US3248730A - Automatic directional antenna orientation system - Google Patents

Description

April 26, 1966 F. E. NEUMEYER AUTOMATIC DIRECTIONAL ANTENNA ORIENTATION SYSTEM Filed Feb. 19, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet l w; E s

mmm mm Wwm M 4 :W M. 4 km A ril 26, 1966 F. E. NEUMEYER 3,248,730

AUTOMATIC DIRECTIONAL ANTENNA ORIENTATION SYSTEM Filed Feb. 19, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR. [24m 6. Mew/mama WM aw 3N KN MN I 5 mm gm ww \N/ & NQ v QM R l J mm @m @N mllli'nau. E

April 26, 1966 F. E. NEUMEYER AUTOMATIC DIRECTIONAL ANTENNA ORIENTATION SYSTEM 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb.

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United States Patent 3,248,730 AUTOMATIC DIRECTIONAL ANTENNA ORIENTATION SYSTEM Frank Erdman Neumeyer, Macungie, Pa. Filed Feb. 19, 1962, Ser. No. 174,197 25 Claims. (Cl. 343-100) This invention relates to an automatic orientation device for rotatable directional television antennae.

In television reception, it is well known that the television signals are very selective and that the antennae for the receiving sets are inherently directional devices. Where the antenna is not properly oriented with respect to the direction line to the transmitting station, there is distortion in both the picture and sound effects and both eflects become somewhat tiring. In the case of color television, the aberrations in the picture are even more marked than with black and white. There are many people who put up with disaligned pictures and distorted sound effects, some because they do not know how to remedy the difiiculties, and others just because they do not wish to be bothered with a separately operated antenna rotating device for adjusting and realigning the antenna every time another channel is selected. Also, there are other people who do have antennae equipped with rotational devices for directional alignment but who do not use same after the initial novelty of operating one wears off, primarily because they find it to be too much trouble, and they prefer to accept whatever reception of picture and sound that they may happen to get.

As is well known, television antennae usually receive signals which are in the 40 to 80 megacycle frequency range. For. the reception of signals of the maximum strength, it is best that the plane of the directional antenna be at right angles to the direction line from the receiving to the transmitting antenna. Since television receiving sets are ordinarily used to receive signals from any one of several transmitting stations, which may all be on different direction lines with respect to the receiving antenna, it is very desirable to have the receiving antenna rotatable so that it may be oriented with respect to the direction line between itself and the antenna of the selected transmitting station.

The object of the present invention is to provide an automatic directional antenna control which will improve television reception both as to the picture and as to the sound reception.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a completely automatic antenna rotating control apparatus which will repeatedly point the antenna in the direction for giving the best reception on any channel that may be selected for viewing, and do so without personal attention.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an automatic antenna rotating control apparatus which will rotate the antenna and stop same pointed in the predetermined direction from either angle of approach.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide an automatic antenna rotating control apparatus which will repeatedly rotate the antenna to point it in the desired direction and stop same in such position with a high degree of precision and without any over-ride.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an automatic antenna rotating control apparatus including an electric motor for rotating the antenna and a circuit for controlling the motor in such manner that the motor will not be energized until the selected channel has been tuned in by the television receiver.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an automatic antenna rotating control apparatus ice including an electric motor for rotating the antenna and a circuit for controlling the motor in such manner that there will be no rotating or hunting movement of the motor while the channel selecting device is passing through any intermediate channel position.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide an automatic antenna rotating control apparatus which will automatically shift the instant directional position of the antenna to that predetermined for the new channel selection, except in cases where the new selection happens tohave the same directional position as the former one,

In a still further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus including a pair of electric motors, a control circuit for the motors including automatically operated selective positioning switches, which function as antenna pointing switches, and an energizing circuit for the electric motors including a step down power transformer and electrical relays for bringing the power transformer on the line to provide the current for operating the automatic antenna rotating control apparatus, whenever another channel is selected.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a completely automatic antenna pointing apparatus including a reversible electric antenna rotating motor and a reversible electric control motor, a control circuit for the motors including automatically operated positioning switches, which have three positions and operate in two circuits, triple purpose safety limiting alignment switches, and including a selective control mechanism with means for aligning, holding, and repointed the antenna in the compass direction of the desired channel station.

Still other objects, advantages, and improvements will become apparent from the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE '1 is a circuit diagram of an automatic antenna rotating apparatus according to the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view, taken on the section line 22 of FIG. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows and showing the arrangement of the automatic directional control switches in the circuit of the motor for rotating the antenna shaft;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the section line 3-3 of FIG. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the specially modified channel selector knob and the distributor switch according to the present invention;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view, taken on the section line 44 of FIG. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows and also showing the specially modified channel selectorknob;

FIGURE 5 is an end plan view, taken on the section line 55 of FIG. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows and showing the arrangement of contacts and the contact arm of the rotary distributor switch;

FIGURE 6 is a modified partial circuit diagram of FIG. 1 showing a separate power supply for the control relay in the circuit of the motor which rotates the antenna;

FIGURE 7 is also a modified partial circuit diagram showing a modification of theprimary circuit of the control relay in the power circuit of the channel selector motor;

Patented Apr. 26, I966 FIGURE 8 is a further modified partial circuit diagram of FIG. 1 showing an adaption of the circuit to a television receiving set, which is equipped with only a manually operated channel selecting device; and

FIGURE 9 is a partial circuit diagram showing in schematic form the internal connections of the synchronous motors which respectively rotate the antenna and the antenna pointer switch assembly.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and to FIG. 1 in particular, there is here shown at 10 a television antenna. Such antennae are usually mounted on a mast. In this case, however, the antenna is mounted on a vertically positioned shaft 11, which is coupled through a speed reducing mechanism (not shown) to the shaft of a synchronous motor 12.

A similar synchronous motor 15, through a speed reducing mechanism operates the antenna pointer switch assembly to be later described. The antenna rotating motor 12 and the antenna pointer switch motor 15 are both of the alternating current synchronous type and also of the type that will stop instantly when their power supply circuits are interrupted. The motor 15 is the controlling and the motor 12 is the controlled motor. The relationship between these motors is such that the phase displacement of their armatures is fixed when the apparatus is assembled, preferably at zero, and the motor '12 will start instantaneously when the motor 15 starts, rotate in the same direction and through the same number of degrees, and stop instantaneously when the motor 15 stops. The connections of the windings of the motors 12 and 15 are shown in FIG. 9 to which more detailed reference will be made later.

The motor 15 and the antenna pointer switch assembly which it operates are shown in somewhat greater detail in FIG. 2. In the construction as here shown, the motor is mounted on a base plate '20 by screws 19. The motor has a worm pinion 21 on its shaft, which meshes with a worm gear 22 on a vertically positioned shaft 23. This worm pinion 21 and the worm gear 22 comprise a reduction drive between the shaft of the motor and the shaft 23, which gearing is enclosed by a two-part housing 24a-24b. together by bolts or screws 25 and the housing is in turn secured on one side to the housing of the motor 15 and on the other side rests on a sleeve 26. This sleeve 26 is secured to the base plate 20 by a bolt (not shown) which is positioned centrally of the sleeve.

The switch components are mounted on a plate 28,

The two parts of this housing are secured which is preferably of insulating material and po-sitiOned above the base plate 20. The plates 20 and 28 are held in their spaced-apart relationship by a plurality of sleeves 27, which latter are spaced at the corners of a square and, like the sleeve 26, have centrally positioned bolts (not shown) extending through same. The shaft 23 is partially journalled in the housing sections 24a and 24b, extends through a suitable hole 29 in the upper plate 28, and in a bearing 30, which is mounted on the plate 28 concentrically with respect to the hole 29. Above the bearing 30 an operating arm 32 is mounted on the shaft 23. At its inner end this arm has a boss 32a, which is received on the shaft and held in place by a diametrically positioned pin 31. At is outer end the arm 32 carries a roller 34, which is rotatably mounted on a pin 33. There is and must always be maintained a fixed directional relationship between the antenna 10 and the switch operating arm 32.

In the upper plate 28 there are embedded inner and outer pairs of circular bus rings 35 and 36 and 39 and 40, respectively, which are concentrically positioned with respect to the shaft 23. The outer bus rings 35 and 39 are connected by a conductor 37 and the inner bus rings 36 and 40 are connected by a conductor 38.

The antenna pointer control switches are designated generally by the reference numeral 42. These switches are mounted on the upper plate 28 and are ranged around the outer pair of bus rings 39 and 40, along the outer circle of travel of the arm 32; or they may be ranged around the inner pair of bus rings 35 and 36, along the inner circle of travel of the arm. They may also be ranged around either or both the pairs of bus rings and in tiers, one above the other, or in any combination of these arrangements. Such an arrangement in tiers, whether around the inner pair or the outer pair of bus rings, or both, may be desirable in order that very close directional alignments may be made, whereas side 'by side placement might be limited by the space needed to accommodate the switches.

In the arrangement shown, the terminals of the switches 42, which are connected to the inner bus rings 36 and 40, control the antenna pointer switch motor 15 in the clockwise direction of rotation (FIG. 1) of the operating arm 32; similarly, the terminals of the switches 42, which are connected to the outer bus rings 35 and 39, control the antenna pointer switch motor 15 in the counterclockwise rotation of the operating arm 32. As thus positioned on the respective bus rings, the antenna pointer switches 42 control the direction in which the antenna 10 is to point for the best reception from the channel selected.

Each switch 42 is comprised by a base plate 41, preferably of insulating material, which is adjustably secured on the upper plate 28 through attachment to either the inner pair of bus rings 35 and 36 or the outer pairs of bus rings 39 and 40. The attachment is made by sepa rate conductive fastening screws 43--43 (FIGURE 2), which, of course, are insulated from each other. Adjacent the outer corners of the base plates 41 of switches 42 on the inner pair of bus rings 35 and 36 and adjacent the inner corners of the base plates on the outer pair of bus rings 39 and 40 there are fixed contacts 46 and 47. The connections from the inner bus ring 36 of the inner pair of bus rings and the outer bus ring 39 of the outer pair of bus rings to the fixed contacts 46 are through the fastening screws 43 and over short conductors 48; similarly, the connections from the outer bus ring 35 of the inner pair of bus rings and the inner bus ring 40 of the outer pair of bus rings to the fixed contacts 47 are over short conductors 49.

Each antenna pointer switch 42 has a switching lever 45, which is of generally triangular shape and has an arcuate cut-away section 45a in its base. The same is true of a transfer switch 512, to be later described. The switching levers 45 are pivotally mounted on the associated base plates 41 by pins 44. In the operation of the antenna pointer switches 42, and the transfer switch 52, the arm 32 engages with its rounded outer end, or preferably a roller 34 on the outer end, in the arcuate cutaway bases 45a of the levers. These switching levers occupy any one of three positions, a first extreme position, where one side near the apex of the lever is against the contact 46, an instantaneous neutral or dead intervening position, and a second extreme position, where the other side near the apex of the lever is against the contact 47'.' Each switching lever 45 is biased from the neutral position to either of the extreme positions by a coiled spring 50, which is a conductor, and is connected to a center terminal 51 on the base plate 41. It should be obvious that because of the co-operative engagement of the roller 34 and the arm 32 in the arcuate cut-away sections 45a in the switching levers 45, the arm 32 may hold any one of the switching levers 45 anywhere in its off position, carry it over to the extreme on position, or return it to its prior on position, according to the direction of rotation of the arm initiated by the next channel selection, or other performance. It should be noted that, when the arm 32 is rotating over the base plate 28, the switching levers 45 of the antenna pointer switches 42 on the inner pair of bus rings 35 and 36 will each be closed upon a contact 46, or 47, depending upon the direction of rotation of the arm 32, while the switching levers 45 of the switches 42 on the outer pair of bus rings 39 and 40 will each be closed upon the opposite contacts 47 or 46. In any position of the switching levers 45 of the antenna pointer switches 42, and the transfer switch 52, they are always receptive to approach of the arm 32 from whatever position rotation may have been initiated in channel selection.

The center terminals 51 of the several antenna pointer switches 42 are connected by conductors 172 to 183, respectively, to the individual channel contact points 89 in a rotary distributor switch 85, to be later described. Through these latter connections, any particular antenna pointer switch 42 may be individualized.

The functional properties of the antenna pointer switches 42, and the transfer switch 52 are features of considerable importance in the present invention. The above-described construction of these switches provides for a single design of same to be used throughout the assembly.

