* GB786024 (A)

Description: GB786024 (A) ? 1957-11-13

Improvements relating to means for the printing of characters

Description of GB786024 (A)

PATENT SPECIFICATION 786024 Date of Application and filing Complete Specification: June 23, 1950. No 37203/54. Application made in Germany on Oct 1, 1948. (Divided out of No 786,021). Complete Specification Published: Nov 13, 1957. Index at acceptance:-Class 100 ( 4), C( 20 A: 27 L). International Classification:-B 41 j. JCOMMPLETE SPEMIFICATION Improvements' relating to means for the Printing of Characters I, GERIAR DI Ris, of Moerfelder Landstrasse 44, Frankfurt on Main, Germany, of German Nationality, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: - This invention relates to a means for the printing of characters on paper or the like. Such characters may be numerals or the letters of an alphabet or mathematical signs, command signals for a computer or other characters The invention may be used amongst other purposes in connection with calculating machines, book-keeping machines, and the like for the printing or other indication of a result. In particular the invention may be utilised in or with an electronic digital computer of the kind set forth in my earlier Patent Application No 15773/50 filed June 1950 (Serial No. 7186,0211). It is an object of the invention to provide a printing means of extremely simple form, which has a very few pants which can operate at relatively high speeds and which, without any alteration of form can be made to print characters of ailmost any kind whatsoever.

The invention comprises a printing body having,a plurality of printing faces or elements in fixed relationship with each other and each adapted to print a part only of a character and means whereby a relative movement between such body land the material @ be printed upon causes the successive faces or elements to be brought serially into side-iby-side printing positions within the same letter space or column, so as selectively to complete the character With such printing faces spaced longitudinally and transversely on said body they are brought into the said side-by-side positions successively by a longitudinal movement of the printing 'body. There will be means for effecting a to-andfro movement between said body and a receiving element such as a paper sheet, or the like to bring the said faces into the side-by-side effective positions The said faces will be spaced from each other in one direction at intervals substantially equal to the normal height of the characters to be formed, and will also 'be spaced from each other in a direction' across said first direction so that their collective width is equal to the 'width of the character (preferably without overlapping). There will also be means for bringing the printing body and 'the receiving element into mutual contact at selected times and for selected periods under the control of commands such as for example signals in a magnetisable or other record means For printing purposes the said localities will usually be raised parts on the printing element, adapted for example to press a printing ribbon against a paper or like sheet, as in a typewriting machine. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which: Fig 1 is a perspective view of one form of printing element; Fig 2 is a diagram showing the use of said form of printing element for printing on a paper passing over a roller, e g in a bookkeeping machine; and Fig, 3 is a diagram (to a larger scale) of one type of character which can be printed by the printing element shown in Fig 1, to illustrate how composite characters 'can' be built up. Many other characters of this kind may be seen in Figs 7 a and 7 b of my co-pending Patent Application No 3 q 7222/54 (Serial No. 786,041). As shown in the drawing, the printing element comprises a body 1, attached to an operating member 2 In the example illustrated parts 1 and 2 comprise one end of a lever capable of a to-and-fro and a pivotal movement In other constructions other forms of the device may be used, as is explained below. The body 1 is provided on one surface (the top surface in Fig 1)' with a number of upstanding printing faces or elements in the form of nipples or dots 3 These nipples which may 'be round as in Fig 1, or rectangular as in Fig 4, are spaced from each other lengthwise of the

body 1 ' at equal distances equal to the height of the majority of the characters to be printed, e g the height of the character " 6 " shown in Fig 3 There are seven dots 3 shown, so that the total distance between the first and the last is six times the height of the character to be printed Also, the dots 3 are equally spaced across the width of the printing element 1 and, without substantial overlapping, together make up the full width of the character Each printing face 3 will print only a part of a character and they all print within the same letter space or column so as selectively to complete the character. In the arrangement shown in Fig 2, the body 1 is moved to and fro in the horizontal direction, as shown by the arrow 4, this movement being a constant regular movement originated by any suitable means (not shown). Also, there will be means (not shown) f 6 r moving the body 1 up and down in the direction of the arrow 5, under the control of command signals, e g signals in a magnetisable record, or other means determining what character is to be printed. Below the body part I is the roller 6, mounted on a fixed axis, around which roller passes the paper sheet 7 on which the printing is to be effected, and between the paper sheet 7 and the body part 1 of the printing element is a printing ribbon 8 similar to the ribbon of a typewriting machine Whilst in the construction showin the roller 6 is on a fixed axis and the body part 1 moves towards and away from the roller, the reverse arrangement could be used if desired, namely with the body part 1 reciprocating on, a fixed horizontal axis and the roller 6 movable up and down towards and away from the body part 1 Or both roller and printing element may have a movement, the essential feature being that there is a sufficient relative movement between the parts 1 and 6 to effect a printing by means of the ribbon 8 at the times and for the periods desired. Considering now the character " 6 " shown in Fig 3, this rwlll be seen to be made up of marks in J vertical rows, the marks in each of these seven rows being made by the respective printing dots 3 on the body part 1 For example in the first stage of the forward movement of the body part 1 such part 1 would be moved towards the roller just after the beginning of its movement and would remain in such position whilst moving forwardly until just before the end of its movement, so that the first dot 3 would effect the elongated mark comprising the left hand portion 9 of the character " 6 " in Fig 3 In the next stage of the forward movement of the body part 1, the second dot 3 would be moved towards the paper three times, firstly at the beginning of the movement to form a part of the bottom row 10 of the character " 6," then at the middle of its movement to form a part of the middle row 11

of tat character and lastly at the end of its movement to form a part of the top portion 12 of the character This would be repeated with the third, fourth, fifth and sixth printing dots 3 on the body part 1 during the successive stages of forward movement For 70 the last stage of the forward movement of the body part 1 the seventh dot 3 would remain in contact with the paper only at the time necessary to print the right hand part 13 of the character " 6 " 75 In other forms of the invention the printing device is adapted for multi-denominational or multi-column printing say for printing the various digits of a number or the various letters forming a word In such a case 80 there would be a number of the side-by-side levers 1-2 shown in Fig 1, one for each denomination and with independent movement towards and away from the paper By this means the digits of a number and/or the letters 85 of a word, and other characters could be printed simultaneously whatever the shapes of the various characters might be. The means for effecting the relative movement between the printing element and the 90 paper to effect a marking on the paper may be operated for example from a magnetic record means having signals thereon representing the characters to be printed This allows of a very high speed operation of the printing elements 95 A magnetic record means of this type is shown in my said co-pending Application No. 15773/50 (Serial No 786,021). The signals on the record means would be sensed by a signal head, amplified and fed to 100 a magnetic means for bringing the printing element and paper into contact, such element being held in contact with the paper during each stage of the forward movement for a length of time determined by the nature of the 105 signal on the record means at that instant. Other methods of effecting and controlling the movement of the printing element and/or the paper could be adapted in other cases.

* Sitemap * Accessibility * Legal notice * Terms of use * Last updated: 08.04.2015 * Worldwide Database * 5.8.23.4; 93p

* GB786025 (A)

Description: GB786025 (A) ? 1957-11-13

Improvements in data-entry means for electro-mechanically controlled officemachines

Description of GB786025 (A)

PATENT SPECIFICATION 7863025 Date of Application and filing Complete Specification: June 23, 1950. No 37204/54. Application made in Germany on Oct 1, 1948. (Divided out of No 786,021). Complete Specification Published: Nov 13, 1957. Index at acceptance:-Class 106 ( 1), C( 1 D: 2 G: 4 A; 5), M( 2 B; 6 B: 20). International Classification:-GO 6 f, k. COMPILETE SPECIFICATION Improvements in Data-Entry Means for Electro-Mechanically Controlled Office Machines I, GERH Aw D DIR Ks, of Moerfelder Landstrasse 44, Frankfurt on Main, Germany, of German Nationality, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statenient: This invention relates to an office machine controlled by punched cards', punched tapes or carriers of other input elements which can be sensed either by electric contacts or by optical sensing means. The invention may be used inter alia with the electronic digital computer set forth in my copending application No 15773/50 filed 23rd June, 1950 (Serial No 786,021). In the control of officez machines by punched cards, which is typical of all the above known devices, a series of brushes is provided, operating in parallel, which effect the electric control of parallelly operating relays, magnet coils, or the like For electronic computers which are controlled by punched cards or the like, similar arrangements are provided in which, instead of electro-mechanical relays or the like, electronic relays operate This method however, as hitherto known, requires for instance a multitude of electronic relays as staticisers or storages. Usually the signals contained in the vertical columns of punched cards or the like, must be re-arranged, so far as the side-by-side sequence

