US3112395A

US3112395A - Indicating counter device

Info

Publication number: US3112395A
Application number: US785957A
Authority: US
Inventors: Dallas H Lien
Original assignee: Western Electric Co Inc
Current assignee: AT&T Corp
Priority date: 1959-01-09
Filing date: 1959-01-09
Publication date: 1963-11-26
Anticipated expiration: 1980-11-26

Description

Nov. 26, 1963 D. H. LlEN 3,112,395

INDICATING COUNTER DEVICE Filed Jan. 9, 1959 R if E I! i U Q,

\ N c o W o 4 k United States Patent 3,112,395 INDICATING C(BUNTER DEVICE Dallas H. Lien, Indianapolis, Ind assignor to Western Electric Company, incorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Jan. 9, 1959, Ser. No. 785,957 1 Claim. ((31. 235-92) This invention relates to an indicating counter device and more particularly to a device comprising a plurality of lamps selectively controlled by a relay circuit to indicate and record circuit conditions subsequent to a predetermined number of actuations of a pair of push-button switches.

In the inspection of large runs of manufactured articles, an inspector will periodically remove a randomly selected lot from the run and will inspect this sample for quality. If the inspector finds a predetermined number of satisfactory parts between two unsatisfactory parts, then he will consider the run is resulting in products of acceptable quality. However, if one part is found unsatisfactory and before the predetermined number of satisfactory parts are found another unsatisfactory part is found, then it is presumed that the run is resulting in products that are below a predetermined quality level. At present, the inspector makes these counts mentally thus resulting in numerous and frequent errors.

It is a prime object of this invention to provide a new and improved indicating counter device for use by production inspectors.

A further object of this invention is to provide an indicating counter circuit with a plurality of normally deenergized relays which, when rendered effective, actuate a visual system informing an inspector of the acceptability or rejectability of a sample lot of articles under inspection.

Another object of this invention is to provide an indicating counter that may be reset for subsequent operation by the depression of a switch regardless of existing conditions within a control circuit of the device.

With these and other objects in view, the present invention contemplates an indicating counter circuit comprising, among other things, a power supply, a series of relays, a plurality of indicating lamps and a pair of manually adjusted rotary switches which are preset in accordance with predetermined specifications. Upon depressing a first of a pair of push buttons, a pair of relays are energized and are maintained in this energized condition prior to initiating an inspection operation. When the inspection of a randomly selected sample of articles has begun and ascertainment of a satisfactory article has been made, a second push button is depressed. This action is repeated for each satisfactory article inspected. Should an unsatisfactory article be found prior to a preset number of actuations of the second push button as determined by the setting of the rotary switches, said first push button is again actuated thereby illuminating a red indicating lamp. However, should the second push button be actuated in accordance with the preset number, a green lamp will be lit indicating the sample lot is a satisfactory representation of an entire run.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein the single FIGURE is a diagrammatic view of a circuit forming one embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, the counter circuit comprises, among other things, a pair of manually adjusted rotary switches and 11 which are set in compliance with predetermined requirements. Successive contacts of the switch 10 are connected in series with corresponding contacts of a stepping relay generally designated by the numeral *9. The stepping relay comprises a stepping magnet 14 and a sweeper arm 12. The sweeper arm 12 of the stepping relay may be actuated by either the stepping magnet \14 or a reset magnet 16. The contacts of the rotary switch 11 are similarly associated with the contacts of a second stepping relay designated by the numeral 8. A sweeper arm arm '13 of the second stepping relay may be advanced by either a stepping magnet 15 or a reset magnet 17.

A power supply 1% is tapped by a plurality of conductors leading to diverse locations throughout the circuit but particularly to the sweeper arm 12 and to a pair of push buttons Zll and 21. Normally open push-button switch 2 1 is connected to a normally closed accept pushbutton switch 22 for simultaneous actuation therewith.

In an actuated position, the reject push button 20' provides a direct path for current to a counter 23, the reset magnet 17 and a relay 24. Current passed through the relay 24 results in the drawing up of contacts 25 and 26 and the subsequent energization of relay 27 which in turn draws up contacts 28 and 29. Closure of contacts 28 completes a locking circuit for the relay 27 which may be traced through the contact '28 and a contact 30 of a deenergized relay 6-2 and conditions the circuit for the subsequent energization of relay 33. The release of push button 20 opens the path of current to the relay 24 resulting in the return of the contacts 25 and 26 to their former positions and the energization of relay 33 thereby drawing up contacts 34 and 35. Energizing current for the relay 36 is provided by a circuit which may be traced from the relay through contacts 29, 26 and 30 to the power supply 18.

Any subsequent depression of the push button 26 will again energize the relay 24 and draw up the contacts 25 and 26 thereby energizing a relay 36. The relay 36 when energized draws up contacts 4 7 to complete a circuit for a red indicating lamp 44. The path for energizing current for relay 36 can be traced from the AC. source through the contact 25, a rectifier 37 and the contact 35. As a further consequence of the closing of the contacts 25 and 26, current will pass from the source through the contact 25 and a rectifier 38, thereby providing energizing current for the reset magnet 16.