There would be no purpose in having the antenna rotate through more than 360, and if it should repeatedly do so, the lead-in cable (not shown) would be successively wrapped around the shaft 11 and the insulation on this cable would be damaged. In order to prevent this situation and for other purposes, which will become apparent, two synchronizing safety limit control switches are provided and designated generally by the reference At the diametrically opposite position from the limit switch on the top plate 28 there is mounted a transfer the contact 46 and 47, respectively, are not connected numeral 55. These switches differ materially in construction and operation from the antenna pointer switches 42 and the transfer switch 52. Their construction and circuit connections will be described farther on. These switches perform a triple function. Firstly, they provide a means for initially and repeatedly synchronizing or putting into angular step, the antenna 10, which is operated by the antenna rotating motor 12 and the arm 32 of the antenna pointer switch assembly, which is operated by the motor 15. Secondly, as will be latershown, they provide a means for taking the antenna pointer switch assembly completely off the power supply line, when the switch operating .arm 32 of the latter reaches either limit of its rotation. Thirdly, they provide a means for safeguarding the equipment against mechanical or electrical damage. The right section of the switch breaks the circuit and stops the rotation'of the motors 12 and 15 when the antenna 10 approaches a reference point from the counterclockwise direction, and the left section of the switch stops the rotation of the motors 12 and 15 when the antenna approaches the reference point from the clockwise direction. This reference point is preferably but not necessaritly taken as the position of the antenna 10 when it is pointing north. The left section of the switch is comprised by a fixed contact 56 and a normally closed contact 58'. This fixed contact is connected by a conductor 57 to the inner bus ring 40; the movable contact 58' has a terminal 62 at its outer end. This terminal is connected by a con- .ductor 169 to a fixed contact 118 of a manually operated switch 115, to be later described, and by a conductor 167 to the right terminal 54 of the transfer switch 52, to be now described. Similarly, the complementary right section of the switch is comprised by a fixed contact 60 and a normally closed contact 58. This fixed contact 60 is connected by a conductor 59 to the outer bus ring 39; the movable contact 58 has-a terminal 63 at its outer end. This terminal is connected'by a conductor 168 to a complementary fixed contact 120 on the manually operated switch 115, and by a conductor 166 to the left terminal 53 of the transfer switch 52.

It will be apparent that, if the arm 32 is rotating in the clockwise direction, it will strike the movable contact 58' and separate same from the fixed contact 56 to interrupt a circuit to be later described. Conversely, if the arm 32 is rotating in the counterclockwise direction, it will strike the movable contact 58 and separate same fromthe fixed contact 60 to interrupt the circuit.

to the outer'and inner bus rings 39 and 40, respectively, but to terminals 54 and 53, respectively. The lever 45 is connected through the spring 50 to the center terminal 51, as before. The latter is in turn connected by a conductor 171 to a channel contact point 89 on the rotary distributor switch 85, as will be later described.

The transfer switch 52 controls the direction of rotation of the antenna pointer switch motor 15 and the operating arm 32 of the antenna pointer switch assembly, under the conditions described in the proceeding paragraph. Its central function, however, is directly opposite to that of the antenna pointer switches 42. Instead of causing the operating arm 32 to move toward it, as the antenna pointer switches 42 do, this switch causes the arm to move away from it and through the shorter arc to the nearer, right or left, section of the limit switch 55.

As previously explained, an exact phase relationship of the antenna 10 with the operating arm 32 of the antenna pointer switch assembly is essential. The procedure is simple, and the result is positive and is the same, whether for the initial phase alignment or for any subsequent re-synchronizations. The shaft 11 of the antenna 10 is limited to exactly one complete revolution. .The shaft 23, which carries the operating arm 32 of the antenna pointer switch assembly, is also limited to exactly one complete revolution. in each direction by the two sections of the synchronizing limit safety control switch 55. It can therefore readily be seen that, in the event of any variance in alignment, one of these electrically interconnected components will reach its limit of rotation before the other. This is where advantage is taken of the tolerable electrical slippage between the controlled antenna rotating motor 12 and its connected shaft 11 and antenna 10, and the antenna pointer switch operating motor 15 and its shaft 23 with operating arm 32 of the antenna pointer switchassembly thereon. In this operation of the antenna pointer switch motor 15, its rotation may be initiated, for instance, in the clockwise direction, in any one of four ways, by turning a manually operable channel selector knob 65, by operation of a space comman control relay 100, by operation of a manually operated space command switching device 105, which is connected in parallel with the latter, or by a'm-anually operated override switch 115, all to be later described. The rotation of the antenna pointer switch motor 15 continues until the operating arm 32 of the antenna pointer switch assembly has reached and opened the left section of the synchronizing safety limit control switch 55 in the N or other pre-determined'limit point corresponding to a selected direction. Thereafter, rotation of the antenna pointer switch motor 15 in the counterclockwise direction may be initiated in the same manner and will continue until the operating arm 32 of the antenna pointer switch assembly has reached and opened the opposite right section of the safety limit control switch '55, whereupon rotation likewise ceases.

Assuming that a variance in phase relationship between the antenna 10 and the operating arm 32 of the antenna pointer switch assembly initially exists, or that same has subsequently occurred due to some unusual cause, such as low voltage, a break in the power lines to the antenna rotating motor 12, or a retardation of the rotation of the antenna rotating motor 12 due to wind pressure on the antenna 10, etc., it is readily apparent that the latter motor controlling the position of the antenna 10 will in '7 one or the other directions of rotation be stopped short of its limit position, since the motor 15, which rotates the arm 32 of the antenna pointer switch assembly, will have already reached the limit of its rotation and will have opened the control and operating circuit through the respective section of the safety limit control switch 55. In its opposite and alternate direction of rotation, the antenna rotating motor 12 will be stopped when the shaft 11 has reached its other limit of rotation, while the antenna pointer switch motor 15 will continue to rotate until the operating arm 32 of the antenna pointer switch assembly will reach and operate the other section of the safety limit control switch 55. The rotation of the motor '15 then ceases since its power circuit has been interrupted. The phase relationship between the antenna and the operating arm 32 of the antenna pointer switch assembly has now been established and the equipment is ready to operate in the exacting manner required. Because of the infrequency of any phase displacement between the antenna 10 and the operating arm 32 of the antenna pointer switch assembly in the very short period during which rotation of the antenna rotating motor 12 is blocked, while the antenna pointer switch assembly motor 15 .is still rotating, which results in electrical slippage between these two electrically interconnected units, there is no damage. occurring to any part of the equipment.

If desired, conventional visual indicating means (not shown) may be connected with the shaft 23 (for example, between operating arm 32 and bearing 30) for continuously indicating the position of arm 32, and consequently the direction in which the rotatable antenna is pointed. Also, a rotary electrical switch may be connected to the shaft 23 and control an electrical indicating device connected in any one of the several circuits, to be later described, for the same purpose.

When the automatic antenna pointer control according to the present invention is used in conjunction with a manually tuned television receiving set, the conventional channel selector knob is replaced by a specially modified channel selector knob which functions in a particular manner, as required by the invention. This knob is in two cylindrical concentrically positioned parts. The outer part carries on its face channel designations in the usual manner. The numeral 1 is, however, omitted and. for this there is substituted the designation UF, also hereinafter referred to as 1UP. As here described, when the outer knob is indexed at this latter designation, the antenna 10 will be pointing north.

The outer knob 65 has an axial bore 66 extending from the inner face. In this bore, there is mounted an inner knob 68, which has an axial hole 69 therethrough and a counterbore 69a in its outer face. This inner knob 68 is mounted on a channel selector shaft 70 for rotation with the latter and the shaft has a cylindrical head 70a, which is received in the counterbore 69a in the inner knob. The outer knob 65 has an arcuate recess 67 therein, the inner wall of which is co-incident with the Wall of the bore 66. A radially positioned arm 71 is embedded in the outer face of the inner knob 68 and at its outer end this arm is adapted to oscillate in the arcuate recess 67 in the outer knob 65. Coiled compression springs 72-72 are mounted in this arcuate recess 67, between the respective sides of the arm 71 and the ends of the recess. In rotating the outer knob 65, there is a limited relative angular movement of the latter with respect to the inner knob 68, until the end of the recess 67 in the outer knob approaches the respective side of the arm 71, the spring 72 being fully compressed. This co-action of the opposite ends of the recess 67 and the arm 71 limits the relative angular motion of the outer knob 65 with respect to the normally neutral position of the inner knob 68, where the arm 71 is along the center line of the arcuate recess 67 in the outer knob, and returns the outer knob to this position, after it has rotated 8 the inner knob 68 through the desired angle and has been released.

A conducting strip 73 is mounted on the arm 71. At its inner end, this conducting strip .has secured thereto a short conducting rod 74, which extends through the inner knob 68; at its outer end this conducting strip has lugs 73a-73a thereon, which are bent downward along the opposite sides of the arm 71 and form contacts. At

the respective ends of the arcuate recess 67 in the outer knob 65 there are mounted contacts 7575. These contacts are interconnected by a conductor 76 and one contact is connected by a conductor 77 to a short connecting rod 78, which extends partially through the outer knob 65. In the rear of the concentrically positioned knobs 65 and 68 there is mounted a plate 79 of insulating material, which is secured to the front panel 86 of the television receiving set and has a hole 81 therein, through which the channel selector shaft 70 extends. This plate has embedded therein an inner conducting ring 82, on which the conducting rod 74 bears, and mounted thereon an outer concentrically positioned conducting ring 83, on which the conducting rod 78 lbears. A conductor 198 is connected to the inner conducting ring 82 and extends to one side of the winding 136 of a control relay 135 to be later described Also, a conductor 189 is connected to the outer conducting ring 83 and to a conductor 185, which latter conductor extends to a 1l01l5 volt AC. power connection on the chassis of the television receiving set, also to be later described. The conductors 198 and 199 extend through suitable holes in the front panel 80 of the television receiving set.

When a different channel is to be selected, the outer knob is grasped and rotated in either direction. Usually, but not necessarily, it will be rotated through the shorter arc to bring the desired channel designation into the vertical position. Because of the frictional drag due to the associated parts connected to the channel selector shaft 70, the latter and the inner knob 68 will initially remain stationary. The end of the arcuate recess 67 in the outer knob 65 will approach the respective side of the arm 71, the spring 72 being fully'compressed, and the contact at the end of the recess 67 will abut the respective contact 73a on the arm 71. The circuit through the control relay 135 will now be closed, as will be later described. Since the limit of the the contact 75 at the end of the recess 67 in the outer knob 65 will abut the respective contact 73a on the arm 71, until the selected channel designation has been moved into the vertical position. When the outer knob is then released, it will be partially rotated in thereverse direction by the compressed spring 72 until the arm 71 is again in the neutral position, on the center line of the arcuate recess 67 in the outer knob. The contact 75 at the end of the recess 67 is then separated from the respective contact 73a on the arm and the primary circuit of the control relay 135 is broken. As far as closure of the latter circuit is concerned, the direction in which the outer knob 65 is rotated is not material, since the contacts 7575 are interconnected by the conductor 76.

The rotary distributor switch is designated generally by the reference numeral 85 and is shown in detail in FIGURES 3 and 5. This switch has its stationary components mounted on-a plate 86 of insulating material, which plate has a central hole 87 therein for freely receiving the channel selector shaft 70. The plate 86 is secured on the back face of the front panel of the television receiving set in any suitable manner. (not shown).- On this plate there are mounted an inner conducting ring 88 and an outer row of concentrically positioned channel contacts 89. These contacts are numbered in accordance with the channels available and in correspondence with the numerals on the channel selector knob 65, the first contact being, as before, designated *UF, or N. It should be here noted, however, that this consecutive numbering in arithmetical series of the channels on the channel selector knob 65 and the rotary distributor switch 85 in identical order bears no relationship whatever to the positioned sequence of the antenna pointer control switches 42.

The rotatable component of the distributor switch 85 is an arm 90 which has a boss 90a at its inner end by which it is received on the channel selector shaft 70 and held in place by a diametrically positioned pin 92; on its bottom, this arm carries a contact bar 91, insulated from the arm 90, which continuously wipes on the inner conducting ring 88 and successively passes over the circumferentially spaced channel contacts 89.

'In television receiving sets which are equipped for remote or so-called space commandlchannel selection, there may be a motor which carries out the normal function of channel selection. Such a motor is shown at 95 (FIG. 1). As this motor is usually present on the stated type of television receiving sets, it is not part of the present invention. The motor 95 shown is a synchronous motor of the type that is instantaneous in starting and stopping and reversible in direction of rotation. This motor has windings 93 and 94, which are selectively energized for rotation in opposite directions. When such a motor is present on the television receiving set, its shaft may be connected to the channel selector shaft 70 to provide for automatic operation of the latter and, in turn, to the rotary distributor switch 85. While it is preferable that the rotary distributing switch 85 be operated by a reversible motor, when it is automatically operated, the construction of this switch is such that it may very well be operated by a uni-directional motor.

Where the television receiving set is so equipped for remote or so-called space command channel selections and includes a reversible electric motor 95 for carrying out the function of channel selection, there may be an automatic relay device which is responsive to the space command signals calling for it to select some other channel and this relay controls the operation of the channel selector motor 95. Such a relay is shown in FIG. 1 and is designated generally by the reference numeral 100. This device has an armature or movable contact 97 and a pair of fixed contacts 96 and 98.

