GB931910A - Improvements relating to electronic analogue-digital converters - Google Patents

Abstract

931,910. Electric selective-signalling systems. ASSOCIATED ELECTRICAL INDUSTRIES Ltd. Feb. 9, 1960 [March 24, 1959], No. 10213/59. Class 40 (1). In a device for determining the value of voltage peaks a reed vibrator, Fig. 1, connects an unknown input voltage at B and a voltage at terminal A alternately to the grid of a pentode V1, biased to conduct only when the potential at B is greater than the potential at A. If V1 conducts, pulses corresponding to contact between the reed and B, pass to a stepping device SU1 of a multicathode tube T1. Carry devices SU2' SU3 enable the use of higher order tubes T2 and T3' The position of the discharge determines the potential drop across a resistance chain R1, R2' R3 and hence the potential at A. The tubes are stepped until the potential at A increases to equal that at B when V1 ceases to transmit pulses, the positions of the glow discharges in the three tubes T1 ... T3 thus indicating the peak value reached by the potential applied to B. In a modification (Fig. 3, not shown), a gating similar to V1 valve is included between the amplifier and device SU3 and is biased to effect a direct entry into the third stage 73 when the voltage difference between A and B is relatively high.