US2200807A

US2200807A - Keyboard

Info

Publication number: US2200807A
Application number: US234566A
Authority: US
Inventors: Louis M Potts
Original assignee: Teletype Corp
Current assignee: AT&T Teletype Corp
Priority date: 1929-01-17
Filing date: 1938-10-12
Publication date: 1940-05-14
Anticipated expiration: 1957-05-14
Also published as: US2225657A; US2375383A

Description

May 14, 1940.

L. M; POTTS KEYBOARD Original Filed Jan. 17, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. LOUIS M POTTS ATTORNEY.

Patented May 14, 1940 KEYBOARD Louis M. Potts, Evanston, Ill., assignor to Teletype Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Original application January 17, 1929, Serial No. 333,161. Divided and this application October 12, 1938, Serial No. 234,566

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to telegraph systems and apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for the transmission of groups of signal impulses indicative of stock items and quotations.

The present application is a division of application Serial No. 333,161, filed January 17, 1929.

An object of the invention is a transmitter for the transmission of groups of signal elements, which may be operated at high speeds without signal interference.

A feature of the invention is a transmitter arranged with a plurality of key sections which are operated sequentially and in a definite order for the transmission of groups of Signal elements.

'A further feature of the invention is a telegraph transmitter wherein operation of its key levers is determined cyclically in response to a signal distributor with which it is operatively associated.

' The above and other objects and features of the invention are accomplished by the provision of a keyboard With its'key levers arranged in a plurality of groups or sections. Individual to each group or section are a plurality of contacts which, through the depression of the respective key levers, are operated permutably in accordance with the particular code identified with the several key levers. Different signal conditions such as, for example, the first, second, and third letters of a stock abbreviation, the units, tens, hundreds, and fractions part of the stock quotation, and the range thereof; that is, whether it be a low, high, last, or close quotation, are allocated to the various sections of the keyboard.

Each keyboard section is provided with a self locking apparatus which is not released until a predetermined interval during the transmission at which time a particular signal corresponding to said section has been transmitted Transmission of the groups of signal impulses, as determined by the operation of the contacts of the several sections of the keyboard is achieved through the operation of a start-stop distributor initiated in its operation through the closure of a contact associated with the section of the keyboard allocated to the fractions part of the quotation so that not until the stock item and its quotation have been set up on the various keyboard sections will a condition be established for the release of the distributor. During the cycle of rotation of the distributor, all of the groups of impulses identifying the stock item, its quotation, and range, will be transmitted.

A better understanding of the invention may be had from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, 'wherein Fig. 1 is a circuit. diagram of the keyboard transmitter and distributor;

Fig. 2 is a detail view of a section of the keyboard showing the key levers in their normal position;

Fig. 3 is a detail view of a section of the keyboard showing a key lever depressed and locked in its depressed position;

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the keyboard unlocking mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a partial plan view of the keyboard; and

Fig. 6 illustrates the code combinations which may be utilized in the transmission of stock items, stock quotations, and quotation ranges.

As disclosed in Fig. 1, thekeyboard includes eight different sections indicated generally by the reference characters H], II, 12, I3, I4, l5, l6, and I l. Each of the sections l0, II, and 12 comprises a set of telegraph key levers it, one for each letter of the alphabet. Included in each of the sections l3, l4, and iii are ten key levers it, one for each, of the digits 0 to 9. Keyboard section l6 includes seven key levers 20, one for each of the fractions part of a quotation to and a blank key lever 2| for establishing a starting condition for the distributor, as will be subsequently described. Keyboard section I! includes four

key levers

22, 23, 24, and 25, one each for the closing, open, high, and low range quotations, respectively.

According to the illustrated embodiment, the key levers i8 of the keyboard section Hi selectively operate five

contactors

2B, 29, 30, 3|, and 3?. permutably in accordance with the particular key lever of the keyboard section which is de pressed; that is, upon the depression of the various key levers, a different permuted setting of the contactors 2&32 will be established. 0011- tactors 28-.-32 are arranged to engage either upper contacts 34 or lower contacts 35, depending upon the operation of the key levers. Normally, the contactors engage the contacts 36. All of the contacts 34 as well as all of the contacts 35 are connected in multiple to sources of negative and positive currents, respectively. Upon the depression of a key lever 18, the contactors 2832 will be operated permutably to apply to their individual conductors current of polarity determined by the position of the contactors.