Also, in the television sets which are equipped for remote or so-called space command channel selection and having a reversible electric motor for carrying out the function of channel selection and an automatic relay device for controlling the operation of the channel selector motor, there is often provided a manually operated switching device, which is alternative to the automatic relay device 100 and provides for manual control of the channel selector motor 95, when desired. Such a manually operated switching device is also shown in FIG. 1 and is designated generally by the reference numeral 105. This device has an arm or a movable contact 102 and a pair of fixed contacts 101 and 103.

A manually operated switch is provided for taking over the operation of the antenna rotating motor 12 from the automatic antenna pointer control, when desired. This switch is primarily intended to be used Whenever unusual atmospheric or other unusual natural conditions prevail, or whenever artificial conditions, such as an airplane passing over, interfere wit-h, reflect, or otherwise cause temporary deviation of the signal. It may, however, be used to supplement the automatic antenna pointer control and operate in the control circuit of the antenna rotating motor to point the antenna in any desire-d selected direction. This switch is likewise shown in FIG. 1 and is designated generally by the reference numeral 115. The fixed components of the switch are mounted on a base plate 106, which is made of a suitable insulating material. The movable component of this switch is comprised principally by a lever 108, which has a longitudinally positioned slot 107 therein. A pin 109 is mounted on the base plate 106 and is received in the slot 107, and leaf springs \1|10 110 are mounted on the base plate 106 and abut the lever 108 on its opposite sides. As thus mounted, the lever 108 may be either shifted longitudinally and/ or oscillated from side to side. The leaf springs 110-110 will hold the lever in whatever longitudinal position it may be stopped, and return same from any angularly displaced position to the neutral position. An upper pair of fixed contacts .119 and 1 14 are mounted on the base plate 106 on the opposite sides of the lever 108.- The lever carries a first brush type movable contact 111, which extends radially outward on the opposite sides of same. In the neutral position of the lever 108 the movable contact 111 is free of both the fixed contacts 112 and 1 14. When, however, the lever 1108 is moved to the left, the movable contact 111 will close on the fixed contact 112 and likewise, when the lever is moved to the right, the movable contact 111 will close on the fixed contact 114. The fixed contacts 1'12 and 114 are interconnected by a conductor "113, and by a conductor 15-3 to one side of the primary winding 146 of a step down power transformer 145, to be later described. In like manner, the movable contact 111 is connected by a conductor 116 to a terminal 117 on the base plate 106, and the latter is in turn connected by a conductor 152 to one side of a source of 110-115 volt AC. power supply, as will also be later described.

Similarly, a lower pair of fixed contacts 118 and are mounted on the base plate 106, and also on the opposite sides of the lever 108. This lever carries a second brush type of movable contact 119, which also extends radially outward on both sides of same. The movable contact 119, like the first movable contact 111, is free of both the fixed contacts 118 and 120, 'when the lever 108 is in the neutral position. Upon movement of the lever 108 to the left, however, in the direction indicated by the arrow, the movable contact v119 will close on the fixed contact 120; likewise, upon movement of the lever 108 to the right in the direction indicated by the opposite arrow, the movable contact 119 will close on the fixed contact 118. As previously described, the lower fixed contact 118 is connected by a conductor 109 to the terminal 62 of the left section of the limit switch 55, and by a conductor 1-67 to the right terminal 54 of the transfer switch 52; in like manner, the lower fixed contact 120 is connected by a conductor 168 to the terminal 66 of the right section of the limit switch 55, and by a conductor 166 to the left terminal 53 of the transfer switch 52, also as previously described.

In addition, a fifth contact 12-2 is mounted on the base plate 106 in alignment with the axis of the lever 108. This lever also carries a third brush type movable contact 121, which extends from its end. This movable contact 121 is normally closed on the fixed contact 122, when the lever 108 is in the down position, that is when the pin 109 is at the outer end of the slot 107 in the lever. This, as may readily be seen by reference to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, is essential in order to establish and maintain continuity of the control circuit in particular, and also of the operating circuit, for the fully automatic operation of the automatic antenna pointer. 108 is in its up position, that is when the pin 109 is at the inner end of the slot 107, the contacts 121 and 122 are separated and the control and operating circuits are open at this point, the automatic operation of the antenna pointer system being then halted. T-he fixed contact 122 is connected by a conductor 159 to the armature of a supervisory relay 12 5, as will now be described. The movable contacts 119 and 121 are connected by a Whenever the lever flexible conductor 123 to a terminal 124 on the base plate 106, and in like manner this terminal is in turn connected by a conductor 160 to one side of the secondary windings 147 and 148 of the step down power transformer 145, as will be later described.

A relay 125 is included in the circuit and this relay has a triple function. It controls the energization of the step down power transformer 145, to be later described, holds open the control circuit for the antenna rotating motor 12 and the antenna pointer switch motor until the channel selector motor 95 has come to rest in the position corresponding to the selected channel, and acts as a supervisory relay for energizing the holding relay 149 through two alternate circuits, as will also be later described. This relay has a winding 126 and two armatures 128 and 130 which are connected by a link 129. The

armature 12 8 closes on a fixed contact 127, when the relay is energized, and the armature 130 closes on a lower fixed contact 132, when the relay is energized, and on an upper fixed contact 133, when the relay is released.

A salient feature of the relay 12 5, in connection with its function of operating as a supervisory relay for the holding relay 1411, is a particular arrangement of the armature 130 and the fixed contacts 132 and 133. This feature resides in that, when the relay is energized, the upper armature 131) does not break with the contact 13 3 until it has closed on the contact 132 of the upper pair, and, conversely when the relay is released, the armature 130 does not break with the contact 132 until after it has closed on the contact 133.

A control relay 135 is also included in the circuit, and this relay has a dual function. It operates in the control circuit only when the channel selector knob65 is used for manual selection of a channel instead of the selection being made by the automatic space command relay 166. it also serves to prevent undesirable feed back into the channel selector motor 95. This relay has a Winding 136, an armature 138 and two fixed contacts 137 and 139. The armature is closed on the lower fixed contact 137, when the relay is energized, and on the upper fixed contact 139, when the relay is released.

A holding relay 146 is likewise included in the control circuit. As stated above, this relay is controlled by the relay 125 acting as a supervisory relay. Therelay 140 has two windings 141 and 142, an armature 143, and a fixed contact 144, on which the armature 143 closes when the relay is energized. The winding 141 is a high resistance energizing winding adapted for connection directly across the low voltage current supply line, while the winding 142 is a low resistance holding winding connected in the control circuit through the antenna pointer switches 42, or either section of the limit switch 55. The operation of this relay through energization of its winding 141 and consequent attraction of its armature 143, closes the circuit through the primary winding 146 of the step down power transformer 145, to be now described. This relay 140, through its holding action, due to energization of its winding 142 performs the very essential function of maintaining the primary circuit through the winding 146 of the transformer 145 closed, until the relay is released. This occurs when the particular antenna pointer switch 42, which is in the control and the operating circuits currently energized, is opened by the rotating arm 32, or when either section of the limit switch 55 is similarly opened, or when the arm 90 of the rotary distributor switch 85 is moved off the contact 89 at that time in the control circuit, or when the contacts 121 and 122 of the manually operated switch 115 are separated, either due to longitudinal or swinging movement of the lever 108.

The antenna rotating motor 12 and the antenna pointer switch motor 15 and the holding relay 140 are all energized from the step down power transformer 145. This transformer has a primary winding 146 and two secondary windings 147 and 148. The secondary winding 147 supplies power to the antenna rotating motor 12 and the secondary winding 148 supplies power to the antenna pointer switch motor 15. Both windings supply power to the low voltage control circuit through the antenna pointer switch assembly. (A third secondary winding 149 is used in a modification of the power circuits for the antenna rotating motor 12 and the antenna pointer switch motor 15 according to FIG. 6, as will be later described.)

The primary circuit of the power transformer is comprised by conductors 150, 152 and 153, the conductors 150 and 152 extending to any suitable source of 110-120 Volt AC. power supply. The conductor 150 is connected to one side of the primary winding 146 of the transformer; a fuse 151 may be placed in this side of the line, if desired. As previously stated, the conductor 152 is connected to the terminal 117 and the upper movable contact 111 of the manually operated switch 115; and, as also previously stated, the conductor 153 is connected to the other side of the primary winding 146 of the transformer and the upper fixed contacts 112 and 114 of the manually operated switch 115.

One side of the secondary winding 147 is connected by a conductor 158 to the common terminal of the windings 13 and 14 of the antenna rotating motor 12. Similarly, one side of the secondary winding 148 is connected by a conductor 161 to the common terminals of the windings 16 and 17 of the antenna pointer switch motor 15. The other sides of the secondary windings 147 and 148 are connected by a common conductor to the terminal 124, and the lower movable contacts 119 and 121 of the manually operated switch 115.

The other end of the winding 13 of the antenna rotating motor 12 and the other end of the winding 17 of the antenna pointer switch motor 15 are interconnected by a conductor 162, and by conductors 164 and 37 to the outer bus rings 39 and 35, respectively, of the antenna pointer switch assembly; similarly, the other end of the second winding 14 of the antenna rotating motor 12 and the other end of the second winding 16 of the antenna pointer switch motor 15 are interconnected by a conductor 163, and by conductors 165 and 38 to the inner bus rings 40 and 36, respectively, of the antenna pointer switch assembly.

The right terminal 63 of the limit switch is connected by a conductor 168 to the lower right fixed contact 120 of the manually operated switch 115; similarly, the left terminal 62 of the limit switch is connected by a conductor 169 to the lower left fixed contact 118 of the manually operated switch. The left terminal 53 of the transfer switch 52 is connected by a conductor 166 and the conductor 168 to the right terminal 63 of the limit switch 55 and the lower right fixed contact 120 of the manually operated switch 115; likewise, the right terminal 54 of the transfer switch is connected by a conductor 167 and the conductor 169 to the left terminal 62 of the limit switch and the lower left fixed contact 118 of the manually operated switch 115.

The center terminal 51 of the transfer switch 52 is connected by a conductor 171 to the channel contact 89 on the rotary distributor switch 85, which corresponds to the chanel designation lUF. In like maner, the center terminals 51 of the antenna pointer switches 42 are connected by conductors 172-183, respectively, to the channel contacts 89 on the rotary distributor switch 85, which respectively correspond to the channel designations 2 to 13, inclusive. It will be noted, however, that all of the antenna pointer switches 42 are not shown and accordingly all of the conductors in the series 172 to 183 are not shown. In some cases, it may be that the same compass direction will indicate two or more channels. The circuit connections for this situation are all illustrated in two instances in FIG. 1. The conductor 174 from the channel contact 89 on the rotary distributor switch 85, which corresponds to the channel designation 4, is connected to the conductor 177 from the channel contact 89, which corresponds to the channel designation 7; likewise, the conductor 176 from the channel contact 89, which corresponds to the channel designation 6, is connected to the conductor 173 from the channel contact 89, which corresponds to the channel designation 3.

The power circuit for the channel selector motor 95 is comprised by two conductors 185 and 188, which extend from a suitable 110-115 volt A.C. power connection onthe television receiver chassis. The conductor 185 is-connected to one side of the winding 126 of the supervisory relay 125; the other side of the winding 126 is connected by a conductor 187 to the armature 138 of the control relay 135. Similarly, the conductor 188 is connected to one side of the winding 136 of the control relay 135. A branch conductor 186 extends from the conductor 185 to the common terminal of the windings 93 and 94 of the channel selector motor 95. Likewise, a branch conductor 189 extends from the conductor 188 to the movable contact 97 of the automatically operated space command relay 100; a branch conductor 190 to the movable contact 102 of the manually operated parallel space command switching device 105; and a branch conductor 192 to the lower fixed contact 137 of the control relay 135. A fuse 191 may be placed in this side of the line, if desired. A conductor 193 connects the upper fixed contact 139 of the control relay 135 to a fixed contact 96 of the automatically operated space command relay 100; a branch conductor 194 from the conductor 193 is connected to the other side of the winding 94 of the channel selector motor 95; and a second branch conductor 195 to the first fixed contact 101 of the manually operated parallel space command switching device 105. The other end of the winding 93 of the channel selector motor 95 is connected by a conductor 196 to the second fixed contact 98 of the automatically operated space command relay 100; a branch conductor 197 from the conductor 196 is connected to the second fixed contact 103 of the manually operated parallel space command switching device 105.

For rotation of the channel selector motor 95 in one direction, assuming that the movable contact 97 is closed on the first fixed contact 96 of the automatically operated space command relay 100, the circuit is as follows: over the conductor-185, the conductor 186, through the winding 94 of the motor, over the conductors 194 and 193, through the first fixed contact 96 and the movable contact 97 of the relay 100, and over the conductors 189 and 188; similarly, if the arm 102 is closed on the first fixed contact 101 of the manually operated parallel space command switching device 105, the circuit through the winding 94 of the motor is the same; from the winding 94 the circuit is over the conductor 194, the conductor 193, the conductor 195, the first fixed contact 101 and the arm 102 of the switching device, and over the conductor 190 to the conductor 188.