of columns is concerned, before the said signals can operate within the control means of the operating parts of the office machine according to the various tasks or programmes which have to be effected by a' tabulator or the like The signals arising from the' vertical columns of a punched card must be altered as to the position of such column, on their transfer from the punched card sensing means to, the operating means of the office machine. Senscd signals therefore have hitherto required to be stored in electronic tubes or electronic relays or in other relays, before they fill could be introduced into electronic computing means or other electronically operating means controlled by the punched cards or by comparable methods In the usual types of punched card controlled machines or the like, therefore a great number of such relays (magnetic and/or electronic) is required. This invention refers in particular to the control of machines in which the recorded signals have a movement relatively to transfer means, for example with the use of magnetic storage means a movement of such storage means relatively to' signal heads; or, with cathode-ray screens as storages, a movement of the cathode-ray relatively to the screen. In order to solve the problem of re-arranging the signals in certain vertical columns of punched cards into other vertical columns, and correspondingly to re-arrange signal positions on signal carriers of magnetic or electronic computers for instance, electronic relays have hitherto been required into, which the sensed signals are stored and from whence these stored signals have been transferred in a second operation to the succeeding operating means, their sequence being altered during such transference, usually by manually variable switching ways. This invention, in contrast to the described known ways, allows a direct control of the electronic means of the computer or the like in the desired sequence without any such intermediate storing between the sensing of the punched cards or the equivalent means and the operating means of the machine itself. The invention provides a system for transferring signals from a record means in which they are recorded in parallel columns, to a second, cyclically-operated record means in which they are required to be recorded in groups of storage areas arranged (one group to a column) in serial order of columns, characterised in that the columns are sensed concurrently, in a series of stages, one record area of each column being sensed at each stage, that at each stage the second record means goes through a cycle of operation in which are recorded upon it signals corresponding to the signals present at that stage in the columns of the first record means, that the signals derived from

different columns of the first record means are fed by interconnection means to different input circuits of a cyclical distributor, the relationship between the order of columns on the first record means and the arrangement of the input circuits of the distributor to which signals derived from those columns are fed being determined by said interconnection means, that signal derived froml different columns at each stage are placed by the distributor in, a serial order of its input circuits, in a single output circuit, that the cyclical operation of the distributor is synchronised with that of the second record means so that a signal derived from a particular column (at whatever stage it is so derived) is fed to a particular group of storag e areas of the second record means and that means are provided whereby, within each group of storage areas of the second record means, signals derived fromn the first record means at any stage are recorded at points appropriate to that stage. In carrying the invention into effect use may be mrade of inductive distributing means the primary elements of which are controlled by the sensed signals and the secondary elements of which become effective selectively in dependence on said relative moverment. One convenient form, of apparatus according to the invention comprises punched card sensing means, a cross-switching board or Panel with selizctable switching ways, and an inductive distributor having relative movenment betve-en pairs ef prinmary and secondarv coils and a distributor armature, the said primary coils being connected to the said selectable switching ways ard the secondary c'ils being connected to comnrutirn means for example according to my said co-pending Apnlication No 15773/50. This invention orerates in such a way, that by meaans of a sensing of the punched card or the like, voltages or currents are obtained which are sensed by means operating in synchronism with a relative movement between the signals being sensed and means for feeding the signals to a comnputor or the like Such sensing may for exairrpl be effected by inductive meians Hereby, changeable switchirgs can be provided by which the sequence of the sensed markings in the punched card or other malrk-carrier, for instance punchingss within the vertical columns of the punched cards. may be altered into a sequence co-ordinated to phases in a timing cycle of the relative movement between the signals and the said feeding means, for instance a sequence coordinated to the relative movement between a magnetic signal carrier and signal heads, or to the relative movement between a cathode ray and its screen or the like. In the accompanying drawing the invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically. Fig 1 shows in the first horizontal row a sequenice of markings

corresponding to the vertical columns of a punched card, and in the 70 second and third horizontal row the changed sequence within the signal carrier of a computing m-chanismr, this changing having been effected in correspondence with the diagram of Fig 2; 75 Fig 2 is a diagram illustrating a distributing switching board or panel, and distributive switching means; Fig 3 shows in side view and in crosssection, one form of contactless distributing 80 device which effect, in cooperation with the switching system, according to Fig 2, the altering of the sequence of the signals; Fig 4 shows a general diagrammatic view of the sensing means for the punched card co 85 ordinated with the recording and computing means of a magnetic signal carrier via the switching board according to Fig 2 and electronic transmission means. Fig 1 shows in the first horizontal line, in 90 a symbolic way, the sequence of vertical columns in a punched card, wherein for instance, beginning from the left, the first vertical column is marked with 1, the second vertical column with 2, the third vertical 95 column with 3 and so on Within each of these vertical columns of the punched cards would be marked in the normal way, for instance by means of holes, different digit values or symr bols for characters The second 100 horizontal line of this Figure shows the sequence in which these column centents of digit values or symbols have to be placed within a signal carrier means or in a timing schedule Thus, the signals corresponding to 105 the first vertical column of the punched cards are to be placed in the 14th phase of the sequence, say within the 14th interval in the timing schedule of the relative movement betwe en the signal carrier and signal conveying 110 means The signals corresponding to the markings of the second vertical column of the punched cards are to be placed into the 3rd phase of the sequence, say in the 3rd interval in the timing schedule of the relative move 115 ment benveen the signal carrier and the conveying means, and so on The third horizontal line of this Figure indicates the new sequence where, for example, the signals in the original third column are now in' the first columnrs, the 120 signals in the original fifteenth column are now in the second column and so on. Fig 2 shows as a diagram the cross-contact switching board 1 of known form with horizontal rows 21 and vertical rows 3 _ The 125 horizontal rows are each connected with one end of the respective primary coils 4 ' of a distributor, each such primary winding having an associated secondary winding 51 n The other ends of all these primary windings 4 1 130 786,015 diagrammatically in Fig 2. Within this diagram of Fig 2 the sensing brush 71 for the first vertical column of the punched card is connected by switch plug 181 to the coil 1414 related to' phase 14 in the 70 timing schedule of the

one hundred possible areas of the signal-carrying means This switch plug 18 ' connects the battery pole 17 via the common contacts 8 and the hole representing digit value " 12 " in the first horizontal row 75 of the punched card and the brush 7 of the the vertical row 31, to the fourteenth horizontal row 2, and thence to one end of the corresponding primary winding 414 and finally, from there to the second pole 6 of the battery 80 Within the second vertical column of the punched card there is a connection provided to the third horizontal row 2 ', so that digit values marked within the said second vertical column of the punched card would be trans, 85 ferred to the third timing phase of the second signal-carrying means As there is no' hole for digit value " 12 " within the second vertical column, of the punched card, another digit value being punched in the second vertical 90 column, there is no connection between the common contacts 8 and a plug in the plugboard 1 The third vertical column of the punched card is associated with the first timeschedule phase of the second signal-carrying 95 means, and so on. This transfer of signals from, a punched card, tape or the like comprising a first record means, to the co-ordinated area within the second signal-carrying, means, which for ex 100 ample may be a magnetic drum or the like, is achieved in such a way in this example, that the tooth 10 inductively couples one primary coil 4 after another to' the respective secondary coils 5 If the switching bioard 1 effects a 105 connection from the contact sensing of the punched card or equivalent means to' a primary coil 4, the rotating tooth'10 will, at a definite time instant, generate within the coordmnater secondary coil a signal which, by 110 way of the general out-put lines 19-20 from the secondary coils 5 can be made to open a discharge tube or the like, which tube can be closed again by the next tooth 13 to' pass the single pair of coils 14, 15 In short, the single 115 tooth 10 co-operates with 100 pairs of coils 4-5 for osening a discharge tube, and the 100 teeth 13 co-operate with the single pair of coils 14, 15 for closing the discharge tube. The discs 9 and 12 rotate at a speed such 120 that the recording areas of the second signalcarrying means are scanned once in each cycle of relative movement between the tooth 10 and the coils 4, 5 If for instance a magnetic drum or disc is used as the second signal 125 carrier, to receive the new sequence of signals, and the successive sectors of which, in the direction of rotation, represent successive columns in a sequence, and in which each such sector is made up, of areas (in the axial 130 are connected to the battery or mains pole 6. The vertical rows 3 ' of the switching board 1 are connected to the respective contact brushes 71-" of a mechanism for sensing punched cards, a card being shown in broken lines at the bottom of the Figure

preparatory to entering into the sensing means There is a contact brush 7 for each vertical column of the punched card In those vertical columns of the punched cards in which, for instance within the first horizontal row, corresponding to the digit value " 12 " of the punched card, punched holes are provided, there is a contact between the corresponding sensing brushes 71 '1 and the complementary common contacts 8 '-1 the latter usually being constructed for instance as a brass shaft, or as a silver contact. In the example of Fig 2 there are holes in the first horizontal row of the punched card in the first, fourth, fifth and ninth vertical columns, whereas in the second, third, sixth and other vertical columns there are no holes in the first horizontal row of the punched card. The common contacts 8 -" are all connected to the battery or mains pole 17. Fig 3 shows one possible form of contactless distributing means, first in a side view and then in a transverse section In the example illustrated the contactless switching means are provided as inductive means They comprise a disc 9 provided with a single tooth 10 and mounted on the shaft 11 Further, they com, prise also' the disc 12 provided with the several teeth 13 '-" Around the disc 9 a plurality of coils are arranged these comnprising the aforesaid primary coils 41-n and secondary coils 51-n connected in pairs by the twoarmed cores 16 " The open end of each yoke is passed once within each rotation of the disc 9, by the tooth 10, so that the respective pairs of coils are operating at that instant as a transformer with primary and secondary coils. Adjacent the disc 12 is a single pair of primary and secondary coils 14 and 15 which again, only at definite positions of disc 12 are connected as a transformer by the teeth 131-. The tooth 10 is distant from tooth 13 by one step; in the sequence. If the second signal carrier which is to' receive the re-arranged signals contains for instance 100 areas for the recording of signals sensed from the first carrier, in this case the punched card, one hundred pairs of primary and secondary coils 4, 5 are arranged around the disc 9 with the single tooth'10, and the distance between tooth 10 and the tooth 130 is 360 100 = 3 6 degrees If the punched cards which are to' be sensed contain only 80 vertical columns for signals, the relationship between the 80 possible columnnts for sensing and the one hundred possible recording areas of the second signal carrier is established b'y the switching board or panel 1 illustrated 2786,0,25 direction) for different digit value signals or signals for other characters, the drum or disc will rotate once during the sensing of each horizontal roaw of the punched card.