The key levers of the second and third sections of the keyboard; namely, H and I2, control five contactors similar to those described for the first keyboard section which is indicated generally by the numeral H]. In a manner similar to that described for the section in of the keyboard, the contactors of the sections H and I2 will be operated permutably for controlling the potential applied to the conductors individual thereto.

The levers 19 on the fourth section of the keyboard or the section numbered 13, comprising the ten digits, selectively control four contactors 3B W keyboard. andnormally under. the, tension. of

- zontal section lfi.

zontal section Mlextends. adistance insufficient normally to'engage. a universal member 4?...of.;a

condition identified with the range selection 7 which is efi'ective at the connected receiving station .to determine the indicators oi.a selected group of;-indicators to be operated-throughtthe mechanism provided for that purpose.

Upon operation of .a .-.k.ey r'lever such as, "for example, I6,.insectionJ-ll-of the keyboard, a-locking mechanism functionsto-lock the key-lever in its .depressed position and lock; therremaining key levers in the section against operation. As shown particularlyin Figs. 2 and 3,, the. .key levers. .such as, for example, i8, are pivotally mounted on rod All which extendstransversely. of the keyboard and which is suitably secured to-the frame thereof. Each of thekey levers is provided-with down- Wardly projecting lugs A! on the=underysurface thereof. .These lugs. are arranged invarious-combinations on the respectivezkey. levers so thatfor theseveral key levers .a differentsignal condition,

.upon its depression,.will.-be established. The lugs M on theunder surface ofthe.key ..levers cooper- ...ate .with. levers .42, pivotedon rods 43 ;..that.is, .there :isa rod 43 individual to. each'of .the-levers .42 and thereis a lever 42 for ,each .of .the. possible .five

, projections L 4 l on the. underside of. the .-key, levers l8. In responseto the operation. ofea .keylever, the, lever-s42 will .be rotatedin a,counterclockwise direction, has viewed in Jig. ..,2,...to causecorresponding operation of contactors..28.32 .to-,disengage contact -34 and. vengage .contact 35 in accordance with the projections AI.

As ;.specifically .disclosediinFig. .-2,,key. lever l.8.has,. on its under surface .two .projectionsA l Consequently,

vupon its -depression,,.the .levers-42. associated-with suchprojectionswill .be-operated for causing the contactors l .and. Site disengage their. contact 34 andrengage their .contact.35 for-applying. to..the

.- conductor ,individuahthereto the .polarityof the sourceof current touwhichit is connected.

Extending upwardly from each of the key levers l8 isa curved lugmember .55 provided with ahori- As .shownin Fig. .thehorilocking lever .48 whenallof therkeylevers [.8 are intheirunoperated position. Lever. as is .pivoted uponla rod .49 suitably. mounted in. the, frame .of

a spring 56 which has one end securedtolever .48 andtlie other end secured to .a.spring post. .on the vframe ofthe keyboard. Also asshowninFig. 2, the-universal member A! 'is adjacent :the lug members on each of. the key levers.

Springfifi normallymaintainslever 48 incri- -.gagement,with a latch leverfil pivotally mounted .on a rod .52 suitably carried in the-frame and normally urged into engagementwith the locking lever. is by the action .of spring-.53, one end of Which-is secured to an extension on the latch lever ,l'ahand the other end of .which-is securedto a -springpost mounted in the frame.

Latch lever 5| hasan extension 54 on which. is mounteda universal member 55 extending beneath all of the key; levers l8.

Under normal conditions with all of the key levers of that section in a nondepressed position,

spring 53 maintains the universal member 55 in engagement with the lower side of all of the key levers I8. 'zengagement with lever 68 and acts against the itension of spring '58 to maintain the universal 1 In that position, latch lever 5! is in member il -out of engagement with the horizontal extension 136 of the lug member @Eof each of the key levers 68. Upon the depression of any of *these key levers, the universal member 55 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed inFigJ-Z, to the position shown in Fig. 3. Under such-conditions, latch lever-5i is rocked against the tension of spring fitauntil it disengagesolever 48. 7 Spring 53 thereupon rocks lever 48 in .a counterclockwise: direction about rod- 49 .tomove the universal member E1 to the position shown-in extension MS- of the lug member .155 on thedepressed key lever 18. The .nondepressed key levers ill and the depressed key leverlS will be locked in. they nondepressed and depressedpositions', respectively, by the universal member. 41

occupying a positionas shown in Fig.3. .Ihthe case of the depressedkey lever, .the...universal member 4'5 will engage. the .uppersurfaceof horizontal extension 55, whereas for the .nondepressed Z20 .Fig. 3.-in operative relation with the horizontal key levers the universal member i! will. engage.

the under surface of thehorizontal extensionfit .of the nondepressed key levers.

