GB1490794A - System for codifying data - Google Patents

Abstract

1490794 Codifying data COMPAGNIE GENERALE D'AUTOMATISME 21 Jan 1975 [22 Jan 1974] 2554/75 Heading G4B A system for codifying data comprises a receptacle in combination with a mechanical memory device. The memory device has several fingers 5 each attached to a respective slide 2 resting on beams 3 and 4 inside a box 1; each slide being movable by means of a stud 26 which can engage a notch 22 in the slide. Each stud 26 forms part of a bay (Fig. 4) which is inserted into the box 1 and turned to effect movement of said slides 2. The length of each stud 26 corresponds to a particular size notch 22 in a particular slide 2 so that the key cannot be operated when wrongly located relative to the slides 2. Rotation of the key in the direction indicated by the arrow 23 (Fig. la) causes the slides engaged by the studs to move to a forward position in which the respective fingers 5 protrude through openings 8. Each slide may be locked in the forward position by a spring- loaded catch 9 which may later be disengaged by pulling on a pull rod 13, after which the slide will return to a rearward position due to the action of a spring 14. The presence of a stud 26 on the key represents a one in binary terms whilst an absence of the same represents a nought. Thus when the key is inserted and rotated in the box 1, the fingers 5 which are caused to protrude through openings 8 each represent a binary one while those which remain retracted represent a nought. The mechanical memory device is accommodated in a receptacle (Fig. 5, not shown) having a face (34) with as many holes (35) as the memory device has fingers each hole having an electrical contact which is actuated by a respective finger 5 when said finger protrudes through a respective opening 8.