The connection of common contact 8 through brush 71 in the first vertical contact row, plug 181 and the fourteenth primary winding 414 has the effect that a signal indicating digit value " 12 "' will be generated within the recording phase of the signal-carrying means beginning at that timing instant when tooth 10 passes the core of the fourteenth primary winding 414 and ending when next a tooth 13 passes the core of the coil system 14-15 The primary coils can be energised by DC and the secondary coils then receive their signals as; a pulse. Fig 4 gives a diagrammatic survey of the operation of the whole arrangement It shows the punched card 22, which is fed by the feeding mechanism 23 below the sensing brushes 71 _n of which there may be 80 for example Each of the brushes 7 ' is connected to the cross switching board or panel 1 according to Fig 2, being connected to the respective ways 3 '-1 In dependence on the sensed holes within the first horizontal row of the punched card corresponding to the digit values to be sensed by the brushes 71 l, and in dependence on the switch plug connections 18 within the switching board 1, the input ways 19-20 of the electronic control system 24 receive digit value signals at definite timing instants, as has been explained in connection with Fig 2 for the first horizontal row 25 of the punched card 22, for digit value " 12 ". On further feeding of the punched card 22 by the feeding mechanism 23 a second rotation of the magnetic signal carrier 26 is effected during the passing of the brushes 71 ' over the second horizontal row 252 of the punched card 22 The operation is similar for all the digit values, i e for all the horizontal rows 250 _ 2512 of the punched card 22. The shaft 27, which carries the drum, 26, is driven by motor 28 and carries also the toothed wheel 29 which meshes with gear wheel 30 (on shaft 31) with a speed reduction ratio 1: 12 The shaft 27 also carries the discs 9 and 12 described with reference to Fig 3. On the shaft 31 is fixed the contact distributor 32-34 with a common contact wiped continuously by the contact blade 32, and the distributing contact 33 wiped successively by the switching contact blades 34-12, in twelve successive phases of one rotation of shaft 31, for thea twelve successive sensings of the punched card during one rotation of that shaft The switching contact 3412 is switched on during the sensing period of horizontal row 2512 of punched card 22, switching contact 3411 is switched on during the sensing period of horizontal row 25 of punched card 22, switching contact 340 is switched on during the sensing period of horizontal row 25 of punched card 22 and so on The synchronism between the movement of the punched card 22 and the effectiveness of the switching contacts 34 " 12 is achieved by the cain groove 36 of cam 35, whereby the cam 70 moves the feeding mechanism, 23 in such a way, that by the synchronised

switching contacts 340-12 different switching ways can be co-ordinated to the respective horizontal rows 12 of the punched card 22 75 Fig 4 shows tho complete arrangement of a punched card sensing mechanism 71 ' via switching board 1, electronic computing means 24, operating together with signal heads 37 arranged digitwise in such a way, 80 that the signal carrier 26 for instance represents within its one hundred sectors a 100denomination calculator, corresponding for instance to the general construction of the calculator described in my co-pending Appli 85 cation for Patent No 15773/50 (Serial No. 786,021) In this case the signal-carrying m-eans 26, for instance a magnetic signal carrier, must be contemplated as divided up into one hundred, successive areas each includ 90 ing at least ten digit value localities for digit value signals 0-9 respectively The electronic computor 24 is enabled to operate as a serial adder, operating together with signal heads 37 -' and 38 During the sensing of 95 the horizontal row 251 of the punched card 22 by the brushes 71-', i e during the corresponding cycle of the relative movement betwleen signals and conveying means (one rotation of the magnetic disc 26 against signal 100 heads 37, 38) the computing task for an adding process is the following:Within all those areas of the signal carrier which are co-ordinated via switching board 1 to those brushes 71-', under which there is 105 a hole, the digit value " 1 " is to be added, whereas in all the other areas the recorded digit value is to remain unaltered One hundred different areas of the magnetic signal carrier must in this case be regarded as equi 110 valent to the one hundred accumulator wheels of for instance -a tabulator, each being coordinated via the switching board to a certain vertical column. During the sensing period of the horizontal 115 row 252 of punched card 22, during the corresponding rotation of the magnetic drum, the computing task is changed only in regard to the constant which is to be added Instead of digit value " 1 ", digit value " 2 " is to be 120 added in the areas of signal carrier 26 correspcnding to all those vertical columns of the punched card, in which there is a hole, whereas all the other digit values recorded in the other areas of the signal carrier 26 are to re 125 main unaltered During the sensing of the horizontal row 253 of the punched card 22, the digit value " 3 " is to be added in those areas of the signal carrier 26 which correspond to the vzrtical columns of the punched 130 4 w 786,025 786,025 cards in which there is a hole, and so on. During this operation the sensing head 38 is sensing the previously recorded signals of the different areas, of signal carrier 26 and is generating the required signals; within the serial adder 24, which again is giving to the recording head the result sumi of the sensed digit value from the magnetic -carrier plus the constant digit value

corresponding to the sensed horizontal row of the punched cards. In a similar manner all those combinations of signal carrier and computors can be used which are described in more detail in my abovementioned Patent Application No. 15773/50 filed 23rd June, 1950 (Serial No 786,021). In this co-pending application there are also described other examples of the conversion of information from parallel to serial form, such as the entry of data set up on a multi-denomination, keyboard onto a magnetic drum or disc in serial form This application and other associated co-pending applications also describe various ways in which the signals may be recorded on the drum and in which they may be recorded in desired locations.

* Sitemap * Accessibility * Legal notice * Terms of use * Last updated: 08.04.2015 * Worldwide Database * 5.8.23.4; 93p

* GB786026 (A)

Description: GB786026 (A) ? 1957-11-13

Improvements in means for the visual indication of numbers and otherinformation

Description of GB786026 (A)

PATENT SPECIFICATION 786,026 Date of Application and filing Complete Specification: June 23, 1950. No 37205154. Application made in Germany on Oct 1, 1948. (Divided out of No 786,021). Complete Specification Published: Nov 13, 1957. Index at acceptance:-Classes 97 ( 1), J 3; and 106 ( 1), C( 1 D: 2 G: 4 A: 6).

International Classification:-GO 2 d G 06 f. COMPLETE SPI El OIFI'CAT Ii ON Improvements in means for the Visual Indication of Numbers and other Information I, GERHARD 'DIRKS, of Moerfelder Landstrasse 44, Frankfurt on Main, Germany, of German Nationality, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: - This invention relates to the visual indication of numbers and other information and has especial though not exclusive reference to fthe visual indication of information contained in a storage means for example a magnetic record means. The invention will find use inter alia for making visible the result of a computation in an electronic digital computer, such as the computer set forth in my co-pending Application for Patent No 15773/50 filed 23rd June 1950, (Serial No 786,021) with a priority date from 1st October, 1948 Another use of the invention will be in making visible the amount recorded on operation of a cash register or like machine Still other uses will be found for the invention. 'The invention relies for its usefulness on the persistence of human vision whereby what is actually a rapidly intermittent indication is seen by the eye las a continuous indication. According to the invention, there is provided in combination, a magnetisable record means for signals and means for the cyclic sensing of such record, successive areas of the record in the direction of sensing corresponding to successive columns or denominations for characters, a series of sets of optically-reproducible characters on a carrier, one set for each denomination, means for moving said carrier synchronously with said cyclic sensing so as to bring said sets of characters past a viewing position, flash tube illuminating means for reproducing characters in all said sets whilst they are at the viewing position and switching means for said illuminating means, controlled by said sensing means, whereby in each column or denomination only that character is reproduced which corresponds to signals sensed in the respective area of the record means. In some forms of the invention, the several characters are optically-reproducible on a rotatable disc, those for the successive denominations being in successive sectors of the disc, offset from each other radially, so as to pass behind a radially-disposed viewing aperture in the respective denominational positions. In some other forms of the invention' the characters are arranged in rows on a rotatable cylinder and are adpated to be illuminated selectively as they pass behind a viewing aperture. In all cases the carrier with ithe opticallyreproducible signals for

