US2934948A - Checking device - Google Patents

Description

May 3, 1960 J. T. svEc 2,934,948

CHECKING DEVICE Filed Dec. 8, 1955 a Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR JERRY T. SVEC ATTORNEY J. T. SVEC CHECKING DEVICE May 3, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 8, 1955 M 5 Nm mvimon JERRY T. SVEC 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 J. T. SVEC CHECKING DEVIC INVENTOR JERRY T SVEC ATTORNEY May 3, 1960 Filed D60. 8, 1955 2,934,948 r CHECKING DEVICE Jerry T. Svec, Chicago, 111., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Fairchild Camera 8; Instrument Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application December 8, 1955, Serial No. 551,844

3 Claims. (Cl. 73-456) This invention relates to composing systems and apparatus therefor and more particularly to checking devices for keyboard perforators and counters used in the preparation of control strips for the automatic control of composing machines.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a verifying means, whereby a predetermined coincidence between two related conditions is confirmed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for checking the coding of the counting, control elements in a keyboard ,perforator and counter. Composing machines of the linecasting type are -provided with matrices which consist of small brass units carrying indented characters or intaglios, and which vary in thicknessaccording to the width of the character impressed thereon. matter is dependent not only upon the number of matrices. 7 included in the line but also upon the cumulative thick- The length of a line of composed nesses of the matrices composing the line.

Matrices of the same style or font are stored in a matrix magazine, and these matrix magazines are adapted ,to be utilized interchangeably in the composing machine.

Corresponding matrices in the different fonts may vary in thickness; thus, 'lines of the same length but composed of a different style or font of type will contain a different number of characters per line. To take cognizance of these matrix thicknesses in preparing perforated tape afor control'of composing machines, a perforator and counter of the type shown in United States Patents Nos.

;2,05 9,250 and 2,080,424 is used; the latter patent dis- ,closing a counting magazine arrangement which may be interchangeable to correspond to each matrix magazine. A feature of the present invention is to facilitate the expeditious checking of code elements in .the counting magazines of perforators and counters of the type shown element with the proper keylever. With the'device of the present invention it is only necessary to strike each key once in the unshift position and oncein the shift position.

; After the key is depressed, the inspector checks the light i on the panel board against the counting magazine specification chart. Below the lights on the panel board are the numerals indicating the unit count.

A more comprehensive understanding of the present invention may be had from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: Fig. 1 is a perspective representation of the-keyboard embracing the present invention; e

Each

ing pair of code bars.

2,934,940 Fatentecl May 3, 1960 ice Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the panel board and copyholder associated-with the keyboard unit;

Fig. 3 is a sectional'view of the checking device show ing some of the elements comprising the contact assembly;

Fig. 4 is a perspective representation of the addedcount contact mechanism; and 2 Fig. 5 is a schematic circuit arrangement according to the present invention.

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters represent the same parts throughout the several views, Fig. 1 shows a keyboard device of the type shown in United States Patent No. 2,059,250 modified as shown in United States Patent No. 2,080,424 to include an interchangeable code bar unit, and further modified to accomplish the objects of the present invention. The device as illustrated in said Patent No. 2,059,250 has been still further modified to omit the counting unit, the scale mechanism and the perforating features.

Housed within the base 11 are a plurality of keylevers 12 which are mounted on a common pivot rod 20 and are upheld by springs (not shown) in well known manner. The keylevers 12 are provided with keys 13, and extend over a number of pairs of code bars 14 and 15 (Fig. 4) of a selecting unit 16 for controlling the contacts (as will presently appear) of a checking device, generally indicated as 17. The bars 14 and 15 of each pair are supported (Fig. 4) by a pair of T-shaped rocker arms 18 (one at each end), only one rocker arm being shown. Arms 18 have oppositely oif-set lugs 19 which uphold the code bars 14 and 15 respectively of the correspond- The rocker arms 18 of each pair of code bars are pivoted to and reciprocate a permutation bar 211, and these bars 21 (comparable to bars 58, Fig. 4, of Patent No. 2,059,250) are connected to individual Y-shaped members 22, Figs. 1 and 3 (comparable to Y-shaped members 59, Fig. 4, of Patent No. 2,059,250).