For rotation of the channel selector motor 95 in the opposite direction, assuming the armature 97 is closed on the second fixed contact 98 of the automatically operated space command relay 100, the circuit is as follows: over the conductor 185, the conductor 186, through the other winding 93 of'the channel selector motor, over the conductor 196, the fixed contact 98 and the armature 97 of the automatic relay, and over the conductor 189 to conductor 188. Likewise, if the arm 102 is closed on the second fixed contact 103 of the manually operated parallel space command switching device 105, the circuit through the winding 93 of the channel selector motor is the same; from the winding 93 the circuit is over the conductor 196 and the conductor 197 to the fixed contact 103 and the arm 102 of the switching device, and over the conductor 190 to the conductor 188.

The specially modified channel selector knob 65 according to the present invention may be used at any time through the rotary distributor switch 85 for manually operated channel selection in connection with the usual automatically operated space command relay 100 and/ or the manually operated parallel space command switching device 105,.and without the former interfering with either of the latter, and vice versa. For instance, let it be assumed that the number of channels included for space command operation has been limited to five.

' conductor 190 to the conductor 188.

Then, if the control circuit through the antenna pointer switch assembly has been properly set up, any other chan nel, which may be one that is desired only occasionally, may be manually selected at will by the channel selector knob 65, and with all the advantages of automatic precision antenna pointing according to the present invention. It is also the case that any channel that has been included in the space command operation can likewise and as well be taken over for hand selection and again with the stated advantages.

The supervisoryrelay 125 has alternate primary circuits. through the winding 126 of the relay, over the conductor 187 to the armature 138 and the upper fixed contact 139 of the control relay 135, and over the conductor 193 to either the manually operated parallel space command switching device 105, or the automatically operated space command relay 100. If the movable arm 102 is closed on the first fixed contact 101 of the manually operated switching device 105, the remainder of the circuit is over the conductor 195, the fixed contact 101 and the arm 102 of the switching device, and over the conductor 190 to the conductor 188. Also, if the armature 97 of the automatically operated space command relay is closed on the firstfixed contact 96, the remainder of the circuit is over the conductor 193, the fixed contact 96 and the armature 97 of the relay, and over the conductor 189 to the conductor 188. The channel selector motor 95 is here rotating in the direction first described above and the winding 94 of the motor and the winding 126 of the supervisory relay are connected in parallel.

The second primary circuit for the supervisory relay is over the conductor 185, through the winding 126 of the relay, over the conductor 187 to the armature 138 and upper fixed contact 139 of the control relay 135, and over the conductor193 and 194, through the second winding 94 and the first winding 93 of the channel selector motor 95, and over the conductor 196 to either the manually operated parallel space command switching device 105 or the automatically operated space command relay 100. If the movable contact 102 is closed on the second fixed contact 103 of the manually operated switching device, the remainder of the circuit is over the conductor 197, the fixed contact 103 and the arm 102, and over the In like manner, if the movable contact 97 is closed on the second fixed contact 98 of the automatically operated space command relay 100, the remainder of the circuit is from the fixed contact 98 and the movable armature 97 and over the conductor 189 to the conductor 188. The channel selector motor 95 is here rotating in the direction last described above and the winding 93 of the motor and the winding 126 of the supervisory relay are connected in parallelseries.

The first side of winding 136 of control relay is connected by conductor 188 to the 1l0l15 volt A.C. power supply on the receiver chassis.

1 As stated above, the opposite side of the winding 136 of the control relay 135 is connected by a conductor 198 to the innerconducting ring 82 in the plate 79 to the rear of the channel selector knob 65 (FIG. 3) and through the conducting rod 74 to the conducting strip 73 on the arm 71 on the channel selector shaft 70. The other side of this circuit is from either of the contacts 75-75 of the channel selector knob 65, depending upon the direction in which the knob 65 has been rotated, the conducting rod 78, the outer conducting ring 83 on the plate 79, and over the conductors 199 and to the 110-115 volt A.C. power connection on the television receiver chassis.

From the above, it can be seen that partial rotation of the channel selector knob 65, after the lost motion be The first of these is over the conductor 185,

tween the outer knob and the inner knob 68 has been taken up and the contact 75 at the end of the arcuate recess 67 in the outer knob has been brought against the contact 73a on the arm 71, the operating circuit for the control relay 135 is completed over the conductors 198 and 193. The energization of this relay causes the armature 138 to close on the lower fixed contact 137 and complete a direct circuit from one side of the winding 126 of the supervisory relay 125 over the conductor 187 to'the armature 138 and lower fixed contact 137 of the control relay, and over the conductor 192 to the conductor 188. Thus it will be apparent that, during manual operation of the channel selector shaft 70, the supervisory relay 125 will be energized and the circuit to the channel selector motor 95 will be broken and undesirable feed back to the latter prevented.

The holding relay 148 operates in the control circuit, which has been previously referred to and will be later described. As above stated, the arm 90 of the distributor switch 85 carries a conducting bar 91, which continuously wipes on the inner conducting ring 88 and passes over the circumferentially positioned channel contacts 89 on the plate 86 (FIGS. 3 and A conductor 184 is connected to the inner conducting ring 88 and to one side of the low resistance holding winding 142 of the holding relay 140; the other side of the winding 142 is connected by conductor 289 to the upper contact 133 of the pair of fixed contacts of the supervisory relay 125. The upper armature 1311 of this relay is connected by a conductor 159 to the central fixed contact 122 of the manually operated switch 115, The lower contact 132 of the pair of fixed contacts is connected by a conductor 201 to one side of the high resistance operating winding 141 of the holding relay 140. The other side of this winding is connected by a conductor 202 to the conductor 158 and one side of the secondary winding 147 of the step down power transformer 145.

The particular relationship between the supervisory relay 125 and the holding relay 140 is of paramount importance. As has been previously pointed out, the upper armature 1311 of the supervisory relay 125, when the latter is being energized, does not leave the upper contact 133 until after it has closed on the lower contact 132 of the pair of contacts, and conversely, when the relay is being released, the upper armature 130 does not leave the lower contact 132 until after it has closed on the upper contact 133. Through this duplex control, both the high resistance operating winding 141 and the lower resistance holding winding 142 of the holding relay 140 are simultaneously energized for a fraction of a second. This prevents any interruption of the magnetic flux through the core of the holding relay 140 and the premature opening of the local circuit of the latter, which is the primary circuit of the step down power transformer, as will be later described.

The low voltage control circuit is as follows: from one side of the secondary winding 147 of the step down power transformer 145 over the conductor 158 to the common terminal of the windings 13 and 14 of the antenna rotating motor 12; also from one side of the secondary winding 148 of the transformer over the conductor 161 to the common terminal of the windings 16 and 17 of the antenna pointer switch motor 15. Then from the other side of winding 13 of the antenna rotating motor 12 and the other side of the winding 17 of the antenna pointer switch motor over conductors 162 and 164 to the outside bus ring 39 of the outer pair of bus rings, and over conductor 37 to the outside bus ring 35 of the inner pair of bus rings in the antenna pointer switch assembly; also from the other side of the winding 14 of the antenna rotating motor 12 and the other side of the winding 16 of the antenna pointer switch motor 15 over the conductors 163 and 165 to the first inner bus ring 40, and over the conductor 38 to the second inner bus ring 36. The circuit continues from contact 46, or 47, of whichever antenna pointer switch 42 is instantly in the circuit, over the respective conductor in the series 172 to 183, inclusive, to a contact 89 in the rotary distributor switch there is an alternate circuit from the antenna pointer switch assembly to the rotary distributor switch 85, either from the right section of the limit switch 55 over the conductor 168 and the conductor 166, or from the left section over the conductor 169 and the conductor 167, to the transfer switch 52, depending upon which contact 46, or 47, the lever 45 of the switch is on, thence over the conductor 171 to the rotary distributor switch; from the latter the circuit is over the conductor 184 to the low resistance holding winding 142 of the holding relay then over the conductor 200 to the upper fixed contact 133 of the supervisory relay 125, the armature 130 of this relay, and over the conductor 159 and the central fixed contact 122 of the manually operated switch 115; and from the normally closed movable contact 121 of the latter switch over the conductor to the other side of the secondary winding 147, and the other side of the secondary winding 148 of the power transformer 145.

Any one of the antenna pointer switches 42, the transfer switch 52, or either section of the limit switch 55, are always receptive to approach of the arm 32 in either direction in which the latter may be rotating. At all times when these switches are not being engaged and held open by the operating arm 32, their switching levers are closed on respective fixed contacts and in each case complete a branch of the control circuit for either their clockwise or counter-clockwise operation, according to the respective position in which each has been left by the operating arm. In this connection, it should be noted that the antenna pointer switches 42 and the transfer switch 52 may alternately maintain either of two circuits open or closed and are therefore essentially single-pole, double throw switches. It should likewise be noted that, due to the cooperative engagement of the roller 34 on the operating arm 32 with the arcuate cut-away sections 45a in the bases of the switching levers 45, the operating arm may indefinitely hold any one of the switches in the neutral or open position and consequently these switches are actually three (3) position switches.

As described, the branch circuits over the individual conductors in the series 171 to 182, inclusive, are always completed up to the rotary distributor switch 85, except perhaps in one instance as the operating arm 32 can hold only one switching lever 45 of an antenna pointer switch in the neutral position at a given time. When the control circuit through one of these branch circuits is additionally completed by its selection of a desired channel contact 89 through rotation of the arm 90 of the rotary distributor switch 85 while the television receiver is in operation, as will later be explained, the antenna pointer switch motor 15 will immediately start to rotate and through its shaft 23 the latter will cause rotation of the operating arm 32. Also, the antenna rotating motor 12 will start to rotate, in unison with the motor 15 and in its rotation maintain its consant phase relationship with the operating arm 32, and the antenna 10 will be brought to rest pointing in the direction for which the particular antenna pointer switch 42, or either section of the limit switch 55, has been oriented.

In operation, let it be assumed that the rotary distributor switch 85 calls for the antenna 10 to be pointing in the direction to receive the channel 3. The operating arm 32 will now move in the counter-clockwise direction toward the respective antenna pointer switch 42, which is connected through the conductors 176 and 173 to the contact 89 (FIG. 1) on the rotary distributor switch corresponding to channel 3.

As above stated, the transfer switch 52 causes the operating arm 32 to move away from it and toward. the nearer section, right or left, of the limit switch through the shorter arc. Therefore, when the section of the circuit from the transfer switch 52 in the antenna pointer switch assembly over the conductor 171 to the contact 89 on the rotary distributor switch 85, which corresponds to the channel designation 1UP, is part of the low voltage control circuit, the antenna 10 will always be rotating in the direction through the more direct path and through the shorter arc of travel, so as to be pointed in the N, or limit position.

When the operating arm 32 of the antenna pointer switch assembly moves into a position where it will trip the antenna switch 42, then a part of the operating circuit, the lever 45 of the switch will be moved to the intermediate position, where it is free of both the contacts 46 and 47. The low voltage control circuit through the antenna pointer switch motor will then be open. Rotation of the antenna shaft 11 will be stopped and the antenna 10 will be left pointing in the desired direction. At this time holding relay 140 is de-energized and its armature 143 is released and the primary circuit of the step down power transformer 145 is opened. This results in a discontinuance of all currents in the several circuits, a saving in the total amount of current used, and the elimination of needless dielectric strains on the electronic components.

If now another channel is selected, for instance channel 7, regardless of whether the arm 90 of the distributor switch 85 is rotated in the longer clockwise or the shorter counterclockwise direction to the contact 89 for channel 7, the antenna pointer switch motor and the operating arm 32 will in either case move in the counter-clockwise direction. In its travel, the arm will move through the antenna pointer switch 42, which is in the circuit over the conductors 176 and thereafter 173 to the contact 89 on the rotary distributor switch corresponding to channel 3, in the counter-clockwise direction. As the operating arm 32 leaves this latter switch, the switch will be thrown over to be receptive to the approach of the arm 32 in the clockwise direction of rotation, and the low voltage control circuit will be set up to operate the antenna pointer switch motor 15 in the clockwise direction. This would be the situation if the rotary distributor switch 85 would next be operated to point the antenna for receiving either channel 3 or channel 6. As has been previously pointed out, the same antenna pointer switch 42 will be connected in the control circuit for receiving signals from both channel 3 and channel 6, as they are best received from the same compass illustrated.

It will be noted that the operating arm 32 in its counterclockwise rotation will travel completely through the antenna pointer switch 42 corresponding to the channel designation 10 on the rotary distributor switch 85. This switch, however, in this particular phase of the operation, is only an intermediate switch and has no function of its own. It will, of course, be thrown over to be receptive to the approach of the arm 32 in the clockwise direction, as in the previous case;

Now let it be assumed that channel 8 is next selected. The channel selectorshaft 70 of the rotary distributor switch 85 will be rotated to bring the arm 90 (FIGS. 1 and 5) on the contact 89, which corresponds to the channel designation 8. The antenna pointer switch motor 15 will rotate in the clockwise direction, carrying along the operating arm 32 of the antenna pointer switch assembly, and the antenna rotating motor 12 will follow the motor 15 in its rotation. The rotation of both motors will stop when the arm 32 actuates the antenna pointer switch 42 in the control circuit over the conductor 178 from the antenna pointer switch assembly to the contact 89, which corresponds to the channel designation 8 on the rotary distributor switch 85. The operating arm 32 will travel through all the intermediate antenna pointer switches 42 and transfer switch 52, throwing each one over to the receptive to the approach of the arm from the counterclockwise direction.