characters may be associated with a magnetic record means moving in synchronism with it, the illumination of the various characters being controlled selectively by the sensing of signals on the record means. The optically-sensitive member may carry two sets of characters, one for true and one for complementary digit values, and the sensing means may include switching means for making either of said sets of values operative according as to whether digit value signals sensed are positive or negative. The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, wherein: Fig 1 shows a part of an optically sensitive disc and a wiring diagram for the flashing of signals on to said disc; Fig 2 shows a magnetic and optical stroboscopic disc provided with rows of characters for true and complementary digit values; Fig 3 shows in perspective one mode of obtaining an enlarged representation of the stroboscopically indicated characters; and Fig 4 shows one means for the parallel operating of stroboscopic indicating means in which the various denominations are indicated simultaneously and not successively. Referring to Fig 1, there is la portion of a stroboscopic indicating disc 1, which is rotatable in the direction of the arrow 2 around axis 3 The disc 1 may be of any suitable diameter according to the maximum number of denominations which are to be handled. The disc is provided with optical sensitive rows 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, which are arranged as concentric rings, each of these rings containing in a certain sector the digit value characters 0-9 as optically reproducible characters These concentric rings are arranged in such a way, that the digits 0-9 in the innermost ring are situated in one sector, in the next outer ring they are in the next sector, in the third ring they are in the third sector and so on to the outermost ring. Combined with this rotatable disc is a flash tube 12 behind a slot 13 in a mask or blind 14, the width of which slot is only slightly greater than the height of the digit value characters In the example shown in Fig 1, the digit " 2 " is visible in the slot 13 of the mask 14 in the optically-sensitive ring 6, representing the penultimate denomination of the number " 028 " The said slot 13 in combination with the flash tube 12 has the task of indicating in a stroboscopic way the side-by-side digits of the different denominations of numbers Various means may be employed for actuating the stroboscopic devices from a computor, e g. from a storage or record means, it being necessary to transform signals sensed from such a record means before they can be passed to the indicating means. In Fig 1 there is shown a track az of a magnetizable record means,

such as is explained in detail in my co-pending application for Patent number 157,73/50 filed on the 23rd June 1950, (Serial No 786,021). This track a carries magnetic signals having the meaning of " 028," that is in the first ten fields of sector I a magnetic signal is contained in, field 8 and, in the first ten fields the sector II a signal is contained in field 2. The disc-like optical record means also contains in each of the concentric rings 4-11 the optical characters of the figures 0-9 They are arranged in such a way, that the fields in track a containing the magnetic signals correspond in position to the fields containing the corresponding optical characters of the figures 0-9 If the magnetic layer for the record means and the optical film layer for the stroboscopic indicating are deposited on the same glass disc 1 or the like, comprising a rotating record means, the functional connection between computing and indicating is especially evident In this case the track a consists of a concentric ring (imaginatively defined) on the magnetic layer upon the disc 1 being sensed by sensing-head 15 The field " 2 " in track a corresponds to the figure 2 in the opticallysensitive ring 6 in such a way that at that instant when the magnetic field " 2 " is below the slot of the sensing head 15, the shape of figure " 2 " on the optical sensitive ring 6 is within the slot 13 of the mask or blind 14. In consequence of the width of the slot 13, only one figure in each annular row of characters can be seen at any one time, in this case figure " 2 " 70 Instead of the magnetic record means and optically-sensitive means being on the same carrier member (disc 1) they could in other cases be on separate members moving in synchronism with each other 75 As the optically-sensitive layer is black and as only the rows of characters of the figures 0-9 within the concentric rings 4-11 are transparent, only the shape of the figure " 2 " will be visible if and when the stroboscopic 80 flash will light the optical layer from below at the instant when the shape of figure " 2 " is behind the slot 13 of the mask 14 The concentric ring 6 corresponds to the sector II of track a and similarly the interior ring 7, cor 85 responds to sector I of track a The moment in which the flash is to light within the discharge lamp 12 is controlled by the sensing head 15 in circuit with the amplifier 16, the coupling-capacitor 17 and the discharge tube 90 18 which, by its ignition, opens the discharge of the capacity circuits 19, 20 via the discharge flashlight lamp 12 In one convenient arrangement the respective terminals of the circuit for illuminating the stroboscopic lamp had the 95 following voltages: a= -20, b== 300, c= 0, and d= 2000. As this flashlight lasts only for some few microseconds, with great intensity, repeating this flash at every rotation of the record means

100 (for example at 50 times per sec) the shape of the figure " 2 " seems to stand in the slot 13 as a continuous image, although the disc lis rotating and the light flashing at e g 3000 times per minute During each rotation of the 105 disc this flashing will take place only when the character of figure " 2 " is passing behind the slot 13 of the mask, i e in the same instant when the magnetic signal " 2 " on the record means passes below the slot of the sensing 110 head 15. Persistence of vision effects, that figure " 2 " is clearly seen in the penultimate denomination. In the concentric ring 6, the shapes of the 115 figures 0-9 are arranged within sector II of the record means and the corresponding part of the optical reproducible layer of the stroboscopic disc The digit values for the last denomination, sector I are represented in the 120 ring 7, which is set off by one column, i e. by one concentric ring, towards the interior compared with the concentric ring 6 Thus, at each rotation of the disc a flashlight is effected by the same means (sensing-head 15, 125 amplifier 16, coupling-capacitor 17, discharge tube 18, capacity circuits 19/20, flashlight lamp 12, slot 13 and mask 14) repeatedly at that instant, when field " 2 " of the sector II with its magnetic signal " 2 " is passing 130 786,026 Fig 2, the mask through which the valve is indicated, is movable between two positions, in one of which it co-operates with the digit characters 0-9 and in the other of which it co-operates with the digit value characters 70 9-0, so that in the one position a number may be indicated as a direct value and in the other position as a complementary value The moving of the mask between these two positions is controlled by signals on the record 75 means in dependence on whether the number to be indicated is positive or negative In one convenient arrangement the mask is mounted on slides for movement between its two positions and may be urged to one such position 80 by a spring and brought to the other position by a magnetic means such as a solenoid operated by a signal on the record means The mask may include a movable portion adapted to cover the denominations where otherwise 85 a zero character would be indicated It is obvious also that zero-signals can either be indicated by a lighted zero on the optically sensitive disc or by the suppressing of the flashing behind those signals It is obvious also, that 90 within such concentric rings commas or other signs or commands can be shown, so that indicated numbers can be subdivided and separated into denominations in any desired way in dependence on the signals controlling the 95 flashing of the flashing stroboscopic lamp 12. The movable part of the mask mentioned above can be used both with an arrangement indicating direct values only and with a means for

indicating direct or complementary values 100 selectively In the latter case it will be transferred from one position to the other with the mask as a whole. In cases where the indication of the values would be small, for example where the disc 105 is divided into a large number of denominations, means may be provided for enlarging the indication One such means is shown in Fig 3 and comprises a Tense 21 in front of the mask 14 through which the indicated value 110 is projected and shown on a screen 22 as an enlarged indication. An alternative indicating arrangement is shown in Fig 4, suitable for use inter alia in a cash register, where the digit values are 115 carried on a rotating cylinder 23 % being in parallel rows, and behind each circumferential row is a stroboscopic lamp As, this cylinder rotates in synchronism with the signals on a record means representing the various digits 120 to 'be indicated, a stroboscopic lamp will be lit at the moment at which in any one denomination the digit value character to be indicated passes between the lamp and the slot in the mask For example, if the number 323 '125 is to be indicated the stroboscopic lamp in the first circumferential row will be lit as the digit value 3 ' comes opposite the mask, the stroboscopic lamp in the second, circumferential row will be lit when the digit value 2 130 below the slot of the sensing head 15, and when field " 8 " of the sector I, with its magnetic signal " 8 " is passing below the sensing head 15. As the row of characters for the figures 0-9 in sector I is set off by one concentric ring toward the interior, the shape of the figure " 2 " appears one denomination left from figure " 8 " within the slot 13 of the mask 14 and because of persistence of vision is seen as a continuous image, so that within the slot 13 the number " 28 " is indicated. It is obvious that with the same sensing head and flashlight circuit, so many denominations can 'be indicated within the slot 13 of the mask 114 at each rotation of the record means and stroboscopic disc, as there are concentric rings provided with off-set rows of the opticallyreproducible characters 0-9 The indicating of a 16-denominations-numiber requires 16 concentric rings, which correspond, from the innermost to the outermost rings to the 16 successive sectors I-XVI of the record means, whereby the row of characters of the figures " 0-9 " for the last denomination (corresponding to sector I of the record means) is arranged within the innermost ring of the optical layer the row of characters of the figures " 0-9 " for the last but one (penultimate) denomination (corresponding to sector II of the record means) is arranged within the second concentric ring of the optical layer; the row of characters

