1. An optical character reader comprising: memory means for storing a character pattern in addressable parallel segments, all of said segments extending in a common linear direction; means for retrieving character pattern information from said addressable parallel segments; classification means responsive to said means for retrieving for comparing character pattern information in retrieved adjacent segments two at a time and classifying the combined character pattern information of each two retrieved adjacent segments into a predetermined number of groups of predefined shapes without regard to specific address information within each of said segments; and identification means for comparing the combinations of groups of predefined shapes of the respective adjacent segments with reference information to identify the character patterns, said reference information including predetermined combinations of said groups of predefined shapes for each character to be identified.