Interposed between the series of keylevers 12 and the .selector unit 16 is a removable and interchangeable code bar unit or magazine indicated generally by the numeral 23 which carries therein a plurality of pairs of codenotched slides or elements 24, all as more fully described in said Patent No. 2,080,424.

One member of each pair of elements 24 is for upper case characters, and the other is for lower case characters. In this manner, a pair of counting code elements are provided which is slidable vertically in a common slot below each keylever. Thus, there is allotted to each of the keylevers 12 a pair of code-notched slides or elements 24 which coact with the pairs of code bars 14 and 15 of the selecting unit 16. When any keylever 12 is depressed, the selector bars 14 and 15 will be moved in accordance with the location of the projections 25 on the code elements 24 to cause the movement of the permutation bars 21 in varying permutations. As more fully set forth in said Patents Nos. 2,059,250 and 2,080,424,

the permutation bars 21 are operatively related to the bar of that pair in a reverse direction, and causes the bar 21 to be reciprocated longitudinally upon the alternate actuation of said pair of bars.

As previously mentioned, the arrangement according ,to the present invention is designed to give an instantaneous check of the association of the proper element 24 with the proper keylever 12. To facilitate the checking function, the slots in the interchangeable code bar unit are numbered from left to right; for example, ,1 to 64, and to correspond therewith the keys 13 .are also into the code notches.

numbered from 1 to 64; that is, the No. 1 key corresponds to the No. 1 slot, etc. As more clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 7 of Patent No. 2,080,424, and indicated in Fig. 4 of the drawings herein, the designations 26 on the codenotched elements 24, which represent the number of units, or the unit-group, to which the character represented'thereby belongs, are made in such manner that when the two code-notched elements are assembled, the

lower case count may be read on the face of the front bar nearest to the left end, and the upper case count may be observed on the face of the rear bar through the window or aperture 27 in the front bar. As stated in Patent No. 2,080,424, the advantage of providing the counting codenotched elements in pairs resides in the fact that these elements may be reversed end for end, either jointly or individually, and may thus be utilized in one position for upper case counts, and in reversed position for lower count pertaining to the pair of elements 24 in upper and lower case.

As previously mentioned, the Y-shaped members 22 are positioned in accordance with the operation of the permutation bars 21 and will control the setting of a plurality of notched discs 29, forming pait of the checking device 17. Individual to each of the members 22 and notched code discs 29 is a transfer lever 31 which is pivotally mounted on a rod 32, journalled in a bracket 33 (Fig. 3) which is rocked in proper timed relation, through the coaction of a cam follower (not shown) and operating cam 34 mounted on the operating shaft 35 (Fig. 1), in a manner described in said patent, to reciprocate the transfer levers 31 vertically. Power is applied to shaft 35, in well known manner, by a motor 30 unit 23, 'thecorresponding keylever number and the unit 7 mounted on the housing 11. For each operation of the bracket 33, the transfer levers 31 will be moved into operative relation with the Y-shaped levers 22; that is,

whether the members 22 are swung to the right or left as viewed in Fig. 1, the transfer levers 31 will engage or be free of the upper end of Y-shaped members 22 to cause the code discs 29 to be rocked in either a clockwise or a counterclockwise direction; With the Y-shaped members 22 operated in varying permutations in accordance with the movement of the permutation bars 21, the discs 29 will likewise be rotated in varying permutations and will correspondingly cause the alignment of the various groups of notches formed in the periphery of the.

discs.

Cooperating with the notches of the. discs 29 are a plurality of rod members or contact controllers 36, there being a rod member individual to each set of code notches (when aligned) and arranged with anti-friction rollers 37. Rod members 36 are mounted in peripheral notches in a fulcrum disc 38 and are held therein by a garter spring 39, so that the rod members 36 are thus pivotally related to said disc 38. Each of the rod members 36 is centripetally biased by an individual spring 41. In this manner, the rod members 36 normally tend to move radially toward a common center into the code notches of the discs 29, but inasmuch as the code notches are arranged so that for each setting of the discs only one group of code notches will be in transverse alignment, only one of the rod members 36 at a time will be moved Also, the code notches in the discs 29 are arranged so that when the discs are moved for a subsequent selection, the previously'selected rod 4 member 36 will be cammed outwardly against the action of its associated spring 41.