of the 'figures " 0-9 " for the antepenultimate denomination (corresponding to sector III of the record means) is arranged within the third concentric ring from the interior on the optical layer, and so on. Referring now to Fig 2, there is shown a combined magnetic and optical sensitive disc 1, the centre part of which comprises a magnetic record means such as is explained in detail in my said co-pending application No. 15773/50 filed 23rd June 1950, (Serial No. 786,021) This magnetic area is divided into sectors representing successive denominations of a number, with at least one extra area for command signals and to allow for operating time, and the outer part of the disc, which is coated with an optically-reproducible material, is divided into similar sectors, each of which contains a row of digit value characters 0-9 and a second row of characters 9-0, so that a value may be indicated either as a true value by the one set of characters or as a complementary value by the other set of characters The disc rotates about its axis, and its optically-sensitive layer passes an indicating means comprising the flash tube 12 and the slot 13 ' of a mask 14, so that, at any time when a digit value character is below the slot 13 and at the same time a magnetic signal for that value is below the slot of a sensing head the value is indicated by the stroboscopic means. When using the combined disc shown in :786,02 X 6 comes opposite the mask and likewise in the third circumferential row the stroboscopic lamp will be lit when the digit value 3 comes opposite the slot in the mask These various high speed intermittent flashings will be seen by the eye as a continuous image 323 This form of the stroboscopic indicating means may of course be used for any other purpose than in a cash register In the same way instead of the characters on the cylinder being numbers they could be letters of any alphabet so that instead of a number being indicated stroboscopically a word or words can be indicated In the arrangement shown a magnetic record means is provided at the left hand end of the cylinder as a magnetic drum and signals thereon are sensed by the signal heads 15, the sensing of these signals determining which of the stroboscopic lamps shall be lit at any particular time.

* Sitemap * Accessibility * Legal notice * Terms of use * Last updated: 08.04.2015 * Worldwide Database

* 5.8.23.4; 93p

* GB786027 (A)

Description: GB786027 (A) ? 1957-11-13

Improvements relating to the printing of characters

Description of GB786027 (A)

A high quality text as facsimile in your desired language may be available amongst the following family members:

US2976801 (A) US2976801 (A) less Translate this text into Tooltip

[79][(1)__Select language] Translate this text into

The EPO does not accept any responsibility for the accuracy of data and information originating from other authorities than the EPO; in particular, the EPO does not guarantee that they are complete, up-to-date or fit for specific purposes.

PATENT SPECIFICATION 7 /4 H i Date of Application and filing Complete Specification: June 23, 1950. & -: ' No 37206/54. Application made in Germany on Oct 1, 1948, (Divided out of No 786,021). Complete Specification Published: Nov 13, 1957. Index at acceptance:-Class 100 ( 4), C 20 82 K( 1: 2), C 27 L. International Classification:-B 41 j. COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to the Printing of Characters I, 'GERHARD DIRKS, of Moerfelder Landstrasse 44, Frankfurt on Main, Germany, of German Nationality, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following

statement: - This invention relates to an apparatus for the printing of characters for example numerals or the letters of an alphabet or mathematical signs or other characters and is useful amongst other purposes in connection with the printing of the results obtained by a calculating machine, or in a book-keeping machine or the like. The invention is especially useful in association with the electronic digital computer forming the subject of my earlier Application for Patent No 15773/50 filed 23rd June 1950 (Serial No 786,02,1). In a purely mechanical printing telegraph apparatus it has been proposed to provide for each key lever of a keyboard, a rocker to an intermediate part of which a constant rising and falling movement was imparted by a crank or the like, one endi of the rocker resting on the related key and the other end being associated with selectively operated arresting means. The arrangement was such that when said other end was not arrested, the movements of the rocker were ineffective on the key lever but, when the arresting means intervened the movements of the rocker were effective to operate the key lever. The present invention is concerned with high-speed dot and line printing devices in which each character is built up by a suitable disposition of dots and lines printed by a plurality of printing elements. The invention comprises a plurality of sideby-side printing members each having a printing surface near one end, means imparting a constant to-and-fro movement to an intermediate part of said members, towards and away from the paper to be printed, and electromechanically controlled means operating selectively to restrain one or other of the ends of the members against said to-and-fro movement, so that when the printing surface end of the member is restrained no printing results and when the other end is restrained printing is effected. The arrangement is such that if the operative end of a printing member is held against movement towards the paper or other material the operative surface is held out of contact and no character representation takes place, whereas if the other non-operative end, of the said member is held, the operative surface partakes of the movement of the lever and is moved into contact with the paper or other material, whereupon a printing operation or other representing of a character takes place. In the case of a device for printing characters of a mosaic type (see Figs 7 a and 7 b of my co-pending Application No 37222/54 (Serial No 786,041) each printing member will have at its operative end a nipple or a point adapted to press a printing ribbon against a paper, similarly to the type-levers of a typewriter.

Said selective electromechanical means for control of the levers is preferably such as to require only very short pulse-like energizing, at a rather high intensity, thus allowing of very high speeds of the printing device, especially as the levers require only very short movements to be effective. Examples of apparatus according to the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of an embodiment of a printing device for the printing of characters, in a single denomination, column or the like; Fig 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a similar device as adapted for the printing of characters in a number of side-by-side denominations or columns or the like; Fig 3 is a diagrammatic fragmentary sectional view of the apparatus illustrating the operation of the various parts and with the parts in one particular position; Fig 4 is a view corresponding to Fig 3 but 86027 2 786,027 with the parts in another particular position, as explained below; and Figs 5 and 6 are two further views similar to Fig 3 showing still further positions of the various parts, according to the operation of the apparatus at different times. In the drawings, referring first to Fig 1 and 3-6, there is schematically shown an apparatus having a nonmagnetic base plate 1 and having on either end of such plate a fixed stud 2 on which main levers 3 and 4 are located These main levers are arranged on the respective outer side of a set of parallel printing levers 51 to 13 A shaft 14 extends through a hole in each of the levers 5 to 13 and between the arms of the C-shaped members 15, and; through holes in the adjacent ends of the main levers 3 and 4. The main levers 3, 4 are actuated for up and down movement of shaft 14 by means of magnet systems in the members 15 (or by cams or the like) causing the printing levers to 13 to move up and down correspondingly in unison with each other and with the main levers 3 and 4 This shaft 14 will be moved up and down by the magnet system 15 actuating the shaft by the magnets 16 mounted on the respective ends of the shaft 14 The up and down movement will be initiated by the energy of the magnetic fields of coils, with windings around the magnet-systems 15, said energy being generated by an alternating current of a certain frequency, therefore moving the levers 5 to 13 up and down in that frequency The levers 5-13 are shown somewhat exaggerated as spaced apart from each other, for clearness of illustration. In the case shown in Fig 2 X, for a multicolumn printing unit, the nine levers 5-13 for each denomination are together equal to the normal width of a character By means of a non-magnetic layer upon their surfaces the levers 5 to 13 are insulated against mutual magnetic attraction Alternatively they may be made of a non-magnetic

material. The distance between the adjacent sets of the levers, for the adjacent denominations is determined by distance sleeves and blade-like distance levers 14 a on shaft 14, whereas the distance between the levers themselves is determined by small humps or the like pressed out of the levers or by thin washers between the levers By this arrangement, a frictionless operation of all reciprocating printing levers 5 to 13 will be guaranteed. A multi-column printing unit (Fig 2) consists of a corresponding number of sets of levers 5-13, spacing sleeves, distance-elements and the like, kept at the desired spaces from each other, according to the denominational spacing of the various printing columns Above the printing levers 5-13 (see also Fig 1), between the shaft 14 and the rearward ends of the levers, the permanent magnet 17 is mounted, this covering all the printing levers within the one or several printing columns. The magnetic flux of the field of the permanent magnet 17 will flow from the Northpole N via the rear portion of the printing levers (i e the portion to the rear of shaft 70 14) to the permanent magnetic plates 18 on the printing levers and via the iron-core of the magnet-coils 19 back to the South pole S of the magnet 17 There are only very small air gaps throughout the whole magnetic flow, be 75 cause the levers 5-13 anchor to the magnet 17 at its North-pole, and the magnetic plates 18 directly touch the cores of the magnet-coils 19. Such a coil 19 and plate 18 is provided for 80 each of the printing levers 5-13 To secure such an arrangement in a practical design, in which the printing levers are closely spaced together over the maximum of the width of a character, each of the 9 magnet-coils for one 85 character will be off-set against the neighbouring one with regard to their width-wise location This is to say, the coils 19 for each denomination will vary progressively in their distance from shaft 14 so as to overlap each 90 other and allow their axes (and the printing levers) to lie in closer planes. The magnetic plates 18 are made of thin pieces fixed to the printing levers, or are bentover lugs or flanges of the printing-levers 95 themselves and extended laterally therefrom. In a practical case, these plates 18 are located under their respective magnet coils 19 without hindering each other in their correct action. The printing levers 5 to 13 follow the up 100 and down movement of the shaft 14, initiated by the magnet-system 15, and since the levers are normally held by the plates 18 against the cores of coils 19, the said levers 5 to 13 oscillate to and fro with the plates 18 acting as 105

