US2174596A - Code bar construction - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 3, 1939. L. M. POTTS 2,174,595

CODE BAR CONSTRUCTION Original Filed March 25, 1 931 INVENTORJ LOUIS M. POTTS 1 ORNEY.

Patented, Oct. 3, 1939 UNITED STATES PATEN T OFFICE CODE BAR CONSTRUCTION Louis M. PottaEvanston, Ill., assignor to Teletype Corporation, Chicago, 111., acorporation of Delaware 7 Claims.

The present invention relates to selecting or translating mechanisms such as are used in telegraphic signaling apparatus, and particularly to code bar construction for rendering versatile the distribution and arrangement of selectable members.

This is a divisional application of which the parent application is copending Serial No. 525,189 filed March 25, 1931.

In mechanical selectors, permutative characteristics have been vested in the selecting members in which case an individual and permanent arrangement of clearance notches is carried by said permutably displaceable selecting members, or where the notches of the selecting members are arranged in regular recurrence and do not carry the code pattern, the code characteristics are made permanently a part of the selectable elements.

Accordingly, the object of the present invention is the provision of a code selecting apparatus inv which each selecting member is equipped with alternative selecting characteristics in the proximity of each code position and in which the individually selectable factors are provided with transposable elements which may be arranged predeterminedly to present any desired code in any of a number of different positions.

Other features of the invention will appear from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout and in which,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a selector mechanism such as forms part of the disclosure in the aforementioned copending application;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through one of the individually selectable elements featuring its manner of mounting and support as well as its cooperation with a typical one of the selector bar assemblies;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken longitudinally along a line parallel to one of the selector bar assemblies; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view similar to'that illustrated in Fig. 2 but featuring particularly the interchangeable code elements and their manner of assembly.

Though the instant invention concerns itself primarily with the novel principles afiecting only certain ones-of the code bars and the selectable elements illustrated in Fig. 1, so much of the description will be included herewith as will assist in an understanding of the application of this improvement to a system such as that which forms the subject matter of the parent'application referred to above. Also conforming with this plan of reference, certain ones of the identification characters used in said parent application are repeated in the accompanying drawing in order that corresponding parts may be more easily identified.

The reference character 162 indicates a set of primary code selecting bars which may be permutably positioned by the use of a receiving distributor of the type shown in U. S. Patent No. 1,821,110 or of the type shown in U. S. Patent No. 1,811,131. Also under the supervision of this type of distributor are a pair of control shafts more particularly referred to as a sequence shaft 114 and an operating shaft 18L Rotation is imparted to shafts 114 and 'I8l by means of friction clutches through the gears I15 and H9, illustrated in said copending application. Shaft 114 is adapted to be arrested in any of four positions at quadrature. Shaft 'I8l is provided with a stop disc for effecting its arrest at'a single angular position during its cycle. The supervision of the stop disc arresting pawl is subordinated to a cam carried by the distributor mechanism so that for each rotation of the distributor shaft, operating shaft 18! is permitted one cycle of rotation. Suitable escapement apparatus, shown in said parent application, supervises the quadratic control of shaft 114. This also is under the supervision of the distributor through the instrumentality of certain ones of the code selecting bars 162. The escape mechanism referred to is provided-for adapting the selector to a special case shift supervision, the details of which are not material to the present disclosure.

In- Fig. 1 are two series of code bars indicated I80 and 828. The code bars indicated 828 are five in number and are of the single type having permanently associated notch and lug attributes for effecting the selection of certain ones of the individually selectable elements denoted 963. The series of code bars 180 form the subject matter of the present invention. Their number corresponds to the requisite selective possibilities, or in other words, to the requirements of the particular system. Since the basic unit code employed in accordance with the instant embodiment contemplates a live unit permutation, the total number of said bar assemblies I80 will be some number which is a multiple of five.

In contemplation of the conventional stock quotation practice, the present system has been arbitrarily designated to make use of three stock Selection signals, each having, as aforesaid, the

constituent five unit code or together a total code made up. compositely of the three five unit code signals. Where the total selecting possibilities of but a single set of five code bars are adequate, it will be understood that the code bar assemblies 180 need but include five, to correspond with the minimum that may be associated with a single stock selecting signal.

All of the code bars 188 as well as those indicated 828 are supported for limited longitudinal reciprocal movement. Referring now particularly to the code bar assemblies 188, each will be noted to consist of a pair of notched bars II and I2, Fig. 4, secured together as at [3 by a rivet and spacer element or in any other. manner for maintaining rigid and in parallel alignment each pair of bars H and [2 which comprises an assembly 180. The selector notches H of each of the several bars II are located at regular spaced intervals, while those l of companion bars l2 are likewise equally spaced but located transversely at intermediate intervals with respect to the notches l4. As each code bar assembly 180 is moved from its right-hand (marking) to its left-hand (spacing) position, Fig. 3, the relative presentation of the notches I4 is transposed with those of the notches l5 so that accordingly, beneath each selectable element 883, there may be presented one or the other of the notches 14 or l5 depending upon the relative placement of the particular code bar assembly 180.

Considering for the momentthe individually selectable bars 883, it will be noted from Fig. 2 that these members are supported in spaced relationship each from the other within suitable slots IS in a comb 888. The end of each selectable element or rod 883 is bent over as at 904, and its extremity is conically pointed for insertion into a small opening ll beneath each of the slots l8 of said comb 983. The seating arrangement between the pointed end of the turned down portion 904 and its opening I! constitutes a fulcrum when expansion spring 986, confined between a stationary collar 985 on rod 883 and a follower washer l8 at the opposite end of said spring 888 exerts a mild influence towards rotating each element 888 counterclockwise, as viewed in the illustration of Fig. 2.