Each simultaneous actuation of the push buttons 21 and 22 affects several components. When closed, push button 21 provides a path for current from the power supply 18 to a counter '41 and the stepping magnet 14 while the switch 22 conditions a circuit from a contact X of the first stepping relay to the stepping magnet 15 of the second stepping relay. Repeated energization of the stepping magnets 14 and 15 results in the advance of the sweeper arms 12 and 1 3. When a predetermined setting has been reached and the sweeper arms 12 and 13 are positioned at contacts coincident with those at which the wiper arms or the switches 10 and 11 have been placed, energizing current will pass directly from the source through the relay 32 to ground. Enerigization of relay 32 draws up contacts 30 and 31. The closure of contact 30 provides a direct path for current from the source to the green indicating lamp 42, and the drawing up of contact 3d opens an existing circuit to an initially illuminated yellow 131111343. The red lamp 44 is illuminated and the yellow lamp extinguished when the relay 32 is in a deenergized state and the relay 36 has been energized and has closed contacts 46 and 47.

Made of Operation Having set the manually adjustable switches 10 and 11 in compliance with predetermined requirements of N successive satisfactorily inspected articles, the inspector then depresses push button 20. The actuation of push button 20 conditions the circuit for an inspection operaa tion by energizing the relays 27 and 33 and resetting sweeper arms 12 and 13 in the previously described manner. The illumination of the yellow indicating lamp 43 verifies the pre-inspection conditioning of the circuit and informs the inspector that the relays 27 wd 33 are energized. A path for current to the lamp 43 is provided by the conductors leading from the power supply 18 through push-button switch 20 and contacts 31 and 47 of

relays

32 and 36.

When the inspection operation has begun, the inspector, upon ascertaining that an article satisfactorily meets the defined requirements, depresses push button 22. Each depression of switch 22 simultaneously affects the counter 41 and results in the energization of the stepping magnet 14, thereby advancing the sweeper arm 12. Nine successive depressions of the push button 22 will place the sweeper arm 1-2 at the contact designated by the X. With the arm in this position, the release of the push button 22 will provide a path for energizing current to the stepping magnet 15 thereby advancing the sweeper arm 13. A subsequent depression of the switch 22 will advance the sweeper arm 12 to the position designated by a Y and will result in the energization of the reset magnet 16. Current to the magnet 16 will fiow from the source through the wiper arm 12 to ground.

Should N successive articles be found satisfactory, a path for current from the AC. source to ground through the arms 10, 11, 12 and 13 will exist and the energization of relay 32 will result. Contacts and 31 will be closed thereby illuminating the green lamp 42 and extinguishing the yellow lamp 43, which has been illuminated since the initial depression of the push button 20. However, should an unsatisfactory article be found prior to the inspection of N successive satisfactory articles, the inspector will again depress push button 20 thereby energizing the relay 24. Since relays 27 and 33 are locked in an energized position, the contact 35 is closed and provides a path for energizing current to relay 36. Relay 36 will then draw up contacts 46 and 47 thereby illuminating the red lamp 44 and extinguishing the yellow lamp 43. Illuminating current to the filaments of the lamp 44 follows the identical path that current to the lamp 43 did; however, in this instance, the position of the contact 47 provides an alternate path through the lamp 44 to ground.

With the red lamp illuminated, the inspector is apprised that the production of parts is below a predetermined quality level and he will accordingly inform the operators on the production line of this unsatisfactory condition. Following inspection of each sample lot, the inspector need not depress push button 20 prior to inspecting the new sample lot but rather will continue the inspection procedure, depressing the buttons 22 and 20 in accordance with the quality of each inspected part.

When the push button 20 is actuated, circuits are completed to the reset magnets 16 and 17. Consequently, sweeper arms 12 and 13 will be reset and the existing path for energizing current to relay 32 will be cut ofi. Upon deenergization of relay 32, the green lamp 42 will be extinguished and the yellow lamp 43 will become illuminated once again.

If, however, the product is found unsatisfactory and the red lamp is illuminated, the inspector will not reset the circuit to the initial condition but will continue the inspection procedure depressing the appropriate button in accordance with the quality of each inspected part. If the next part is found unsatisfactory and the button 20 is depressed, the red light will remain on; however, if the next part is good, the depression of the push button 22 effects the extinguishment of the red light and the illumination of the yellow light. In this last instance, the subsequent depression of the good button N1 times will result in the illumination of the green light.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are simply illustrative of the application of this invention. Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

Apparatus for distinctively indicating three mutually exclusive conditions characterized by preceding sequences of operation of two devices, the three sequences consisting of (l) at least N successive operations of a first one of the devices, (2) a single operation of the second one of the devices preceded by at least N successive operations of the first device, and (3) two operations of the second device separated by less than N successive operations of the first device, which apparatus comprises a counter for counting successive operations of the first device, first circuit means responsive to the counting of N successive operations of the first device to indicate the first condition, said first circuit means being responsive to an operation of the second device while indicating the first condition to remove the indication of the first condition and to indicate the second condition, second circuit means conditionable: to a primed state by an operation of the second device and conditionable to an unprimed state by said counter upon counting of N successive operations of the first device subsequent to an operation of the second device, said second circuit means being responsive to an operation of the second device while in its primed state to remove the indication of the second condition and to indicate the third condition, and third circuit means for resetting said counter to starting position in response to each operation of the second device, said first circuit means being effective upon the counting of N" successive operations of the first device by said counter to remove any indication of the second and third conditions.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,087,039 McM-aster July 13, 1937 2,295,968 Poole Sept. 15, 1942 2,314,267 Br-ixner Mar. 16, 1943 2,461,452 Thompson Feb. 8, 1949 2,721,701 Hardesty et a1 Oct. 25, 1955 2,877,895 Drader Mar. 17, 1959 2,983,375 Gates May 9, 1961