pivots for the oscillation The up and down movement of the printing levers 5-13 results from the frequency of said alternating current in the magnet systems 15 acting in such a way that the printing-levers will oscillate on their 110 extreme rear ends with an amplitude at the front ends of about 0 25 mm As each of the printing-levers has on the front edge of its lower surface a small printing nipple or dot 20, the nipple will act as the printing medium 115 when set in operation If between the nipples of all the printing-levers, an inked ribbon be inserted, a thin dotted black line will be produced in every printing column on the paper if the paper is moved in the direction of 120 the arrow (Fig 1) and if one of the magnet coils 19 has been excited. Above the front end of the printing levers 5-13 a second and relatively weak permanent magnet 21 is arranged (Figs 3-6) stretching 125 across all of the levers 5-13 and providing an alternative pivot for the printing levers, in cases when the magnet coils 19 are excited. With the shaft 14 in its uppermost position, each of the printing levers 5-13 rests with 130 786,027 2. place on to the paper at these points, the nipples being held up off the paper by the magnet 21 If the exciting of all the coils 19 is controlled by pulses in dependence on' the shape of the different numbers or other 70 characters to be printed' the printing will be effected correspondingly in connection with the control pulses, blackening the paper at the respective points, leaving the paper free at other points, and thereby eventually forming 75 the image of the respective characters The printing pressure can be adjusted by an auxiliary coil-winding (not shown), co-ordinated to the permanent magnetism, resulting in an increase or decrease of the magnetic flux 80 of the magnet 17, when energized accordingly. High printing speeds may be obtained by the use of higher frequencies, if the exciting of the coils 19 is controlled in accordance with the oscillation of the shaft 14 during the period 85 of upward movement in such a way that the inductance within the coils 19 has declined when the shaft has gained its upper position. By the use of this principle, relatively high printing frequencies with high printing pres 90 sures will be obtained, for the pressure operating in this printing mechanism originates exclusively from the central driving system of the shaft 14 itself, and the coils 19 have only to provide a controlling magnetic flux 95 in the form of short pulses. The permanent magnets 17 and 21 can be replaced by leaf-springs or the like which are coordinated to the individual printing levers in a suitable manner Likewise can the 100 printing levers be individually arrested by mechanical association with corresponding armatures of

control magnets, thereby replacing the direct control and actuation of the printing levers as explained above 105 In both cases, the driving force will be taken from the oscillation of said shaft 14 (or the mentioned C-shaped members 15 between which the levers are arranged), while by the control procedure itself a displacing of the 110 pivoting position of the printing levers from the rear end to the front end (or vice versa) will be effected. As the previously explained arrangement of the actuation of said printing levers requires 115 a surge exciting the corresponding coil 19 only at the moment, when the shaft 14 is just short of the uppermost position, the dimensions of the coils 19 can be kept relatively small, as the coils can be highly charged for 120 the short intervals in which they operate, so that a minimum of space is required for the printing levers and their control coils ' If, shortly after the reaching of the uppermost position of shaft 14, the magnetic flux 125 of the permanent magnet 17, by means of magnetic pole-changing devices affecting the coils 19 should be counteracted, a short duration of the counteraction is sufficient as the magnetic flux between plates 118 and the cores of coils 130 its upper front edge against the lower part of the permanent magnet 21, which operates as a spring The distance from the middle of shaft 14 to the actuating point of the magnetic plate 18 represents the longer arm of the respective double-armed printing levers 5-13 m while the distance from the middle of the shaft 14 to the magnet 21 is relatively short representing the shorter arm of said double-armed levers. If the magnet coils 19 are not excited at the instant when the upper limit of the up-anddown movement of the levers is reached, the magnetic force of the relatively-weak magnet 21 will not prevent the printing levers 5-13 pivoting around the bearing surfaces of the plates 18 on the cores of their corresponding coils 19 On the other hand, if the coils 19 are excited in such a way that the exciting flux opposes the permanent flux of magnetism in the magnet 17 in that instant, when the up-and-down movement of the levers reaches the upper limit the magnetic force between the core of coil 19 and the plate 18 will be eliminated, by reason of the said opposite polarity. Consequently, those printing levers, of which the coils 19 have been excited, will pivot around their lugs resting upon magnet 21, when the shaft 14 is moving downward as soon as the rear end, of each of the actuated levers 5-13 has been moved away from the magnet, the magnetic flux is then interrupted by the consequent air-gap The printing levers are thus able to pivot about either of two axes, one at -the rear end and one at the front end, one of such pivoting movements allowing the lever to effect a printing operation and the other preventing a printing operation.

The exciting of the coils 19 can be pulselike, effected with a rather high intensity, in spite of the small dimensions of the coils, as this control-pulse is only necessary for the very short instant from shortly before the upper limit of the upward movement of the levers until shortly after it. Furthermore, the exact moment of excitation in the coils 19 can be chosen in such a way, that the time of inertia from the self-induction of the coils 19 is just passed when the limit of the upward movement is reached, so that this relay " is practically free of any additional inertia which relays usually require for self-induction and armature-movement, since the " armature-lever " is, at the moment of excitation of the coil, lying directly against the core of the coils 19 As soon as the plate 18 of a lever has been separated from the coordinated core of the coil 19 only by a narrow air-gap, so that the direct magnetic circuit is broken off, a further exciting of the coil 19 is no longer necessary, as the downwardlymoving end of this lever cannot be held again. The printing nipples or projections 20 remain inactive on those levers which are held by the magnet 21, so that no printing takes 786,027 19 will meanwhile have practically ceased altogether, preventing the movement of the front end of the levers 3 and 4 and consequently preventing the printing nipples 20 from markS ing the paper The control-pulses will preferably be fed from a glow-discharge relay device or the like, which can be controlled by stored signals or by direct signals, e g pulses of a coding device It is also possible, in a modified arrangement to operate the printing mechanism levers 5 to 13 to pivot on the end surface of the cores of coils 19 only, if the coils are excited, while in case of non-exciting, the frontal pivoting on magnet 21 will come into action. Instead of the direct magnetic control of the rear ends of the levers 5-13, a mechanical or other control may be adapted under magnetic actuation, for example by means of levers, cams or the like. A multitude of printing levers operating on the same principle as described above may be used for a high-efficiency single line multicolumn printing unit A permanent magnet 17 (Fig 2) has its magnetic arms bridged by the several sets of printing levers 5-13, and the cores of the coils 19 are arranged one behind the other The main shaft 14 is moved up and down by means of the polarized magnetized pieces 16 moving between the poles of magnets 15, excited by an alternating current flowing through the coils of the magnets 15 By an exciting of the magnet coils 19 in a rhythm depending on the shape of the type characters which are to be printed, the printing of the different lines or dots forming the parts of the character can be effected in several denominations simultaneously at rather high

speeds. The speed of operation is limited only by the maximum frequency of movement which can be reached by oscillating levers controlled by magnet coils As compared with the more difficult conditions obtaining in relays with the times of inertia by self-induction in the coils and the like, in which an armature frequency of two hundred and fifty cycles per second can be reached, an output under the better conditions obtaining with the present invention allows that 250 dot-lines can be printed per second, equalling 15 tape character lines per second as a maximum speed This output corresponds to 10,000 type character lines per hour or, in a multi-column printing unit of 100 columns, to a maximum speed of 250 type characters per second. The control of the exciting of the coils 19 may be effected in combination with a cathode ray distributor The use of such a relatively simple and cheap delay-less distributor is preferred in teleprinting on account of the easy synchronisation of distributing tasks Likewise also, inductive distributors may be used with multi-column printers. The up and down movement of the printing levers may be sinusoidal or otherwise.

* Sitemap * Accessibility * Legal notice * Terms of use * Last updated: 08.04.2015 * Worldwide Database * 5.8.23.4; 93p

* GB786028 (A)

Description: GB786028 (A) ? 1957-11-13

Improvements in teletyping means for the printing or other indication ofnumbers andother information

Description of GB786028 (A)

A high quality text as facsimile in your desired language may be available amongst the following family members:

DE1021188 (B) US3403385 (A) US3530285 (A) DE1021188 (B) US3403385 (A) US3530285 (A) less Translate this text into Tooltip

[83][(1)__Select language] Translate this text into

The EPO does not accept any responsibility for the accuracy of data and information originating from other authorities than the EPO; in particular, the EPO does not guarantee that they are complete, up-to-date or fit for specific purposes.