This movement on the part of each selectable element or rod 883 is restrained, however, when one or more of its roller flanges I9 is obstructed because of encounter with an unnotched portion of either of the bars II or l2, Fig. 3. For each arrangement of flanged collars 80! on any one of the selectable elements 883, there is suited a particular distribution of the code bar assemblies 180 which cause to be presented the clearance notches l4 so as to permit said selectable element 883 to respond to the urge of its spring 806 and be moved (counterclockwise, as viewed in Fig. 2) until its extremity performs some particular function for which it is designed, such as the closing of a pair of contact points, the interference with a particular moving element, or other selective function as is well-known in the printing telegraph art. I,

In the instant embodiment, each one of the assemblies 180 is urged by an individual spring 2| towards its left-hand position, Figs. 1 and 3, and is returned to its normal or right-hand position by a common return bail 22, the latter being mounted on a bell crank 23 which isactuated through its follower roller 24 by the cam 25 on the aforesaid shaft I8l. Normally each assembly 180 is held in its right-hand position by a tensioned latch 858, an integral portion of which constitutes a trigger 86 that is'actuated by another bell crank 855 under tension of spring 88! to rotate counterclockwise when permitted to do so by the selective withdrawal of its associated code bar projection 854.

The manner of positioning and resetting the code bar assemblies I80 is not vital to the present invention, any of several well-known methods being equally adaptable. From Fig. 4 it may be observed that each of the flanged collars SM is so proportioned that its flanged disc I9 is situated centrally in one-half of its longitude so that by reversing any one of the collars, its flange may be brought into alignment with one or the other of the bars H or l2. When a collar is placed on the rod 883 flange portion foremost, its code position is resolved in a definite manner different from that when said collar is applied flange portion rearmost. Accordingly, any code combination may be provided for in accordance with the distribution of the collars 90L From this, it may be seen that each selectable element 883 with its set of collars SM is capable of assignment to any one of the thirty-two permutations (in a five unit code). Meanwhile, it is to be recalled that each code bar assembly 180 is provided with both marking and spacing characteristics in the proximity of its several selecting portions asa result of which any code combination or distribution in the shifting arrangement of said assemblies 188 establishes a code condition for selecting one of the elements 883 no matter where said element may be disposed throughout the length of the code bar assembly group comprising the several units 188.

In addition to the versatility afforded by the principles disclosed and described above, further advantages resulting from this arrangement are manifest by a freer action between the selecting bars 188 and the elements 9M with which they are frequently in contactual engagement. Each collar 9M rolls freely on its shaft 883 and the several of them are assembled and confined by a stationary collar 21 at one end and a similar securing element at the other end. The characteristic of each collar Bill is, therefore, that of a. rollar while cooperating with either one of the bars II or ii, and for this reason, it may be noted that considerably less friction will result than in the case of conventional types of selector and selectable components.

While the present invention has been explained in contemplation of a specific embodiment, it is recognized that numerous modifications and variations may be made without departing from the essentials thereof. Accordingly, it is not intended to be limited by the specific details of the accompanying drawing nor by the particular language employed in the foregoing specification except as indicated by the hereinafter appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a code translator mechanism, a set of selectable bars one for each used signal combination of a permutation code, a set of two-position code bars of identical form corresponding in number to the number of component elements of a code, each code bar having projecting portions and intervening notches corresponding respectively to the two alternative characteristics of each code element, and code projections corresponding in number to the number of said elements in a code carried by each selectable bar and respectively positioned thereon according to the character of a particular signal to cooperate with one or the other of the projections and notches of the respective code bars whereby the code bars control the selectable bars in accordance with the respective elements of the code.

2. In a permutation selector mechanism, a set of selector elements each comprised of a plurality of notched bars, the several bars of each element having their notches staggered so as to be at variance with other notches of bars forming part of the same element, and a plurality of selectable members traversing said elements and having portions presentable opposite predetermined bars of ones of said elements.

3. A method of increasing the selective possibility of a permutation selector mechanism employing coded selector elements traversed by individually selectable members which comprises the steps of providing multiple selecting areas in staggered alignment under the control of each selectable element, and increasing the number of selectable members by arranging additional ones of them to be served by the increment of said multiple selecting areas.

4. In a permutation selector, a set of elements each positioned by a signal impulse comprising a factor of a permutation code, a pair of bars comprising each of said elements having notches edgewlse thereof, the notches of each bar being offset with respect to the notches of its associated bar, and a plurality of selectable members each having projections presentable opposite either of the bars or each element.

5. In a code translator mechanism for a signaling system wherein the signals are composed of different permutations of a definite number of elements capable of two different characteristics, a plurality of selectable members one for each used signal combination of a permutation code, two-position permutation members each composed of two portions rigidly fixed together each of said portions having a series of notches situated in intermediate staggered relation to the notches of the other of said portions, and code projections associated with said selectable members equal to the number of said elements and individually distributed thereon according to the characteristic of the elements oi a signal.

6. In a code selecting mechanism, a set of selecting members arranged in parallel alignment, a plurality of selectable devices arranged in an alignment traversing said parallel arrangement oi selecting members, a set oi reversible projecting elements associated with each of said selectable devices, and portions on said selecting members presentable in the proximity of said reversible projecting elements aflording either blocking or permissive characteristics thereto.

'7. In a code bar selector, a set of selecting members each comprised of a pair of bars, said bars being of identical notch and lug arrangement with the lugs of one of said bars opposite the notches oi the other of said bars of each pair, a plurality of selectable devices each having a set of projections corresponding to said members, and means for associating said projections with the bars of each of said pairs alternatively.

LOUIS M. POTTS.

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