Each of the rod members 36 is provided with an extension or tail portion 42. Individually associated with each rod member 36 is a contact assembly 43. Contact assemblies 43 are arranged concentrically with respect to rod members 36 and are mounted on the periphery of a circular member 44 secured on shaft 45 of the checking device 17. Each of the contacts 48 of the assemblies 43 comprise a pair of yieldable blades 46 and 47, the blade 47 of which carries at its extremity an adjustable screw member 40 adapted to coact with the extension 42 of its associated rod member 36.

As is known in the art to which the present invention pertains, each of the rod members 36 is assigned to one of the unit-groups into which a font of type is divided. In the design of fonts of type eachcharacter is assigned to a certain definite unit-group; for example, the widest characters may be divided into eighteen units, and fourteen groupings may be established on the basis of unit sizes ranging from 5 units to 18 units, inclusive. In the l8-unit system, 18 units are equivalent to the set or em quad size of the font of type. The lower case a would, for example, be assigned to group 11 regardless of the font or style of type, signifying that a lower case a" is 11 units in width, a unit being not a fixed dimension but merely a proportion of the quad size in the particular font of which it is a part.

Experience has demonstrated that a very large number of fonts cannot be classified in accordance with an 18- unit system. However, nearly all fonts canbe classified by using a system of 32-units where the em-space is 32-units in thickness and in which all the other matrices range from 5 to 32 units in thickness. With this system employing a greater number of units more accurate grouping of the various characters of a font of type can be attained, and hence more accurate counting or totalizing-of the thicknesses of the matrices composed in a line can beachieved.

According to the present invention, an auxiliary contact device 51 is provided to supplement the operation of the checking device 17 when the unit counts identified with certain elements 24 range above the 18-unit count to and including 32-units. In other words, the checking device 17 in its control of the panel board 52 (Fig. 2), as will hereinafter appear, may have its action modified under certain conditions where an increased count is required.

Having reference to Fig. 4, the actuation of bars 14 and 15 by means of a keylever'12 through a codenotched element 24 having a code projection 25 therefor will cause, through a rocker arm 18, thelongitudinal reciprocation of permutation bar 54, depending upon Whether or not it is desired to operate the auxiliary contact device 51. Bar 54 is pivotally articulated to the depending arm of a lever 55 carried on the pivot shaft 56 common to the Y-shaped levers 22. The'upper end of lever 55 is connected pivotally to one end of a con-' necting link 57, the other end of which is'articulated to one arm of a bell crank lever58 mounted pivotally at 59 on the housing 11. The other arm of lever 58 cooperates with a contact assembly 61 carried on the bracket 62 of the auxiliary contact device 51. When it is desired to do so the bar 14, associated with the auxiliary contact device 51, is depressed to the position shown in Fig.4; whereupon the permutation bar 54 has assumed its rightward position and lever 55 its counterclockwise position, link 57 its leftward position, and bell crank 58 its counterclockwise position to close the contact 63 of the contact assembly 61.

As disclosed in said Patent No. 2,059,250, a keylever 12 operates, simultaneously with the operation of the selector bars 14 and 15 of the selector mechanism 16,

a universal bar (not shown), which trips a clutch 64 to spasms s which is permitted to make one-half revolution for each cycle of operation of the. apparatus.

Also carried on the sleeve65 is a cam 66 which con- 7 trols the shifting of the code bar unit 23 in the manner disclosed in United States Patent No. 2,562,737. Briefly, the bar 68 which carries at its end apair of attrahently biased pawls 69 and 7'1 which cooperate selectively with a pair of shift members '72 and 73, depending upon the position of arm 74 of lever 75, to effect through arms 76 and 77 the clockwise or counterclockwise rotation of a shift lever 78 pivoted at 79. As fully described in said Patent No. 2,562,737, the lever 78 controls the shifting of the code unit 23 forwardly to one case position and rearwardly 'to the other case position. A certain keylever 12 is assigned to letters shift, and another keylever is assigned to figures shift, so that upon the operation of these keylevers, the bell crank lever 81 is rocked about its pivot 82 to elfect a corresponding rotation of lever 75 about its pivot 83 to cause arm 74 to bring pawls 69 and 71 selectively into cooperative relation with shift members 72 and '73.

