenergizing said drive means to stop relative movement between said scanning head and such a document, whereby said scanning head can scan such a line, said detecting and deenergizing means including a second light source carried by said frame and arranged to project light at such a document, a second light-actuated semiconductor device carried by said frame and second optical means carried by said frame and arranged to direct light reflected from such a document towArd said semiconductor device.

Claim 59

The system of claim 55 in which said drive means includes a servomotor, and in which said control means includes a servoamplifier, the input of which is operatively connected to the output of said second semiconductor device, whereby said drive means is effective continually to position such a document so that a line of data on the document is always directly under the scanning head irrespective of any skew of the line.

Claim 60

The system of claim 55 in which said means for moving said scanning head includes second drive means for transversely reciprocating said scanning head, in which said control means includes circuit means for operatively connecting said second semiconductor device to said first-mentioned drive means and additional circuit means for controlling said second drive means, said additional circuit means being cooperatively associated with said first-mentioned circuit means and effective, when said first-mentioned circuit means stops such relative longitudinal movement, to start said second drive means to move said scanning head along and above a corresponding line of data on such a document.

Claim 61

The system of claim 57 in which the axis of said second light source is disposed substantially perpendicularly to the axis of the first-mentioned light source, the axis of said second optical means is disposed substantially perpendicularly to such a document, said first-mentioned semiconductor device, said second semiconductor device, said first-mentioned light source and said second light source being disposed on the same side of such a document, and all of said axes lie in said transverse plane.

Claim 62

The system of claim 50 in which said circuit means includes means for registering a predetermined code representing the end of a line of data to be scanned and providing a predetermined output effective, when coupled to said moving means for said scanning head, to cause said scanning head to be returned to its initial starting position.