Restoration of acdepressed key lever .to its normal or unactuated position is controlledby an.

electromagnet 5?, shown ,in; detail in Figs. 4-and 5, and diagrammatically in Fig. 1. Asshownin Figs. 4 and 5, the armature-.58 of the electromagnet 5'1 is secured to a pin 59 which is journaledin side plate 60 constituting apart .oflthe keyboard Secured to. the opposite endof pin 59 is .a .lever B! fastened to the universal member ill. -Whentheelectromagnet 51 is energized, itsarmaframe.

ture is attracted to the dottedlineposition shown in Fig. 4, and lever {58 is rotatedin a clockwise direction against the action ofispringfifii to. move universal memberJllyfree of thehorizontal extensions 46 on the lug member 45 ofeach oithekey levers I8. Spring53 thereupon restores levertl' to the position shown in. Fig. 2 and likewisethe depressed key leverwill be restored. to itsnormal or unactuated position.

Referring now to Fig. -1, it will be notedthat each of the co11tactors--23-.-.32. is connectedbya conductor such as 55 individual thereto to individual segments of astart-stop distributor. 66,

whichcomprises a plurality of groups of seg- :ments 5?, 68, 69, 10, 1!,"12, .l3,.and Mora group. of'segments individual to..each of. the sections of thekeyboard indicated generally bythe reference numeral ilk-I1. Of course, as is custome ary, the distributor 66 includes in theringwith the respective groups of segments 6!.14,. astop segment and a start segment numbered 15 .and

315, respectively. ,Distributor :68. also includes. a

solid ring ll arrangedto be bridged with the ring including the respective groups of segments by electrically interconnected'b-rushes l8 and 19 which are secured to a brush arm 80. .Brush arm 86 normally tends to rotate by power comfrom a motor 82 which maybe. supplied with any suitable source of power and is normally held against rotation .by the armature v ,of anelectromagnet 83.

-70 municated thereto through .a frictioniclutch 8| 85-432 of the adjacent ring of the distributor.

As also shown in Fig. l, the solid ring 11 of the distributor is connected to a line conductor '95 extending to a distant receiving station where apparatus responsive to the signal impulses generated through the operation of the distributor under the control of the respective sections of the keyboard may be located.

Segment l5 connected to the negative side of battery acts as the stop segment, whereas segment 16 connected to the positive side of battery serves as the start segment. The next fifteen segments or the segments included in the

groups

61, 68, and 69 are connected to the fifteen contactors 28-32 of the sections H], H, and I2 of the keyboard. The succeeding twelve segments or the segments included in the groups H3, H, and F2 are connected to the contactors 3B operated by the key'levers of the sections I3, 14, and I5 of the keyboard. The next three segments or the segments included in group 13 are connected to the contactors of section l6 of the keyboard and the next four segments or the segments included in group M are connected to the contactors controlled by the key levers in section I! of the keyboard.

By the arrangement previously described, there is transmitted for each rotation of the distributor 65, three letter characters, three numbers, a fraction, and a range signal. It will be noted that the same combination of impulses may be used for a letter, for a number, and for a fraction, due to the fact that the position of the combination is determined with respect to the start impulse as allocated to a particular position in the cycle of rotation of distributor 66.

As disclosed in Fig. 1, the segments 85-432 are positioned with respect to the groups of segments 1--'M, so that following the passage of brush 19 over the last segment in the respective groups of segments, brush 93 will engage a segment 85-92 to connect positive battery to the winding of the unlocking magnet 51 of the respective sections of the keyboard. Consequently, as the distributor brush arm 80 progresses in its cycle of rotation, the key levers of the respective sections previously depressed will be released and the contactors controlled thereby will be restored to their normal or unactuated position, following which another key lever may be depressed for utilization in a subsequent cycle of rotation of distributor 66.