PATENT SPECIFICATION 786,028 Date of Application and filing Complete Specification: June 23, 1950. No 37208/54. Application made in Germany on Oct 1, 1948. (Divided out of No786,021) p Complete Specification Published: Nov 13, 1957. Index at acceptance:-Class 40 ( 1), H 1113 ( 9: 11 A; 1 X), H Ul L International Classification:-GO 8 c. COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Improvements in Teletyping means for the Printing or other Indication of Numbers and other Information I, GERHARD Di R Ks, of Moerfelder Landstrasse 44, Frankfurt on Main, Germany, of German Nationality, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a means for the transmission of signals representing characters to be printed or typed or fed to some other devices and consists essentially in a means for converting input signals in serial order to output signals in parallel order so that each character may be printed or typed as a whole even if the original signals represent parts of the character in a predetermined sequence. The invention will find use inter alia for making visible the result of a computation performed by an electronic digital computor, or for indicating other information, in a high speed or parallel-operating teletyping way. The invention may be used with the computer set forth in my co-pending application for Patent No 15773/50 filed on the 23rd June 1950 (Serial No 786,021). The invention provides a means for the: trarnsmission of signals representing information in a plurality of

columns: or denominations, comprising at least one electronic distributor (as herein defined) for converting input) signals which are in serial order to output signals which are effective in said plurality of columns or denominations in parallel and wherein the said distributor delivers the signals to a crosswise arrangement of storage elements, such elements being selectively operable in dependence on receiving signals from, both directions of such crosswise arrangement, the elements made operable being effective in parallel. In the following description, the invention is shown as applied to a multi-denomination, line-wise, high-speed printer or parallel teletyper as an example It is evident that it can be used also with a prihter or teletyper for lPiice 3: only a few denominations and whether printing on the dot or line-principle or otherwise. The designation dot-and-line printing as used herein refers to the printing of characters by continuous or intermittent impressions in a plurality of rows Examples of such characters are illustrated in my co-pending Application for Patent No 37201/54 (Serial No. 786,022), and in Figs 7 a and 7 b of my copending Application for Patent No 37222/54 (Serial No 786,041). One of the main features of the operation of the invention is the use of an electronic distributor with electronic synchronizing means. The distributors are preferably cathode ray distributors, the cathode ray of which is deflected in dependence on synchronizing signals on the same signal carrier as the character-representing signals. In the accompanying drawing: Fig 1 shows a multi-denomination printer for high speed printing and/or teletyping according to the said dot or line-wise printing and adapted to print in different denominations simultaneously Such a printer itself forms the subject of my co-pending applica. tion for Patent No 37206/54 (Serial No. 786,027) Fig 2 shows diagrammatically an electronic synchronizing and distributing means for the control of such a multi-denomination printing device as is shown in Fig 1, and Figs 3 a and 3 b together show, diagrammatically, a transmitting and a receiving station apparatus, with a dot-wise operating multi-column teletyper, coordinated electronic synchronizing means in the form of cathode ray distributors, and (in Fig 3 a) alternative magnetic storage means in the form of a magnetizable drum and a magnetizable tape on the transmitting side A particular use of this synchoiised transmitter and receiver arrangement forms the subject of my co-pending Application for Patent No 37225/54 (Serial No 786,043). As stated above, the invention is illustrated as applied to a printing device such as is set forth in my co-pending Application for Patent No

37206/54 filed 23rd December 1954 (Serial No 786,027), in which characters are made up of dots and/or lines in rows, the rows usually running transversely across the characters so that, with a series of side by side characters, the saiid transverse rows extend through all the characters, and the complete sequence of characters can be printed by the simultaneous printing of the several rows of dots and/or lines. As shown, a permanent magnet 1 closes its magnetic flux via the respective ends of the separate printing levers 2 ' and the cores of the coils 31 and so cn, these being arranged as sets of coils one behind the other as explained in the said copending Application No. 37206/54 The main shaft 5 is moved up and down by the polarized magnetized elements 6 moving between the poles of magnets 7, which are excited by an alternating current or a current controlled by electronic tubes or by contacts, and flowing through the coils 9 and 10 of the magnets 7 and 8 with e g the endings 11 and 12 By an exciting of the magnet cojils 31 U, 41 and so on, in a selective sequence depending on the sequences of parts of characters in the said transverse rows of the characters which is to be printed, the printing of the different rows, collectively forming the shapes of the different characters, can be effected at rather high speeds The speed is limited only by the frequency which can be reached by swinging levers controlled by magnet coils Under the more difficult conditions of the usual relays, involving inductive and mechanical inertia, an armature frequency of 250 cycles per second in the printing devices is easily reached An output under the improved conditions which the present invention makes possible, removes the restrictive effect of the inductive and mechanical inertia of the mechanism, and makes possible that at least 250 dot lines may be printed per second, equalling 25 type character lines per second as a maximum speed This output corresponds to 90,000 type character lines per hour, or in a multi-column printing unit of 100 denominations, a working limit of 250 type chaarcters per second in multi-denomination teleprinters. The control of the exciting of the said coils is effected in the example shown by the cathode ray distributor 13 of Fig 2 The use of this relatively simple and cheap delavyless distributor is preferred for this mode of high speed printing and teleprinting on account of the easy synchronisation which it makes possible. The teletyping arrangement of Fig 1 and the cathode ray distributor of Fig 2 operate together in the following way The magnetic or optically sensible tape 14 (Fig 3 a) or the storage drum 15 (Fig 3 a) or a storage disc (not show) contains synchronizing frequencies at 14 a, 15 a, additional to the signals at 14 b, b representing the different type characters to be printed An optical tape suitable for this purpose is set forth in my co-pending Application for Patent No

37216/54 (Serial No 70 7 u 6,035) In order to print the type characters by dots or lines when they are initially symbolized by other signals or signal sequences for other systems of character representation, such other signal sequences must be converted to 75 sigrals or signal sequences for the dot and line system of character representation In such a case the selective storage 15 of Fig 3 a, or a similar arrangement will be used as a converter The series of signals representing dots, 80 or lines whether as initial signals or as produced by a converter, can be used not only for printing but also for indicating, as by means of a cathode ray tube indicating a multitude of denominations by black and fluorescent 85 spots in the necessary relative positions. In the wiring diagram of Fig 2 there are several rows of pulse sequences for the same number of rows of dots and lines in the character to be printed These rows of signals are 90 sensed one after another, each being sensed serially and being effective in parallel The signals representing the dots or lines in the top line of the row of side-by-side type characters, which is the first row to be printed, will be 95 sensed first by a sensing coil 16, the one end of which is connected withi the control grid of the amplification pentode 17 The consequent variations of the plate voltage of this pentode 17 are transferred via the capacitor 18 to the 100 negatively biassed control electrode 19 of one deflecting system of the double deflecting systems of the cathode ray tube 13. The synchronization of the rotation of the cathode ray over the sectors 20 on the 105 screen 13 with the movement of the storage 14 or 15 is described in my co-pending Application for Patent No 37217154 filed 23rd December 1954 (Serial No 786,036) and is effected by means of the sensing head 21 the 110 slot of which lies opposite the synchronization signals ( 14 a, 15 a) of the storage One end of the coil of this sensing head 21 is connected with the control grid of pentode 22 After amplification this synchronization frequency is 115 conducted to a phase-shifting device consisting of a bridge 23, 24 each way including one capacitor and one resistance, shifting the phase of the sensed control frequency by 90 . From there the sine waves, shifted by 900, 120 are conducted to the deflecting plate systems and 26, being the upper electrode system of the cathode ray tube Instead of a phase shifting device, a second sensing of a control or synchronizing frequency could be made 125 shifted by 90 on the storage relatively to the first sensing, and conducted to the deflecting system 15 after amplification of the same upper system of the cathode ray tube. The negative bias of the control electrode 130 -86,028 786,028 19 of the upper electrode system of the cathode ray tube is such that the

intensity of the cathode ray passing over, for instance, the secondary electron emitting sectors 20 '" of the screen 13 does not normally release a sufficient quantity of secondary electrons to be able to effect a surge at the control grid of the thyratrons 271 N and 281-0 and so on, if no' pulse is sensed and amplified via pentode 17. If by such a pulse the control voltage becomes) less negative for the length of this pulse via the capacitor 18, connected to the plate of pentode 17, the intensity of the cathode rays is increased in such a degree that the corresponding sector in which the impulse has to become effective, releases secondary electrons in sufficient quantities in order to' ignite the said gas discharge tubes 27, 28 and so' on. In the main discharge circuit of these discharge tubes the control pulse coils 31-n, 41 n of the printing unit and so on are interconnected in any selected way, as via a switching plug board. The exciting of the magnetic systems 7 and 8 is controlled e g via a discharge tube 29, in the main discharge circuit of which the coils 9 and 10 of these magnetic systems are interconnected with e g the said endings 11 and 12 In the event, that not more than about 100 to 200 coils are to be excited, the control of the control grid of the discharge tube 29 can. be effected by pulses taken directly from the secondary sector 200 being arranged once for each rotation of the cathode ray on the screen 13. With such a number of coils 3 '", 41-' and so on, and corresponding sectors on the screen 13, the ordinary small dimensions of cathode ray tube distributors can be used, with greater numbers of coils and sectors and using small sized cathode ray tubes as distributors a plurality of such tubes would be used, operating in series. At the bottom of Fig 2 is shown a crosswise storage arrangement comprising storing elements in horizontal and vertical rows, the particular elements shown being discharge tubes 27 28 which may be small glow discharge relays soldered directly into the wiring connections. The vertical rows are controlled respectively by the deflection 4 system 25 26 with the circular deflection target area comprising the arrangement of distributing sectors 2001-, whereas the horizontal rows are controlled by the deflection system 31 having only a vertical deflection target area comprising the arrangement of target fields 300-10, of which the targets 301-10 control a bias in the horizontal rows of storage elements successively. With such an arrangement, having ten horizontal rows 30110 the number of storing elements may be ten times the number of the switching ways or distributing ways from the electronic distributing system 200-n,