Through the operation of the channel selector knob 65 and the associated distributor switch 85, or through a point, in the situation here '18 change in control instituted by the automatic space command relay device 100, or the parallel connected manually operated switching device 105, or through operation of the manually operated over-riding switch 115, the arm 32 of the antenna pointer switch assembly and the antenna rotating motor 12 and the antenna pointer switch motor 15 may be stopped in either direction of rotation and reversed at any time. The arm 32 may be stopped at an antenna pointer switch 42 ahead of the switch corresponding to the channel initially selected; also, it may be rotated on past the antenna pointer switch 42 corresponding to the channel selected to a switch farther on in its arc of rotation. When the operating arm 32 of the antenna pointer switch assembly and the antenna rotating motor 12 and the antenna pointer switch motor 15 have been stopped in either direction of rotation, they may be immediately reversed and made to rotate in the opposite direction. In no case is it necessary to await the arrival of the operating arm 32 of the antenna pointer switch assembly and the antenna rotating motor 12 and antenna pointer switch motor 15 at their positions corresponding to a previously selected channel before initiating their movement to the position corresponding to a later selected channel.

As previously stated, the left section of the limit switch 55 is opened by the operating arm 32 to separate the contacts 56 and 58', when the arm 32 is rotating in the clockwise direction, and the right section is opened to separate the contacts 58 and 60, when the arm is rotating in the counter-clockwise direction. The limit switch 55 is the overall protector of the entire system against mechanical or electrical damage. Any time the contacts 5 6-and 58' on one side or the contacts 58 and 60 on the other side of this switch are separated, the control and operating circuits of the antenna pointer switch assembly are opened and this in turn, as will be later described, causes the circuit through the primary winding 146 of the step down power transformer 145 to be opened. This occurs because current is no longer flowing through the holding Winding 142 of the holding relay 140, which winding is part of the control circuit, and the armature 143- is separated from the fixed contact 144 of this relay, thereby opening the primary circuit at this point. Also, the limit switch 55 responds on call when the arm of the rotary distributor switch 85 is rotated to the vertical position and on the designation IUF as shown in FIGURE 1. As above stated, this limit point preferably corresponds to the position of the antenna "'10 when it is pointing North. The limit point could, however, be selected for any direction desired. The circuit for a north limit point, or for limit control in any chosen compass direction, may be set up with the connection through a channel contact 89 of the rotary distributor switch that will, at the limit of rotation,

, leave the antenna 10' pointing on the channel of a station which is frequently selected for reception; or on the other hand, on the channel of a station which is rarely selected for reception, as .may be individually desired or influenced by location. Such an alternate arrangement may be particularly applicable in the event that the 1UP con,- tact point 89 of the rotary distributor switch 85 is actually being used for UF reception purposes, and its use for a limit point control might be undesirable.

If manipulation of the manually operated switch is cal-ling for the antenna 10 to rotate to the limit of its counter-clockwise movement, the operation of the right section of the limit switch 55 opens the operating circuit over the conductor 168 to the switch 115; likewise, if manipulation of the manually operated switch 115 is calling for the antenna 10 to rotate to the limit of its clockwise movement, the operation of the left section of the limit switch 55 opens the operating circuit over the conductor 169 to the switch 115. The remainder of this circuit is over the conductor to the secondary windings 148 and 147 of the step down power transformer 145.

Whenever the antenna control is in operation according to its automatic features, and the antenna pointer switch assembly is being directed through the rotary distributor switch having its arm 90 on one of the contacts 89, as shown in FIGURE 1, and the transfer switch 52 is in the position calling for rotation of the antenna to the limit of its movement in the counterclockwise direction, the operation of the right section of the limit switch 55 opens the control circuit over the conductors 168 and 166 to the transfer switch; similarly, in the event that the transfer switch 52 is in the position calling for rotation of the antenna 10 to the limit of its movement in the clockwise direction, the operation of the left section of the limit switch 55 opens the control circuit over the conductors 169 and 167 to the transfer switch. In either case, the remainder of this circuit is over the conductors 171 and-184, through the holding winding 142 of holding relay 140, conductor 2%, through contact 133, to armature 130 of supervisory relay 125, over conductor 159 to manually operated switch 115, and return conductor 160 to the secondary windings 148 and 147 of the power transformer. Whenever either section of the limit switch 55 interrupts the control circuits, there is no longer any energizing current flowingin the holding winding 142 of the holding relay 140 and therefore this relay releases the armature 143, which opens the operating circuit through the primary winding 146 of the step down power transformer 145 over the conductors 152, 156, 150, 153, and 157. This takes the automatic antenna pointer device completely off the line, as previously stated, and relieves unnecessary strains on the electronic components 'of the device.

As stated above, the manually operated switch 115 is used to over-ride the automatic operation whenever desired, for instance, when abnormal atmospheric or other unusual natural conditions, or temporary transient condi tions, such as an airplane passing over, interfere with, reflect, or otherwise cause some temporary deviation of the signal. The circuit connections from "the antenna pointer switch assembly to the manually operated switch have already been described, these being from the left contact 47 of the transfer switch 52, over the conductors 166 and 168 and from the terminal 63 of the right section of the limit switch 55 over the conductor 168 to lower right fixed contact 120 of the switch 115; also from the right contact 46 of the transfer switch 52 over the conductor 167 and conductor 169, and from the terminal 62 of the left section of the limit switch 55 over the conductor 169 to the lower left fixed contact 118 of the switch 115. Let it "be assumed that the lever 108 of this switch is in the up position, that is with the pin 109 on the base plate 106 at the outer end of the slot 107 in the lever. In this position of the lever, the central movable contact 121 is clear of the central fixed contact 122. The control circuit over the conductors 159 and 160 to the secondary windings 147 and 148 of the step down power transformer 145 is interrupted, and automatic operation of the an: tenna pointer switch motor 15, the antenna pointer switch assembly, and the antenna rotating motor 12 is prevented. If now the lever 108 is moved to the right, the primary circuit of the transformers 145 will be closed over the conductor 152, movable contact 111, fixed contact 114 and conductor 153; if, however, the lever 108 is moved to the left, the same circuit will be closed through the movable contact 1 1 1, fixed contact 112, and conductor 113 to the fixed contact 114. It will thus be seen that the primary winding 146 of the transformer 145 is always out of the circuit, except during actual operation of the antenna rotating motor 12 and control motor 15.

Also, upon movement of this lever 108 to the left, movable contact 119 will close on the fixed contact 120 and the circuit for energization of the antenna rotating motor 12 and the antenna pointer switch motor 15 for rotating in the counter-clockwise direction will be completed. This circuit for the antenna rotating motor is from one side of the secondary winding 147 of the step down power transformer over the conductor 158 to the common terminal of the win-dings 13 and 14 of the motor through the winding 13 of the motor, over conductor 162 and 164 to the outer bus ring 39 of the antenna pointer switch assembly. For the antenna pointer switch motor 15, which necessarily always rotates in unison with the antenna rotating motor 12, the circuit is from one side of the secondary winding 148 of the step down power transformer over the conductor 16 1 to the common terminal of the windings 16 and 17 of the motor 15, through the winding 17 of the motor and over the conductors 162 and 164 to the outer bus ring 39 of the antenna pointer switch assembly. The remainder of these circuits continue jointly over the conductor 59 in the right section of the limit switch 55, the conductor 168 to the fixed contact 120 of the manually operated switch 115, the movable contact 119 of this switch, and the conductor to the other sides of the secondary windings 147 .and 148. Similarly, when the lever 108 is moved to the right, movable contact 119 will close on the fixed contact 118 and the circuits for energization of the antenna rotating motor 12 and for the antenna pointer switch motor -15 for rotation in the clockwise direction will be completed. This circuit for the antenna motor 12 is from one side of the secondary winding 147 of the transformer 145, over the conductor 158 to the common ter minal of the windings 13 and 14 of the motor, through the winding 14 of the motor, over the conductors 163 and to the inner tbus ring 40 of the antenna pointer switch assembly. For the antenna pointer switch motor 15, the circuit is from one side of the secondary wind-ing 148 of the step down power transformer 145, over the conductor 161 to the common terminal of the windings 16 and 17 of the motor 15, through winding 16 of the motor and over the conductors 163 and 165 to the inner bus ring 40 of the antenna pointer switch assembly. The remainder of these circuits continue jointly over the conductor 57 in the left section of the limit switch, the con ductor 169 to the fixed contact 118 of the manually operated switch 115, the movable contact 119 of the switch and the conductor 160 to the other side of the secondary windings 147 and 148.

When the lever 108 of the switch 115 is in the down position, that is with the pin 109 at the inner end of the slot 107 in the lever, the central fixed movable contact 121 is closed on the central fixed contact 122 and the common return circuit to the other side of both secondary windings 147 and 148 of the transformer is included in the complete circuit for either automatic or manual channel selections. Also, with the lever 108 in the stated down position, and the central movable contact 121 closed on the fixed contact 122, the switch 115 may still be manually operated for selective positioning of the antenna 10 in the above-described manner. The only difference is that, when the next selection of a' channel is made either by the automatic space command relay 100 or the channel selector knob 65 and associated rotary distributor switch 85, the automatic operation will thereafter be resumed.

As above explained, the space command relay switching device 100, and the parallel manually operated switching unit 105, together with the channel selector motor 95, the operation of which they control, are often included as component parts of the television receiving set. The operating circuit is connected to the 115 volt AC. power supply on the television chassis and is over the conductors and -186 to the common terminal of the windings 93 and 94 of the motor 95. This circuit on the other side is over the. conductor 188, from the other side of the 115- volt power supply on the television chassis, over the conductor 189 to the armature 97 of the space command relay switching device 100, and either fixed contact 96 and over conductors 193 and 194 to the other side of the winding 94 of the motor 95, for rotation of the latter in one tact 98 of the space command relay switching device 100 over the conductor 196 to the other side of the winding 93 of the motor for rotation of the motor 95 in the opposite direction. It should be noted that the control relay 135 does not function during channel selections made by the space command relay switching device 100, or the parallel manually. operated switching device 105, this relay being operated only when channel selections are made by the special manual channel selector knob 65.

The conductor 185 from the power supply, which is connected to the windings 93 and 94 of the channel selector motor 95 by the conductor 186, is also connected to one side of the winding 126 of the supervisory relay '125. Now, if armature 97 of the space command relay switching device 100 is closed on the fixed contact 96, as first stated above, the winding 126 of the supervisory relay 125 is in parallel with the winding 94 of the channel selector motor 95. In this situation, the other side of the circuit is from the winding 126, over the conductor 187 to the armature 138 and upper fixed contact 139 of the control relay 135, over conductor 193 to the fixed contact 96 and armature 97 of the space command relay switching device 100 and over conductor 189 to conductor 188.

If, on the other hand, the armature 97 of the automatic relay switching device is closed on the contact 98, as last stated above, the winding 126 of the supervisory relay 125 is in series with the winding '94 of the channel selector motor 95. The other side of the circuit'is now from the winding 126 of the supervisory relay 125, over the conductor 187 to the armature 138 and the upper fixed contact 139 of the control relay 135, over the conductors 193 and 194 to one side of the winding 94 of the channel selector motor 95, through the windings 94 and 93 of this motor, over the conductor 196 to the fixed contact 98 and the armature 97 of the space command automatic relay switching device 100, and over the conductor 189 to the conductor 188.

When, however, the control relay 135 is energized by the manually operated channel selector knob 65, its armature 138 is closed on the lower fixed contact 137. The other side of the circuit for the winding 126 of the supervisory relay 125 is now over the conductor 187 to the armature 138 and lower fixed contact 137 of the control relay 135, and over the conductor 192 to the conductor 188.

As also above noted, the manually operated switching device 105 is also present on many television receiving sets. This device is connected in parallel with the automatic space command relay 100, one contact 101 being connected by a conductor 195 and the conductor 193 to the fixed contact 96 of the automatic relay and by the conductor 193 and a conductor 194 to one side of the winding 94 of the channel selector motor 95, the other fixed contact 163 being connected by conductors 197 and 196 to the other fixed contact 98 of the automatic relay, and to one side of the winding 93 of the channel selector motor 95, and the arm or movable contact 102 being connected by a conductor 190 to the conductor 188. ,This manually operated switching device therefore functions in the circuit in the same manner as the automatic space command relay 100, both as to controlling the channel selector motor 95 and the supervisory relay 125.