The section of the keyboard indicated generally by the numeral It includes mechanism whereby, upon the depression of any of the key levers 26, a contact 96 will be closed. This contact is connected to ground, and when closed, completes a circuit over conductor 91 through the winding of electromagnet 83 to grounded battery. Consequently, upon the completion of the noted circuit, electromagnet 83 will be en ergized to move its armature out of the path of brush arm Bii, which, as previously described, normally tends to rotate by power communicated thereto from a motor 82 through a friction clutch 8!. The brush arm 80 rotates and in doing so, the brushes l8 and I9 and 920 and 93 carried by the brush arm 89 pass over the respective segmented and solid rings for performing their allocated function. The brush arm will complete a cycle of rotation when its rotation will. again be arrested by its engagement with the armature of electromagnet 82, in which position it will be maintained until a key lever of the section It of the keyboard is depressed, when the operation just described will be repeated.

It is significant to note that the previous description of the keyboard locking mechanism applied specifically to section In of the keyboard,

whereas the same mechanism is applied to each section of the keyboard and functions in a manner identical to that described in connection with section ill of the keyboard.

In order to transmit annotation of a particular stock item. the operator first depresses a key in each of the first three sections 10, ll, and I2 of the keyboard, assuming that the stock item includes in its abbreviation three letters. However, if the stock item includes only two letters in its abbreviation, a key in each of the first two sections; namely, l0 and H, of the keyboard will be depressed. If a key in section I2 is not depressed, a blank signal for that particular section of the keyboard will be transmitted through the operation of the distributor 66. Due to the depression of a key in each of the sections IO, M, and 12, a code identified with the letters of the alphabet, as indicated in the first three columns of Fig. 6, will be transmitted through the operation of distributor 66.

The operator will also depress a kel in each of the sections it, id, id, and 56 which will set up conditions indicative of the codes for the units, tens, hundreds, and fractions part of the quotation. As previously described, the depression of a key in section I6 causes the operation of contact 98 which completes a circuit from ground at battery through the winding of electromagnet 83, conductor 9i, and contact 96 to ground. Electromagnet 83 is thereupon energized and withdraws its armature from engagement with brush arm 80, which rotates by power communicated from motor 82 through friction clutch Bi.

With brush l9 resting on segment 15, current from the negative pole of the source of current connected to segment 15 will flow over line conductor 95, which is connected to solid ring 1'! of distributor 56. As the brush [9 moves to the next or start segment it, positive battery is connected to line 95 through brushes 18 and I8 and solid ring H. The application of the start impulse to line conductor will cause tributor at the receiving or distant station to begin its rotation, for such distributor, like distributor 68, has a brush arm normally held against rotation by the armature of a normally lie-energized start magnet. energizes the start magnet of the receiving distributor at the distant station and permits rotation of its brush arm which will rotate in timed relation with brush arm 89 of distributor 6B.

As the brushes 1'8 and five segments or the segments included in group 67, a code is impressed upon line conductor 95 in accordance with the position of the contactors 28-32 of section iii of the keyboard. The impulses will be transmitted irorn the positive and negative sources of current connected to contacts 34 and. 35, as previously described.

As the brushes "#8 and 79 continue their rotation, engagement with the segments of groups 68 the receiving dis- The start impulse #9 pass over the first and 69 will be effected sequentially and a code .for,-,each of the-notedgroups of'segmentsfitand 569- Will be transmitted over the line-conductor '95,as determined by the position of the contact-ore under the control of key levers in the sections H and 52 of the keyboard. The code impulses transmitted as a result of the passage of the brushes 2'3 and 19 over the group of segments iii, 65, and 69 will be efiective at the receiving station to select an indicator allocated .to the three groups of code signals transmitted.

Thebrushes-lt and I9, in passing over thenext four segments or the segments included inggroup .iii. transmit a'code signal-comprising a combination of four impulses individual. to a digit such as, for example, the hundreds part of a quotation for the particular item selected through the operation of keys in the sections it), i i, and 42.