the several storage elements being individually controlled during successive cycles of the distributor During the first cycle the first horizontal row of storage elements may be actuated as only that row has a sufficient bias to be effective, the said bias being produced by the electronic relay 351 in dependence on the target 301 During the second cycle the second horizontal row is made effective similarly, as the cathode ray in the system 31 has been deflected from the target 301 to target 302, thus making only the second row effective via the next electronic relay, and so on. The cathode ray of the deflecting plate system 31 is controlled by capacitor 32 lying in the plate circuit of pentode 33, the one end of which is connected with the said deflecting plates 31 With every cycle of the rotation of the cathode ray over screen, 13 a pulse is released from sector 200, effecting the discharge of the discharge tube 34 By this means the leading pentode 33 is "open" for a short interval, although it is normally " closed " in consequence of a negative bias adjusted to the control grid via the grid-leak resistance By this means a stepwise deflection of the cathode ray, passing over the targets 300 to 301 " is effected in such a way that during every rotation, this cathode ray is deflected by one step, according to the stepwise loading of the capacitor 32, in the plate circuit of pentode 33. At the stepwise movements of the cathode ray over targets 301 to 3010, that is, after the completion of the full cycle, the cathode ray, 100 having a definitely adjusted intensity, ignites at the first rotation the discharge tube 29, via connection a, associated with the target 30 , thus discharging condenser 32 When impinging sector 20 , the cathode ray effects the igni 105 tion of the discharge tube 34 Condenser 32 is charged by one unit as described above thus deflecting the cathode ray by one step onto sector 30 ' and igniting the coordinated gas discharge tube 351 This excited gas discharge 110 tube produces at its cathode resistance 361 at plate voltage for the discharge relays 271-n of the upper row, being just below the ignition voltage Therefore, only one of these rows is prepared to be ignited, if one of them will 115 receive a pulse at its vertically connected control grids 5 being connected each with one sector 201 to 20 " of the cathode ray distributor, 13 Thus, only that one of the discharge relay tubes can be ignited, at which the vertically 120 controlled pulse from the sectors 20 ' to 20 n meets the horizontally excited row of discharge relays, controlled by the sections 301 and 30 n of the targets 130. After one cycle, i e after one rotation of the 125 cathode ray of the distributor the cathode ray passes over target 200, thus igniting the discharge tube 34 pulse-like, via the connection c, and by this means breaks off the anode circuit of the tube 37 by a negative pulse to

its, 130 756,025 grid by the transformer d, said tube 37 feeding the discharge tubes 351 " 1) Therefore, the discharge tube 351 (second rotation of the cathode ray in distributer 13) is extinguished, but those of the discharge relays 27 'n of the upper row which had been excited, will remain excited, as this row is connected over a resistance 381 to the positive pole with a voltage, which is a little higher than the extinguishing voltage of the relay tubes. During the third rotation, the discharge tubes of the second row, controlled by discharge tube 352 (not shown in the drawing) will be ignited, in the third row discharge tube 35 i and so on, so; that after e g ten rotations of this cathode ray distributer, all the required discharge tubes are excited The co-ordinated coils 31-n, 41-1 and so on will effect that the respective printing levers 2 " co-ordinated to these cogs will print or not print on to the paper in this horizontal dot-line, according to whether they were excited or not excited. In order to' achieve that an intensive pulse will be effective in these coils, the voltage of the positive pole, which, during the preparation phase described above, was only a little higher than the extinguishing voltage of the discharge tube is, shortly before the culmination point of the upward movement of shaft = 5, changed over by switch 39 to a higher voltage, just below the ignition voltage of the discharge tubes, the change occurring during a W short interval beginning shortly before and ending shortly after the said culmination point. This switch 39 can be either a contact switch or it can be an electronic switch controlled by the discharge tube 29. Instead of the changing of the voltage from a little higher than the extinguishing voltage to a little below the ignition voltage of the discharge tubes, discharge tubes with an additional electrode can be used, being ignited over the ignition electrode, kept in action over the additional electrode during the preparation cycle and pulse-like charged over their control grid and main discharge circuit between the ordinary plate and the cathode. This main discharge circuit can then only be effected at the pre-ignited discharge tubes during the short interval at the respective movements when the levers are at their upper culminating points The relay tubes mentioned can either be provided with a heated cathode (Thyratron) or with a cold cathode. The multi-column printing units c-an be used also in a high efficiency manner for teleprinting according to Figs 3 a-3 b In this case, the printing unit at the transmitting station (Fig 3 a) is the same as described 650 above The intensity of the ray of the cathode ray distributer 41 is controlled, by the pentode 42 conducting the same

pulses to the modulating tube of the transmitter 43 The pentode 42 transfers the synchronization frequency 6.5 from the synchronization area 15 a of the storage drum 15, or the synchronization area 14 a of the storage tape 14 to the deflecting plate systems 45 and 46 over the phase shifting bridge 47, transferring the same frequency to the modulation part of the transmitter 43. Both modulations will be transmitted in such a way that the modulated high frequency of the said transmitter contains the sine wavecontrol frequency from the synchronising track, with a relatively low frequency per second, compared with the additional modulation of the coded or decoded type character pulses, which have a much higher frequency, as to, each pulse. The different sectors of the cathode ray distributer screen 48 effect the exciting or notexciting of the control-discharge tube of the multi-denomination tubes 491 "i controlling the multi-denomination printing unit 51 with its coils 3 'n " 4 -n (see Fig 1) over the switching plug board 51 In this case, the discharge relay tubes are shown as tubes with cold cathodes The up and dots movement of the Plain shaft 5 (see Fig 1), with the several printing levers, is controlled again by the sectors on the cathode ray distributer 48 The extinguishing of the discharge tube 52 is shown as effected by interrupting the circuit by means of a mechanical contact 53 or a relay controlled mechanically by the moving ends of the main shaft 5. At the receiving station the similar arrangement is to be found, as shown in Fig 3 b The transfer is effected dot line per dot line via receiver 54, the cathode ray distributer 55 and the printing unit 52 The trasnmitted or received pulses are conducted from the receiver to' the electronic two-way filters 56/57 of which 57 allows the passing of lower frequencies i e the synchronizing frequencies whereas the filter 56 allows the passage of higher frequencies, li e pulse sequences. Eventually, the necessary phase shifting of these frequencies is effected with known means, for example a phase-shifting bridge such as that shown at 47 in Fig 3 a. The lower frequency passing the electronic filter 57 is amplified in pentode 58 controlling, after the amplification, the deflection plate system 59 and 60, the voltages being chosen in such a way that the voltages at deflecting plate system 59 are phase shifted by 90 degrees compared with the frequency controlling the deflecting system 60 The amplification of the pulses by pentode 61 controls the intensity of the cathode ray in the cathode ray tube 55 according to whether or not, at the momnent concerned the control electrode 62 becomes less negative than its bias As the rotation of the cathode ray in the cathode ray distributor 41 at the transmitting station is effected by the same control frequency as controls the rotation of the cathode ray

in the distributer 55, the cathode ray of the cathode ray distributer screen 48 passes at every moment of are transferred by a direct reproduction of their shape, the teleprinting in the way of wireless transmitting can be used, as atmospheric distortions have only slight influence on the readibility of the type characters Likewise it is immaterial Whether figures, letters or other images are to be reproduced in the same lines. If results achieved in a computor are computed twice, even if over separate electronic means, verifying of the computations at the highest degree of accuracy can be achieved by an automatic comparing of the resulting pulses in a device according to this invention corresponding to, the two groups of teletypers in the transmitting and receiving station. In the tele-control of computors, teleprinting etc the same procedure of a second transfer and a comparison of the resulting pulses within a device corresponding to group control or comparing mechanism guarantees highest reliability Thus the great reliability of electronic computing can be increased to a degree) far above mechanical possibilities by the usej of the present invention for checking or comparing the results of two or more computations. By the term electronic distributor as used herein is meant a device in which the actual distribution of signals is effected or controlled by electronic means, for example the cathode ray tube described, and it does not include an arrangement wherein an inductive distributor delivers signals to electronic means (e g amplifiers) Such an arrangement is set forth in my co-pending Application No 37202/54 and is toa be regarded as excluded from the appended claims.

* Sitemap * Accessibility * Legal notice * Terms of use * Last updated: 08.04.2015 * Worldwide Database * 5.8.23.4; 93p