As described above, the supervisory relay125 has an upper double throw armature 130 and a lower single throw armature 128, the two being interconnected by a link 129. The upper armature 130 first controls the operating circuit through the high resistance winding 141 of the holding relay 140 and later controls the circuit through the low resistance holding winding 142. As also above stated, a very essential characteristic of this relay is that the upper armature 130 is specially modified with respect to the upper pair of fixed contacts 132 and 133 to function in the circuit according to the present invention in a particular manner. As further described above, this modi- 22 fication is in the feature that when the relay is energized, the upper armature does not leave the upper contact 133 until after it has closed on the lower contact 132 of the upper pair of contacts; conversely, and most important, when the relay is released, the upper armature does not leave-the lower fixed contact 132 until after it has closed on the upper fixed contact 133. It is therefore the case that, when the relay is released, the circuit through the high resistance operating winding 141 is not broken until after the circuit through the low resistance holding winding 142 has been completed. Through this unique control of the holding relay by the supervisory relay 125, for a fraction of a second, both circuits are closed and both windings 141 and 142 of the holding relay are energized. This prevents any interruption of the electromagnetic flux through the core of the holding relay 140. It is here noted that the low resistance winding 142 will hold the relay 140 energized but will not energize same, the latter being initially done by the high resistance winding 141. As further stated above, the supervisory relay 125 is energized in parallel with the channel selector motor 95, when the latter is energized through the winding 94 to run in one direction, and in parallel-series with the motor, when the latter is energized through the Winding 93 to run in the opposite direction.

When the supervisory relay 125 is energized by either the automatic space command relay 100, or the manually operated switching device 105, the upper armature 130 separates from the upper contact 133 and breaks the low voltage control circuit. There is at this time, however, no current flowing in this circuit because the primary circuit of the step down power transformer is open. However, as will be presently described, in a split-second interval the primary circuit of the transformer 145 will be completed by the lower armature 128 closing on the lower contact 127. The low voltage control circuit would then be completed, and would be energized, if the upper armature 130 were to remain closed on the upper contact 133 of the pair of contacts. This would, because of a series of circuit changes incident to the channel selection procedure, cause immediate undesirable and uncertain movements of the antenna 10. Through the low voltage control circuit being held open at the upper contact 133 of the supervisory relay, rotation of the antenna pointer switch motor 15, movement of the operating arm 32 of the antenna pointer switch assembly, and rotating of the antenna rotation motor 12 are prevented until the channel selector motor 95 and the channel selector shaft 70 have come to rest in positions corresponding to the desired channel. The particular part of the low voltage control circuit here involved is from the arm 90 of the rotary distributor switch 85 over the conductor 184, through the low resistance winding 142 of the holding relay 140, over the conductor 200 to the upper fixed contact 133 and the armature 1300f the supervisory relay 125, over the conductor 159 to the central fixed contact 122 and movable contact 121 of the manually operated switch 115, and over the conductor to one side of each of the secondary windings 147 and 148 of the power transformer.

ture 130 closes on the upper fixed contact 133, before.

leaving the lower fixed contact 132, and the holding cir- Lcuit for the holding relay 140' is closed. This circuit is part of the low voltage control circuit previously described, from the arm 90 of the rotary distributor switch 85, over the conductor 184, through the low resistance winding 142 of the relay, over the conductor 200 to the -other side of the power connection.

23 upper fixed contact 133 of the pair of contacts and upper armature 130 of the supervisory relay 125, over the conductor 159 to the manually operated switch 115, and over the conductor 160 to one side of each of the secondary windings 147 and 148 of the step down power trans former 145.

As above stated, one of the functions of the supervisoryrelay 125 is to initially close the primary circuit of the step down power transformer 145 in order to supply operating current for the antenna pointer. This circuit forms one side of the 110-l15 volt A.C. power supply over the conductor 151) to one side of the primary winding 146 of the transformer; also from the other side of the power supply over the conductors 152 and 154 to the lower armature 128 and lower fixed contact 127 of the relay, and over the conductors 155 and 153 to the other side of the primary winding 146 of the transformer. The secondary windings 147 and 148 of the transformer are now energized.

When the channel selection is done manually by the knob 65, the supervisory relay is operated by the control relay 135. As above stated, one of the contacts 75 at the end of the recess 67 in the outer knob 65 abuts the respective contacts 73a on the arm 71 of the channel selector shaft 70, depending upon the direction in which the outer knob 65 is turned. The .primary circuit of the con trol relay 135 is now closed. This circuit is over the conductor 185, which, as stated, is from one side of the 110-115 volt A.C. power connection on the television receiver chassis, over the conductor 199 to the contacts 75-75 at the ends of the recess 67 in the outer knob 65; the other side of the circuit is from the respective contact 73a on the arm 71 of the channel selector shaft 70, over the conductor 198 to One side of the winding 136 of the control relay; then over the conductor 188 to the The control relay is now energized and closes an alternate primary circuit for the supervisory relay 125. This circuit is from one side of the 110-115 volt power connection, over the conductor 185 to one side of the winding 126 of the relay 125, over the conductor 187 to the armature 138 and lower fixed contact 137 of the control relay 135 and over theconductor 192 to the conductor 188 and the other side of the power connection. Since the supervisory relay 125 is held energized until the channel selector knob 65 has been brought to rest at the desired channel designation, the low voltage control circuit is not restored until the upper armature 139 closes on the contact 133 of the upper pair of contacts, and there can be no rotation of the antenna pointerswitch motor 15, the operating arm 32 of the antenna pointer switch assembly, or the antenna rotating motor 12, until after the channel selector shaft 70 has been brought to rest in the stated position.

Since the supervisory relay 125 is released when the channel selector shaft 7 has come to rest in the position corresponding to the selected channel, either after manual operation by the channel selector knob 65 or by the channel selector motor 95, the initial primary circuit of the step down power transformer 145 is now broken by the separation of the lower armature 128 from the fixed contact 127. This would deprive the antenna pointer of essential operating current, however, a holding relay 140 provides a parallel circuit for the primary of said transformer. The said holding relay, initially responsive to the supervisory relay, is now responsive to its own holding circuit only and is solely responsible for maintaining a closed circuit for the primary of the power transformer until the antenna is fully oriented. This occurs simul taneously with the opening of the control circuit by a responsive 42 pointer switch or a limit switch 55. In-

' stantly, when no more current is flowing through the holding winding 142, the holding relay releases its armature 143 breaking the contact with point 144 thereby opening the primary circuit 146 of the power transformer. This results in taking the antenna pointer completely off the line.

The low voltage Control circuit above described is in part through the low resistance holding winding 142 of the holding relay 140, over the conductor 200 and to the fixed contact 133 of the upper pair of contacts and the upper armature 130 of the supervisory relay 125. When the supervisory relay is energized during the selection of a different channel, this circuit is broken at the upper fixed contact 133 and the upper armature 13G closes on the lower fixed contact 132 of the pair of contacts. Since one side of the circuit through the low resistance holding winding 142 of the holding relay 140 is now open, this winding initially produces no magnetic flux and, until certain circuit changes have taken place, even though the step down power transformer 145 is now brought on the line by this same supervisory relay 125, as above described, this winding cannot affect the armature 143 of said holding relay 140. In closing on the lower fixed contact 132 of the upper pair of contacts, however, the upper armature of the supervisory relay completes the circuit through the high resistance operating winding 141 of the holding relay 140. This circuit is from one side of the secondary winding 147 of the step down power transformer 145, over the conductors 160 and 123 to the movable contact 121 and its lower fixed contact 122 of the manually operated switch 115, over the conductor 159 to the upper armature 130 and lower contact 132 of the supervisory relay 125, over conductor 281 to one side of the high resistance operating winding 141 of the holding relay the other side of this circuit is from the other side of the winding 141, over conductors 202 and 158 to the other side of the secondary winding 147 of the power transformer 145.

Also, when the supervisory relay 125 is energized as above described, the lower armature 128 closes on the lower fixed contact 127. This completes the initial primary circuit of the step down power transformer 145. This circuit is in part over the conductors 152 and 154, the armature 128 and lower fixed contact 127 of the relay, and over the conductors 155 and 153. Since a closed circuit now exists through the secondary winding 147 of the power transformer and the high resistance operating winding 141 of the holding relay 140 and current is flowing through this circuit, the relay 140 now attracts its armature 143, which closes on the fixed contact 144 and completes a second primary circuit for the winding 146 in parallel with the circuit closed by the lower armature 128 of the supervisory relay 125. This will keep the power transformer 145 energized after the release of supervisory relay 125. This parallel circuit is over conductors 152 and 156 to fixed contact 144 and armature 143 of the holding relay 148, over conductors 157 and 153 to one side of the primary winding 146 of the power transformer, and from the other side of this winding over the conductor to the source of 115 volt A.C. power. This circuit is an essential part of a unique power control feature, which will be further described.

When the channel selector shaft 70 has been turned to the position corresponding to the desired channel, the supervisory relay 125 is released. This occurs due to the opening of the energizing circuit through the winding 126 of this relay, either by the return to normal position of the automatic space command relay device 100 or likewise by the return to normal position of the manually operated switching device 195, or by the release of the control relay 135 through opening of the circuit making and breaking device associated with the channel selector knob 65.

Due to the release of the supervisory relay 125, the first described primary circuit of the step down power transformer 145 is broken when the lower armature 128 moves 011 the lower fixed contact 127 of the relay. At the same time, the upper armature 130 moves off the lower fixed contact 132 of the upper pair of contacts. However, through this particular construction of this 25 relay, as above described, the upper armature 130 does not move off the lower fixed contact 132 until it has closed on the upper fixed contact 133 of the pair of contacts. It therefore follows that the circuit through the high resistance operating winding 141 of the holding relay 140 is not broken until after the circuit through the low resistance holding winding 142 has been completed, and the magnetic flux through the core of the relay produced by the high resistance winding 141 does not begin to decrease until after the flux produced by the low resistance winding 142 has been established. The holding relay 140 accordingly does not release during the switching operation of the supervisory relay 125. Through this feature of the circuit arrangement, the step down power transformer 145 maintains its own primary circuit closed by the holding action of the relay 140.

When the supervisory relay 125 has been released and the upper armature 130 has closed on the upper fixed contact 133 of the pair of fixed contacts, which is the normal position of this armature, the low voltage control and operating circuit for the antenna rotating motor 12 and antenna pointer switch motor 15 is again closed. This circuit is from the step dovm power transformer 145, through the antenna rotating motor 12 and also through the antenna pointer switch motor '15, the antenna pointer switch assembly, the rotary distributor switch 85, and the low resistance holding winding 142 of the holding relay 140. The total current flowing through this circuit is the sum of the current developed in the secondary winding 147 of the step down power transformer for the antenna rotating motor 12 and that developed in the secondary winding 148 for the antenna pointer switch motor 15. This current, flowing through the low resistance holding winding 142 of the relay 140, maintains the relay energized, while the antenna pointer switch operating arm 32 and the antenna are being oriented, and prevents any untimely opening of the primary circuit of the step down power transformer 145. After the supervisory relay 125 has been released, the primary circuit is no longer closed over the conductors 154 and 155 but is now closed only over the conductors 156 and 157 and armature 143 and fixed contact 144 of the holding relay 140. This holding action of the relay 140 is a very important feature of the circuit arrangement. In the absence of same, after the release of the supervisory relay 125 due to the channel selector shaft 70 having come to rest in the position corresponding to the selected channel, the primary circuit of the step down power transformer 145 would be open over the conductors 154 and 155 at the armature 128 and fixed contact 127 of the supervisory relay, and there would be no electrical power available to perform the next step in the sequence of operation.

As soon as the supervisory relay 125 is released, and the upper armature 130 closed on the upper fixed contact 133 of the upper pair of contacts, to again close the low voltage control circuit, as above described, the antenna rotating motor 12 and the antenna pointer switch motor are started in rotation. The antenna pointer switch motor 15 now turns the operating arm 32 to-' wards the antenna pointer switch 42 that is in the circuit of the channel selected. When the operating arm 32 reaches the particular switch which corresponds to the channel selected, it operates that switch and opens the control circuit, as well as the operating circuits of the antenna rotating motor 12 and the antenna pointer switch motor 15 over the corresponding conductor in the series 171 to 183, inclusive, between the antenna pointer switch assembly and the rotary distributor switch 85. At the same time the energizing circuit through the low resistance holding winding 142 of the holding relay 140 is broken over the conductor 184 between the rotary distributor switch 85 and one side of the winding. The holding relay is now released and the primary circuit of the step down power transformer 145 over the con- '26 ductors 156 and 157 is broken, due to the armature 143 moving off the fixed contact 144 of the relay. The circuits through the several components are now broken and the antenna is pointed in the right direction.

