Optical scanning apparatus for automatic character sensing devices and the like

Claim 1

SCANNING APPARATUS FOR USE WITH AN AUTOMATIC CHARACTER SENSING DEVICE AND THE LIKE FOR SCANNING AN ELONGATED SCANNING ZONE SPANNING A LINE OF CHARACTERS ON A CHARACTER-BEARING DOCUMENT PASSING THROUGH A READING STATION COMPRISING CHARACTER READING SCAN MEANS INCLUDING OPTICAL MEANS FOR DIRECTING AN IMAGE OF A SMALL OBJECT ZONE ON THE DOCUMENT WITHIN THE SCANNING ZONE ALONG A SELECTED OPTICAL PATH, AND A SWEEP MEMBER FOR SCANNING THE LENGTH OF SAID SCANNING ZONE TO SHIFT THE SMALL OBJECT ZONE IMAGED ALONG SAID OPTICAL PATH PROGRESSIVELY BETWEEN OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE SCANNING ZONE, AND MEANS FOR ILLUMINATING THE SMALL OBJECT ZONES BEING IMAGED ALONG SAID OPTICAL PATH IN SYNCHRONISM WITH SCANNING OF SID SWEEP MEMBER COMPRISING A PROJECTION LIGHT SOURCE FOR PRODUCING A HIGH INTENSITY LIGHT BEAM OF SMALL CROSS-SECTION CORRESPONDING SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE SIZE OF SAID SMALL OBJECT ZONE, A SWEEP MIRROR SUPPORTED FOR ROTATION ABOUT A STATIONARY PIVOT AXIS, AND MEANS CONNECTING SAID SWEEP MIRROR TO SAID SWEEP MEMBER FOR OSCILLATING SAID SWEEP MIRROR IN ANGULAR COORDINATION WITH SCANNING OF SAID SWEEP MEMBER OVER SAID SCANNING ZONE TO CONTINUOUSLY DIRECT THE BEAM OF LIGHT FROM SAID PROJECTION LIGHT SOURCE ONTO THE SMALL OBJECT ZONE OF THE DOCUMENT WITHIN THE SCANNING ZONE BEING IMAGED BY SAID OPTICAL MEANS ALONG SAID OPTICAL PATH.