The electrical circuit for the checking device according to the present invention is shown in Fig. 5. The lower blades 47 (Fig. 3) of contact assemblies 43 are connected over common conductor 84 (Fig. 5) to a source of current 85. The upper blades 46 of said contact assemblies are severally connected over individual conductors 86 to lamps 87 on the panel board 52. As shown in Fig. 1, the conductors 86 are assembled in a cable 88 leading from the checking device 17. (Fig. 1) to the panel board 52' (Fig. 2). Upon the depression of a keylever 12 a contact 48, identified with the unit count assiged to code-notched element 24 associated with said keylever, will be closed to establish a circuit for a corresponding one of the lamps 87, said circuit extending from one side of the source of power 85, over common conductor 84, through closed contact 48, over the corresponding individual conductor 86 to said one of Owing to the fact that the bars 14 and 15 have no normal position, but remain in their last set position until their position is altered by a subsequent code, the lamp 91 remains lighted as long as the bar 15 associated with the auxiliary contact device 51 is in its lowermost position.

Thus, so long as keylevers are depressed relating to counts over 18 units, the lamp 91 will remain lighted. Conversely, so long as keylevers are depressed relating to counts of 18 units and under, the lamp 91 will not be lighted. As is well known, certain of the elements 24 are identified with functions; such as, elevator, upper rail, lower rail, shift andunshift etc, have no unit count. Accordingly, to accommodate this condition, a contact 48 (marked F? in Fig. 5) is provided, which when closed, will complete a circuit over its associated conductor 86 to light the lamp 92, under which (on panel board 52) is the legend F.

In the operation of the checking arrangement according to the present invention, a counting magazine specification chart 28 (Fig. 2) is prepared for each font of type and secured to the copyholder portion 93 of the panel board 52. In said specification, the numbers are arranged from 1 to 60 (for example), and opposite each number is given the character (alphabetical, numerical, punctuation marks, etc.) with the unit count belonging to each character. Now, it is presumed that the proper code-notched elements 24 have been placed in theproperly numbered slots to agree with the proper numbered ment 24 pertainingthereto must have been inserted in the lamps 87, then over return conductor 89 to the other side of the source of power 85. The lighted lamp 87 will then indicate the unit group identified with the keylever that has been depressed.

It is noted that there are two rows of numbers below the lamps 87, wherein the upper row is'identified with groups 5 to 18, and the lower row is identified with groups 19 to 32, inclusive.

To inform the operator as to which group reading is applicable, the lamp 91 is provided, which when extinguished indicates that the upper row reading should be used, and when illumihated, as will presently appear, indicates that the lower row of numbers should be used. To facilitate the reading of the group numbers, the present embodiment of the invention contemplates that the lamp 91 be colored red and the remaining lamps 87 be colored white. Moreover, the upper row of numbers may be printed in black, while the lower row of numbers together with the legend Use Red Figs, under the lamp 91, be printed in red.

As previously mentioned, the auxiliary contact device 51 is employed to supplement the operation of the checking device 17 when unit counts range above the 18- unit count. Thus, when a keylever 12, identified with a unit count above 18 units, is depressed, a contact 48 is closed, as previouslydescribed, and simultaneously 1 therewith the contact 63 of the auxiliary contact device 51 is also closed, due to the presence of a suitably located code projection 25, on element 24, for controlling the operation of the auxiliary contact device 51, as previouslydescribed. So, upon the closure of contact 48, a circuit is completed, as previously traced, to illuminate the selected lamp 87. At the same time, the contact 63 is closed to complete a circuit to illuminate the lamp 91 extending from source of current 85 over common conductor 84, through contact 63, over conductor 90, through lamp 91 and over common return conductor 89 to the other side of the source of power 85.

the No. .19 slot in said unit 23. Also, assuming that the letter D is 10 units inwidth, then when the No. 19 keylever of the device shown in Fig. l is depressed, the lamp 87 over the numeral 10 on the panel board 52, shown in Fig. 2, will be lighted, thus confirming the predetermined coincidence between the proper element 24 and the proper keylever 12. If, on the other hand, the wrong lamp 87 is lighted, then the Operator is apprised that an I errorv has occurred in the placement of the element 24 in the unit 23.