As previously stated, in the circuit according to FIG. 1, the power for the antenna rotating motor 12 is supplied by the secondary winding 147 and the power for the antenna pointer switch motor 15 is supplied by the secondary winding 148 of the step down power transformer 145. Likewise, the power for the low voltage control circuit through the antenna pointer switch assembly and the rotary distributor switch is supplied by both the secondary windings 147 and 148 of the transformer. Both currents flow through all the components of the low voltage control circuit. This is ordinarily quite satisfactory. However, in some cases, for example Where the antenna rotating motor 12 and the antenna pointer switch motor 15 may be of a larger size, it may be desirable to have only the, current of the low voltage control circuit pass through the antenna pointer switch assembly. In such cases, a relay circuit is provided for handling the current in the operating circuits of the antenna rotating motor 12 and the antenna pointer switch motor 15. The circuit diagram is shown in FIG. 6. One side of the secondary winding 147 is connected-by a conductor 158 to the common terminal of the windings 13 and 14 of the antenna rotating motor 12 and one side of the secondary winding 148 is connected by a conductor 161 to the common terminal of the windings 16 and 17 of the antenna pointer switch motor 15, as in the circuit of FIG. 1. A pair of relays 205 and 210 is provided. These relays operate in tandem, one operating when the antenna rotating motor 12 is rotating the antenna 10 in the clockwise direction and the other op erating when the motor 12 is rotating the antenna in the counter-clockwise direction. The relay 205 has a winding 206, an .armature 207, and a fixed contact 208;-

sirnilarly, the relay 210 has a winding 211, an armature 212, and a fixed contact 213. The other side of the secondary winding 147 of the step down power transformer is connected by a conductor 203 to the other side of the secondary winding 148. Both of. these windings are now connected by conductor 204 to armature 207 of relay 205 and to armature 212 of relay 210. Fixed contact 208 of relay 205 connected by a conductor 209 to the conductor 163 between the winding 14 of the antenna rotating motor 12 and the winding 16 of the antenna pointer switch motor 15; likewise, the fixed contact 213 of the relay 2-10 is connected by a conductor 2-14 to the conductor 162 between the second winding 13 of the antenna rotating motor 12 and the second winding 17 of the antenna pointer switch motor 15. The conductor 164 from the outer bus rings 35 and 39 of the antenna pointer switch assembly is connected to one side of the winding 211 of the relay 210; in like manner, the conductor 165 from the inner bus rings 36 and 40 of the antenna pointer switch assembly is connected to one side of the winding 206 of the relay 205.

A third secondary winding 149 is provided on the step down power transformer 145 for supplying power to the low voltage control circuit. The other sides of the winding 206 of the relay 205 and the winding 211 of the relay 210 are connected by a common conductor 215 to one side of this secondary winding 149; the conductor 202 from one side of the winding 141 of the holding relay 140 is also connected to this side of the winding; and the conductor from the lower contact 121 on the manually operated switch 115 is connected to the other side of the winding.

If the circuit from the antenna pointer switch assembly across the conductor is energized, the relay 205 will close the power supply circuit at contact 208 for the antenna rotating motor 12 and the antenna pointer switch motor 15. The motor 12 will then rotate the antenna 10 in one direction, for instance, clockwise, and the motor 15 will rotate the automatic antenna pointer switch arm 32 in the same direction. If, however, the circuit from the antenna pointer switch assembly across the conductor 164 is energized, the relay 210 will close at contact 213 the power supply circuit for the antenna rotating motor 12 and the antenna pointer switch motor 15. The motor 12 will then rotate the antenna in the opposite, or counter-clockwise direction, and the motor will rotate the automatic antenna pointer switch arm 32 in the same direction.

In some cases, it may be preferable to operate the supervisory relay 125 in series circuit with the windings 93 and 94 of the channel selector motor 95 over the common conductor 186. The circuit arrangement is shown in FIG. 7. The winding 126 of the relay would, of course, have to have a different impedance value than in the circuit arrangement according to FIG. 1. The function of the relay would, however, remain unchanged. As to the relay 135, which controls the energizing circuit of the supervisory relay 125, the construction and function of this relay will remain unchanged.

In the circuit diagram according to FIG. 7, the conductor from the common terminal of the windings 93 and 94 of the channel selector motor 95 is connected to the upper fixed contact 139 of the control relay 135. The conductor 193, which extends from one fixed contact 96 of the automatically operated space command.

switching device 100 to this upper fixed contact 139 in the circuit diagram according to FIG. 1, is now terminated at the other end of the winding 94 of the channel selector motor 95. The conductor 192, which is connected to the lower fixed contact 137 of the control relay, and then to the conductor 188 in the circuit diagram according to FIG. 1, is here connected to one terminal of a resistor R; the other terminal of this resistor is connected by a conductor 217 to the conductor 188 from the power supply on the television chassis. The resistor R should have a value equal to that of either of the windings 93 or 94 of the channel selector motor 95.

Some television sets do not have either the automatically operated space command switching device 100 or the manually operated parallel space command switching device 105. The channel selection is then carried out manually, solely by the channel selector knob 65 and the associated switch. The control relay 135 is then not used in the circuit. The circuit diagram is shown in FIG. 8. One conductor 188 from the 110-120 volt AC. power supply on the televisionchassis is connected to one side of the winding 126 of the supervisory relay 125 in place of conductor 185 as illustrated in FIG. 1. The fuse 191 is preferably placed in this .side of the line. The conductor 198, which is connected to the other side of the winding 126, here replaces the conductor 187 in the circuit diagram according to FIG. 1. This conductor is connected to the inner conducting ring 82 in the plate 79 to the rear of the channel selector knob 65 (FIG. 3) and through the conducting rod 74 to the conducting strip 73 on the arm 71 of the channel selector shaft 70. The conductor 185 from the other side of the 110-115 volt AC. power supply on the television chassis through the conductor 199 in the circuit diagram according to FIG. 8 is connected to the conducting ring 83 on the plate 79 and through the conducting rod 78 and the conductors 77 and-76 to the contacts 75-75 within the outer channel selector knob 65 (FIGS. 3 and 4). The winding 126 of the supervisory relay 125 is thus connected across the power line 185-188, through the switch in the channel selector knob 65.

As previously described the connections of the windings 1314 of the antenna rotating motor 12 and the terminals of the windings 16-17 of the antenna pointer switch motor 15 are shown in the circuit diagram of FIG. 9. In this circuit diagram, for simplicity of illustration, are shown only the power train with its basic operating connections, circuit components and features are omitted, such as the antenna pointer switch assembly, the rotary distributor switch 85, channel selector motor 95, control relay 135, supervisory relay 125, and the holding relay 140, etc. As schematically shown, the simplified manually operated switch 115 controls the primary circuit of the step down power transformer 145, as in the circuit diagram according to FIG. 1, and directly connects the power circuit of the antenna rotating motor 12 and the antenna pointer switch motor 15.

The invention has herein been described principally in its particular adaptability and application to the automatic directional positioning of antenna for the purpose of receiving the strongest and clearest signal available from the channel for every station, as it is selected by the individual television receiver. This, however, should not be construed as indicative of a limit to the utility of the invention, or of its application for other purposes, which may fall within the true spirit and scope ofsame. The appended claims, therefore, shall be presumed to cover and protect this invention in any and all of its broader uses and/or applications.

Likewise, desirable modifications, substitutions or improvements of general design, or of the component parts used, or of the design details of the latter, together with their operative characteristics, or operating methods, or variations of structural arrangements, or modifications of functions, or variations in performance, as would be comprehended by one skilled in the art, and which are within the spirit and scope of the invention, shall also be presumed to be fully within the scope of and covered by the appended claims.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

I claim:

1. In combination with a television receiving set provided with rotatable tuning apparatus operable between given positions for selective reception from any desired one of several television transmitting stations;

channel selector motor means (95) for driving said tuning apparatus between said given positions;

a rotatably-mounted directional antenna (10) for receiving the signals transmitted by said stations;

and means for rotating said antenna between positions corresponding with the positions of said rotatable tuning apparatus, comprising synchro receiver means including a reversible controlled motor (12) connected with said antenna; synchro transmitter means including a reversible control motor (15) for controlling the angular position of said controlled motor and said antenna;

and means for operating said control motor to given angular positions corresponding with the angular positions of said tuning apparatus, comprising rotary distributor switch means coupled with said tuning apparatus, and antenna pointer switch means (20) electrically connected between said distributor switch means (85) and said control motor (15), said pointer switch means being mechanically connected with said control motor.

2. In combination with a television receiving set provided with tuning apparatus for selective reception from a desired one of several television transmitting stations, a directional antenna for receiving the signals from the selected station, a first reversible electric motor operatively connected to said antenna for orienting the latter in respect to the compass direction of the selected station by clockwise and counter-clockwise rotation, and electrical control means including a plurality of reversing control switches and a rotary distributor switch, a second reversible electric motor drivably connected to said reversing control switches for operating same in opposite directions, and circuit connections between the rotary distributor switch and the reversing control switches, be-

tween the reversible electric motors, and between the reversing control switches and the reversible electric motors for orienting the antenna with a high degree of accuracy in successive rotation from either direction of approach.

3. In combination with a television receiving set provided with tuning apparatus for selective reception from a desired one of several television transmitting stations, a. directional antenna for receiving the signals from the selected station, a first reversible electric motor operatively connected to the said antenna and having means for orienting the latter to the compass direction of the selected station by clockwise and counter-clockwise rotation, an antenna pointer switch assembly including a rotatable radial arm, a reversible electric control motor connected to said radial arm for rotating same, circuit connections between said reversible electric motors providing for their rotation in fixed angular relationship, and electrical control means including a three position switch for controlling tw-o circuits in the antenna pointer switch assembly for each channel available and each such switch having a lever receptive to clockwise rotation and to counter-clockwise rotation of the arm, and to cessation of rotation of the latter at the proper time, and the arm being adapted to successively operate said switches and to pass through the switches for the intermediate channels to the switch for the selected channel.

4. In combination with a television receiving set provided with tuning apparatus for selective reception from .a desired one of several television transmitting stations and a channel selecting apparatus, a directional antenna for receiving the signals from the selected station, a reversible electric motor operatively connected to said antenna for orienting the latter in respect to the compass direction of the selected station by clockwise and counterclockwise rotation, a distributor switch operatively connected to the channel selecting apparatus, an antenna pointer switch assembly including a rotatable radial arm,

a reversible electric control motor connected to said arm for rotating same, an electrical control means including a plurality of two circuit, three position switches radially arranged and adjustably positioned in a circle in the antenna pointer switch assembly and operable by said radial arm, electrical connections from the latter switch to the distributor switches, control circuits each including one of the control switches in the antenna pointer switch assembly in series with the motors for setting the reversible electric motors in rotation in the clockwise direction and in the counter-clockwise direction and stop- "ping' the rotation of same at a time determined by the radial arm as it operates a particular one of the switches in the antenna p'ointer switch assembly according to the selected stations compass direction, and operating circuits between the antenna rotating and reversible electric control motors comprised by three conductors with the circuit for operating both of said motors in one direction being over two of said conductors and the circuit for operating both of said motors in the opposite direction being over one of said conductors and the third conductor.

5. In combination with a television receiving set provided with a tuning apparatus for selective reception from a desired one of several television transmitting stations and a motor operated tuning or channel selecting apparatus, a directional antenna capable of being oriented in respect to the compass direction of the selected station in order that the antenna will receive the maximum signal strength available from the selected station, a first reversible electric motor operatively connected to said antenna for rotating same, a distributor switch operatively connected to the tuning or channel selecting apparatus, an antenna pointer switch assembly including a plurality of two circuit, three-position control switches, a rotatable operating mechanism selectively engageable with said switches, and a second reversible electric control motor connected to said operating mechanism, circuit connections from the tuning or channel selecting apparatus to the rotary distributor switch, from the latter to the antenna pointer switch assembly, and circuit connections from the latter to the first reversible electric antenna rotating and second reversible electric control motors, and operating circuit connections between these two motors, a manually operated switch, and circuit connections from the manually operated switch to the antenna pointer switch assembly for taking over control of the first reversible electric antenna rotating motor and the second reversible electric control motor from the motor operated tuning or channel selecting apparatus.

6. In combination with a television receiving set provided with an automatic tuning apparatus for selective reception from any one of several television transmitting stations, and an automatic remotely controlled relay connected to said tuning apparatus for operating same, a directional antenna for receiving the signals from the selected station, a reversible electric motor operatively connected to said antenna for orienting the latter in respect to the compass direction of the selected station, a reversing switch mechanism comprised by a plurality of two circuit, three position control switches, two operational limit switches, a radial arm successively engageable with said switches for operating same and a reversible electric control motor operatively connected to the radial arm for rotating same, a rotary distributor switch operatively connected to the tuning or channel selecting apparatus of the receiver, circuit connections between the automatic tuning apparatus and the rotary distributor switch and circuit connections between the latter and the reversible electric antenna rotating and the reversible electric control motors for controlling the rotation of same in the operation of said switches, manual tuning means, and circuit connections between the automatic' remotely controlled relay and the rotatable distributor switch, and circuit connections between the manual tuning means and the rotatable distributor switch for transferring the channel selection from the automatic remotely controlled tuning apparatus to the manual tuning means, and vice versa, without interruption of the continuity of directional positioning of the antenna and of reception by the television receiving set.

