AUTOMATIC EMBOSSING SYSTEM

摘要

Automatic card embossing apparatus includes a rotatable embossing wheel carrying about its periphery punch and die pairs for all characters available for embossing. Each character position of the wheel defines an address and the wheel is controlled for rotation to a desired address for embossing the character there located. Data identifying all embossable characters is processed to derive three control numbers for each character, the first control number identifying the corresponding wheel address for the corresponding punch and die pair, the second number identifying the horizontal position on the card where the character is to be embossed, and the third control number identifying the line number on the card. The data is sorted into ascending order of wheel addresses. In operation, a card is transported to a reference position relative to the embossing wheel and the embossing wheel is rotated to the address of the first control number. The distance to move the card based on the second and third control numbers is computed and the card is transported to each successive position for that first character to be embossed. The embossing wheel then is rotated to the next address in accordance with the next first control number and the embossing card transport functions performed. Following embossing the card is returned to its reference position, then to an output stacker where it is deflected into "accept" or "reject" portions as a function of error checks performed during data processing and embossing.