The impulses so transmitted will function to operate correspondingly the indicator at the distant receiving station selected through the operation of the key levers in sections Ii], H, and

82. Similar operation occurs as the brushes 18 and'ivi pass over the segments included in groups ii, 32, and 73. Code signals dependent upon the the stock items.

depression of particular keys of the sections Hi,

15, and it of the keyboard will accordingly be transmitted.

It was noted previously that section I? of the keyboard includes

key levers

22, 23, 2t, and 25,

which are identified with the range of the quotation; that is, the key levers may be identified with the open, high, low and last quotations of transmitted in accordance with the depression of any of the key levers 22-25 will controhat the receiving or distant station, mechanism for selecting an indicator identified with the class of the quotation; that is, for each of the stock items there may be four indicators, an open, high, low, and last indicator. The code signal transmitted as the brushes i8 and 19 pass over the group of segments it will select one of the named indicators on which the hundreds, tens, units, and

fractions part of the quotation will be displayed, as determined by the operation of the key levers of sections is, M, 5, and N5 of the keyboard.

rushes 929 and 93, which are also mounted on brush arm 3i rot-ate with brushes 18 and 19.

Brush 83 successively engages segments 85-432 and connects such segments electrically with solid as shown,'is connected to the posof battery. Upon the engagement ring 8d which, itive terminal of'brush 3 with the segments 8592, a circuit for the respective locking magnets of the respective sections of the keyboard is established; for

example, when brush 93 engages segment 95, a

energizing the unlocking vmagnet 5? of section ii) of the keyboard. Eleccircuit is completed for troznagnet 5?, in operating, moves lever 49 in a clockwise direction against the tension of spring 53- to restore universal member Q! and lever 5! to the position shown in Fig. 2. Under such conditions the depressed key lever I8 will be restored to its-normal or unactuated position. The operator may then operate any of the keys in section it of the keyboard.

As the brush 93 successively engages segments 8692, the unlocking magnets 51 identified with the other sections of the keyboard'will be operated sequentially to restore the keyboard sections ,to. norma1. Folowing the operation of the unlocking magnet 57 of each of the sections of the keyboard, another or thesame key lever in such In other words, a code signal section or sections:maybedepressed. .The brush arm 88 of the distributor -66 continues its'rotation until itagain engages the-armature of electromagnet 83, where it will beheld until a subse-' quent operation of a key lever in section 56 when contact 85 will again be operated to complete the energizing circuit for electromagnet 83 toagain release brush arm to of the distributor 66 for ro-. ,tation.

'IIhe various code signals for the parts of the quotation and the open, high, low, last, or close ..quotations are shown in Fig. 6., It is manifest, however, that other codes might be developed. for

identifying-the various letters of. the stock items and the quotations.

According to the foregoing description, the invention embodiesa plurality of keyboard sections each including a plurality of key levers for op-. .erating a plurality of contacts permutably dependent upon the'group of signals identified with a character to be transmitted. Upon the depression of a key lever inthe respective sections, of t the keyboard, the key levers ofthe actuated section are held or locked against depression. Successive sections of a segmented ring of a startstop distributor are connected successively'to the several groups'of contacts of thevarious sections of the keyboard which, upon the depression of, a

key lever in one of the sections of the keyboard,

1. In a telegraph transmitter, a series of key levers, a lock-for holdingthekey levers in operated and unoperated position upon the operation .of a key lever, a latch normally holding the lock in free position, means to release the latch upon the operation of any key lever, and remotely con trolledineahs to relatch theylock.

2. In a telegraph transmission system, a plu rality of keyboards, keyboardlatching apparatus adapted to store a plurality of signals successively transmitted by said keyboardsrmeans'toinitiate transmission under a predetermined condition of said apparatus, means to store signals of av sec- 0nd group insaid apparatus before the signal of a preceding group has been completely transmitted, and means to delay the storage of a sec-. ond group of signals until the corresponding group of signals 'of a first group has been'transmitted.

3. In a telegraph system, a signal storage device adapted to receive and-store groups of permutation code signals for transmission-succes-f sively, a start-stop transmitter fortransmitting the signals stored in said storage device, means to initiate said transmitter after said storage device has been predeterminedly conditioned, means to begin the storage of a succeeding group'of signals in said storage device before a preceding group of signals has been completely transmitted, and means to delay the storage of a succeeding group of signals until the corresponding signals of a preceding group have been transmitted.

LOUIS M. PO'I'I'S.