7. In combination with a television receiving set provided with tuning apparatus for selective reception from a desired one of several television transmitting stations, a directional antenna for receiving the signals from the selected station, a reversible electric motor operatively connected to said antenna for orienting the latter in respect to the compass direction of the selected station, a rotary distributor switch, an electrical control circuit including a relay interconnecting the tuning apparatus, the rotary distributor switch and the electric motor for orienting the antenna with a high degree of accuracy, and a primary circuit for said relay controlled by the tuning apparatus providing for initiation of the operation of the electric motor only after the channel selection operation has been completed.

8. In combination with a television receiving set provided with tuning apparatus for selective reception from and an electrical control circuit including a relay and 31 a plurality of conductors between the switches on the assembly and the tuning apparatus, and the said relay for holding thesaid control circuit open all the while the tuning apparatus of the receiving set and the attendant rotary distributor switch are passing through any intermediate channels to the circuit of the antenna pointer switch assembly for controlling orientation of the antenna to the selected channel.

9. In combination with a television receiving set provided with a tuning apparatus for selective reception from a desired one of several television transmitting stations, a directional antenna for receiving the signals from the selected station, a reversible electric motor operatively connected to said antenna for orienting the latter in respect to the compass direction of the selected station, an electrical control means including a switch assembly having a two-circuit, three-position switch for each channel available and an arm adapted to suecessively operate said switches, a reversible electric motor operatively connected to said arm and a synchronizing circuit between said motors.

10. In combination with a television receiving set provided with a tuning apparatus including an automatic remote controlled space command channel selector relay for selecting a desired one of several television transmitting stations, a reversible electric channel selector motor operatively connected to said tuning apparatus for operating same, an automatic relay for channel selection and a control circuit for the motor including the said relay, a directional antenna for receiving the signals from the selected station, a reversible electric motor operatively connected to said antenna for orienting the latter in respect to the compass direction of the selected station, an antenna pointer switch assembly including a two-circuit, three-position control switch for each channel available and a synchronizing limit switch, a rotary distributor switch for directing a control circuit through the twocircuit, three-position control switch for the channel selected, or through the synchronizing limit control switch,

an electrical control circuit including a relay interconnecting, the rotary distributor switch, the tuning apparatus and the electric motor connected to the antenna for orienting the antenna with a high degree of accuracy, and a primary circuit for said relay controlled 'by the automatic space command channel selector relay.

11. In combination with a television receiving set provided with a tuning apparatus for selective reception from a desired one of several television transmitting stations, a directional antenna for receiving the signals from the selected station, a reversible electric motor operatively connected to the antenna for orienting the latter in respect to the compass direction of the selected station with a high degree of accuracy, an electrical control circuit including a supervisory relay interconnecting the tuning apparatus and the reversible electric motor for orienting the antenna, and a control relay for preventing undesirable feed back to the tuning apparatus, a channel selector knob operatively connected to the tuning apparatus by a lost motion connection, a circuit making and breaking device associated with the channel selector knob and operable to close a circuit upon limited rotation of the latter in either direction, and a primary circuit for said control relay controlled by the circuit making and breakring device, and a primary circuit for the supervisory relay including the contacts of the control relay.

12. In combination with a television receiving set pro vided with a tuning apparatus for selecting a desired one of several television transmitting stations, an electric motor operatively connected to said tuning apparatus for operating same, a manually operated circuit making and breaking device for channel selection, a control circuit for the motor including the manually operated circuit making and breaking device, a directional antenna for receiving the signals from the selected station, a reversible 315mm; motor operatively connected to said antenna for orienting the latter in respect to the compass direction of the selected station, an electrical control circuit including a supervisory relay interconnecting the tuning apparatus and the reversible electric motor connected to the antenna for orienting the antenna with a high degree of accuracy, and a primary circuit for said supervisory relay controlled by the manually operated channel selector circuit maker and breaker.

13. In combination with a television receiving set provided with a tuning apparatus for selective reception from a desired one of several television transmitting stations, a directional antenna for receiving the signals from the selected station, a first reversible electric motor operatively connected to said antenna for orienting the latter in respect to the compass direction of-the selected station, an antenna pointer switch assembly including a switch for each channel available and synchronizing safety limit switches and a rotatable radial arm for operating said switches, a second reversible electric control motor operatively connected to said arm for rotating same, a manually operated switch including a lever mounted for limited oscillatory movement about a pin between two extreme positions and through an intermediate normal position and having limited longitudinal movement with respect to the pin between the two extreme positions, pairs of fixed contacts on the opposite sides of the lever, pairs of movable contacts carried by the lever and co-operating respectively with the fixed contacts, a single fixed contact at one end of the lever and a single movable contact carried by the lever cooperating with and normally closed on the single fixed contact, an electrical circuit including a branch through a fixed contact on one side of the lever of the manually operated switch, the co-operating movable contact carried by the leverand closeable in either longitudinal position of the lever, through one of the synchronizing safety limit switches in the antenna pointer switch assembly to the reversible electric motor for orienting the antenna in one direction of approach, and a branch through a fixed contact on the other side of the lever, the co-operating movable contact carried by the lever and closeable in either longitudinal position of the lever, through one of the synchronizing safety limit switches in the antenna pointer switch assembly to the reversible electric motor for orienting the antenna in the other direction of approach, a transformer having a primary and multiple secondary windings, a power circuit from one secondary winding of the transformer to the first reversible electric motor for orienting the antenna through one of the fixed contacts on the opposite sides of the lever of the manually operated switch and the co-operating contact carried by the lever, a parallel circuit from another secondary winding of the transformer to the second reversible electric motor operatively connected to the rotatable radial arm of the antenna pointer switch assembly, a circuit through the primary winding of the transformer and through the other of the fixed contacts onthe opposite sides of the lever of the manually operated switch and the co-operating contacts carried by the lever, and an automatic control circuit through the antenna pointer switch assembly and through the normally closed single fixed contact and the single movable contact of the manually operated switch, and said control circuit subject to being momentarily interrupted when the lever is oscillated in either direction and indefinitely interrupted when the lever is longitudinally displaced.

14. In combination with a television receiving set providing with tuning apparatus for selective reception from a desired one of several television transmitting stations, a directional antenna for receiving the signals from the selected station, a switch assembly including a plurality of individual two-circuit, three-position control switches for the several channels, a transfer switch and a synchronizing limit switch for each direction of rotation arranged in circular configuration, an operating arm for successively operating the several switches and the limit switch, conductors from the several switches to the tuning apparatus, a reversible electric motor operatively connected to the directional antenna for orienting the latter in respect to the compass direction of the selected station with a high degree of accuracy, and an electrical control circuit including the limit switches, the transfer switch and control switches and a selected one of the conductors between the switch assembly and the tuning apparatus interconnecting the tuning apparatus and the electric motor.

15. In combination with a television receiving set provided with a tuning apparatus for selective reception from a desired one of several television transmitting stations, a directional antenna for receiving the signals from the selected station, a rotary distributor switch operatively connected to the tuning apparatus, a switch assembly including a plurality of individual two-circuit, three-posh tion control switches for the several channels, a two-section synchronizing limit switch, and a two-way transfer switch displaced 180 in the assembly from the limit switch, conductors connecting the sections of the limit switch tothe respective sides of the transfer switch, an operating arm for successively operating the several control switches, the limit switch, and the transfer switch, a reversible electric control mot-or operatively connected to said arm, conductors from the several switches to the distributor switch connected to the tuning apparatus, a conductor from the center terminal of the transfer switch to the distributor switch, a reversible electric motor operatively connected to the directional antenna for orient ing the latter in respect to the compass direction of the selected station with a high degree of accuracy, and an electrical control circuit including the limit switch and a selected one of the conductors between the switch assembly and the tuning apparatus interconnecting the tuning apparatus and the electric motors.

16. In combination with a television receiving set provided with a tuning apparatus for selecting a desired one of several television transmitting stations, a directional antenna for receiving the signals from the selected station,

a reversible electric motor operatively connected to the antenna for orienting the latter in respect to the compass direction of the selected station with a high degree of accuracy, a transformer having primary and secondary windings, a power circuit from the secondary winding of the transformer to the electric motor, a supervisory relay having a pair of interconnected armatures, a normally closed and normally open contact co-operating with the first armature and a normally open contact co-operating with the second armature, a control circuit including the power circuit between the secondary winding of the transformer and the reversible electric motor and the first armature and normally closed contact of the relay, a primary circuit including the primary winding of the transformer and the second armature and normally open contact of the relay, and an operating circuit for the relay controlled by the tuning apparatus.

17. In combination with a television receiving set provided with a tuning apparatus for selecting a desired one of several television transmitting stations, a directional antenna for receiving the signals from the selected station, a reversible electric motor operatively connected to said antenna for orienting the latter with respect to the compass direction of the selected station with a high degreeof accuracy, a transformer having primary and secondary windings, a power circuit from the secondary winding of the transformer to the reversible electric motor, a holding first relay having an armature and a normally open contact, a supervisory second relay having a pair of interconnected armatures, a normally closed and a normally open contact co-operating with the first armature and a normally open contact cooperating with the second armature, a circuit for the primary of the transformer including the latter normally open contact, a control circuit including the power circuit between the secondary winding of the transformer and the electric motor and the first armature and normally closed contacts of the second relay, an operating circuit for the holding first relay including the operating winding of the latter and the first armature and normally open contact of the supervisory second relay, a parallel primary circuit including the armature and normally open contact of the holding first relay, and an operating circuit for the second relay controlled by the tuning apparatus. I

18. In combination with a television receiving set provided with a tuning apparatus for selecting a desired one of several television transmitting stations, a directional antenna for receiving the signals from the selected station, a reversible electric motor operatively connected to said antenna for orienting the latter with respect to the compass direction of the selected station with a high degree of accuracy ,3 transformer having primary and secondary windings, a power circuit from the secondary winding of the transformer to the reversible electric motor, a holding first relay having an energizing and operating winding, a holding winding and an armature and a normally open contact, a supervisory second relay having a pair of interconnected armatures, a normally closed and normally open contact cooperating with the first armature and a normally open contact co-operating with the second armature, an operating circuit for the first relay including the secondary winding of the transformer, the operating winding of the first relay, and the first armature and normally open contact of the second relay, a control circuit including the power circuit between the secondary winding of the transformer and the electric motor, the holding winding of the said first relay, and the first armature and normally closed contact of the second relay, a primary circuit including the primary winding of the transformer and the second armature and normally open contact of the second relay, a parallel primary circuit including the armature and normally open contact of the first relay, and an operating circuit for the first relay controlled by the tuning apparatus.

19. In combination with a television receiving set provided with a tuning apparatus for selecting a desired one of several television transmitting stations, a directional antenna for receiving the signals from the selected station, a rotatable channel selector control operatively connected to the tuning apparatus, a circuit making and breaking device associated with the channel control and operable by the latter in either direction of rotation, a reversible electric motor operatively-connected to the antenna for orienting the latter in respect to the compass direction of the selected station with a high degree of accuracy, a transformer having primary and sec-' ondary windings, a power circuit from the secondary winding of the transformer to the reversible electric motor, a holding first relay having an operatingwinding and a holding winding and an armature and a normally open contact, a holding circuit through the holding winding, a supervisory second relay having a pair of interconnected armatures, a normally closed and a normally open contact co-operating with the first armature and a normally open contact co-operating with the second armature, a control circuit including the power circuit between the secondary winding of the transformer and the electric motor and the first armature and normally closed contact of the supervisory second relay and the holding winding of the first relay, an operating circuit for the first relay including the operating winding of the latter and the first armature and normally open contact of the second relay, a primary circuit including the primary winding of the transformer and the second armature and normally open contact of the second relay, and a parallel primary circuit including the armature and normally open contact of the holding first relay held closed by the holding circuit of the first relay keeping the latter

Claims (1)

1. 7. IN COMBINATION WITH A TELEVISION RECEIVING SET PROVIDED WITH TUNING APPARATUS FOR SELECTIVE RECEPTION FROM A DESIRED ONE OF SEVERAL TELEVISION TRANSMITTING STATIONS, A DIRECTIONAL ANTENNA FOR RECEIVING THE SIGNALS FROM THE SELECTED STATION, A REVERSIBLE ELECTRIC MOTOR OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID ANTENNA FOR ORIENTING THE LATTER IN RESPECT TO THE COMPASS DIRECTION OF THE SELECTED STATION, A ROTARY DISTRIBUTOR SWITCH, AN ELECTRICAL CONTROL CIRCUIT INCLUDING A RELAY INTERCONNECTING THE TUNING APPARATUS, THE ROTARY DISTRIBUTOR SWITCH AND THE ELECTRIC MOTOR FOR ORIENTING THE ANTENNA WITH A HIGH DEGREE OF ACCURACY, AND A PRIMARY CIRCUIT FOR SAID RELAY CONTROLLED BY THE TUNING APPARATUS PROVIDING FOR INITIATION OF THE OPERATION OF THE ELECTRIC MOTOR ONLY AFTER THE CHANNEL SELECTION OPERATION HAS BEEN COMPLETED.

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