Although the present invention has been disclosed in connection with a perforator and counter, it is, of course, understood that the invention is capable of embodiment in applications other than that specifically disclosed without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed'is: Y

1. In a checking device for checking code bar units having a plurality of pairs of interchangeable codenotched elements, a code disc selector having a plurality of code discs peripherally notched in accordance with a permutation code, a plurality of contact devises cooperable with the notched peripheries of said discs, each contact device operated selectively pursuant to the occurrence of an alignment of notches corresponding thereto in said discs, a plurality of key levers, a permutation code selecting mechanism comprising a plurality of perinutatively settable bars cooperably related to said code discs,

means for positioning a detachable and interchangeable code bar unit to be checked between said 'key levers and said bars with each of said pairs of code-notched elements operatively interposed between said bars and one of saidkey levers, each said pair having a predetermined dimensional characteristic related to the particular keylever with which it is intended to'be associated, means for effecting a relative shifting movement between said code-notched elements and said bars whereby said contact devices may be operated according to one or the other element of each pair of elements, indicating means adapted in response to the selective actuation of the key levers to give an indication of the existence of said predetermined dimensional characteristic relation, and circuits controlled by said contact devices for efiectuating the operation of said indicating means, whereby said pre determined relation between said key levers and said code-notched elements is confirmed. w

In a checking device for checking code bar units having a pluralityof pairs of interchangeable codenotched elements, a code disc selector having a plurality of code discs peripherally notched in accordance with a, permutation code, a plurality of contact devices c operable with the notched peripheriesof said discs, each contact device operated selectively pursuantto the occurrence of an alignment of notches corresponding thereto in said discs, a plurality of key levers, a permutation code selecting mechanism comprising a plurality of permutatively settable bars cooperably related to said code discs, means for positioning a detachable and interchangeable code bar unit to be checked between said key levers and said bars with each of said pairs of code-notched elements operatively interposed between said bars and one of said key levers, each said pair having a predetermined dimensional characteristic related to the particular: key lever with which it is intended to be associated,

means for effecting a relativeshifting'movement between said code-notched elements and said barswhereby said contact devices may be operated according to cheer the other element of each pair of elements, an additional contact device controlled by certain of said key levers jointly with said plurality of contact devices, indicating means adapted in responseto the selective actuation of the key levers to give an indication of the existence of said predetermined dimensional characteristic relation, andcircuits controlled by said contact devices singly and jointly for effectuating the operation of said indicating means,

whereby said predetermined relationbetween said key levers and said code-notched elements is confirmed.

3. In a checking device for checking code barunits having a v plurality of pairs of interchangeable codenotched elements, a codedisc selector having a plurality of code discs peripherally notched in accordancewith a permutation code, a primary contact mechanism comprising a plurality of contact devices cooperable with the notched peripheries of said discs, each contact device operated selectively pursuant to the occurrence of an alignment of notches corresponding "thereto in said discs, a plurality of key levers, a permutation code selecting mechanism comprising a plurality of permutatively settable bars cooperably related to said code discs, means for positioning a detachable and interchangeable code bar unit to be checked between said key levers and said bars with each of said pairs of code-notched elements opera tively interposed between said bars and one of said key levers, each said pair having a predetermined dimensional characteristic related to the particular key lever with which it is intended to be associated, means for efiecting a relative shifting movement between said code-notched elements and said bars whereby said contact devices may be operated according to one or the other element of each pair of elements, a secondary contact mechanism controlled by certain of said key levers jointly with said primary contact mechanism, indicating means adapted in response to the selective actuation of the key levers to give an indication of the existence of said predetermined dimensional characteristic relation, and circuits controlled by said contact mechanisms singly or jointly for etfectuating the operation of said indicating means, whereby said pretermined relation between the key levers and said code-notched elements is confirmed.

, References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Larson et a1. May 18,1937 Goedeke Sept. 16, 1952 j 2,080,424 astens

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