GB745324A - Improvements in or relating to magnetic saturable-core devices - Google Patents

Abstract

745,324. Electronic counting apparatus; pattern-movement stepping registers. BURROUGHS CORPORATION. Nov. 30, 1953 [Dec. 3, 1952], No. 33218/53. Class 106 (1). In a device for passing a signal or signals represented by magnetic remanence in one sense or the other successively through a series of magnetic core units by applying transfer pulses thereto, a selector means is provided having input terminals connected to some or all of the core units and transmits a signal from a preselected core unit in response to the application of a transfer pulse. When employed as a counter of variable radix a single pulse is applied across terminals 71, 72 to cause the first core 51 of a chain 51, 52, 53 ... &c., to be driven from a normal resting state of negative saturation to a state of positive saturation. This causes a voltage to develop across a winding 83 on the core and current to flow through a rectifier 138, but the high back impedance of a rectifier 192 prevents the second core 52 from being affected. The counting pulses are applied through a trigger circuit 125, 126 which delivers alternate " A " and " B " pulses to alternate cores; A " pulses to cores 51, 53, 55 ... &c., and " B " pulses to cores 52, 54 ... &c. The first " A " pulse drives the core 51 to negative saturation, and the reverse voltage developed across the winding 83 causes a current through the rectifier 129 which drives the second core 52 to positive saturation. The following " B " pulse has a similar effect on the second core 52, driving the condition of positive saturation on to the next core, and so on. The radix of the counter is preselected by setting a switch arm 123 on one of the contact studs 112 ... 120, each connecting through a rectifier to respective windings 93, 94 ... &c., on the cores. After the preselected core has had its state of magnetization reversed, the " A " or " B " pulse which returns it to normal causes current in the winding 93, 94 ... &c., connected to the contact stud 112, 113 ... &c., which completes a circuit through a winding 92 on the first core 51, bringing the " condition " back to the first core again. Instead of circulating a single " condition," a plurality of suitably spaced pulses may be applied to the input terminals 71, 72 to cause a pattern of " information " to be stepped along.