US1374630A - Selecting mechanism - Google Patents

Description

E..P. BANCROFT.

SELECTING MECHANISM. APPLICAUON FILED JULY 19. 1917.

Patented Apr. 12, 1921.

q //7 ve /0n Erwin P 54/70/019.

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ing description and claims,

ERWIN r. BANCROFT, or BROOKLYN, new YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 wEs'rERN nLEcTRIc comrAnY, INCORPORATED, on NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK,

sntno'rme MECHANISM.

nausea.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERWIN P. BA OROFT, a citizen of the United States residing at Brooklyn in the county of Kings and State of New, 'Ybrk, have invented certain new and useful "Improvements in Selecting Mechanisms, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

This invention relates to selecting mechanism particularly adapted for use in high speed printing telegraph systems, although obviously not limited to such use.

One of the principal objects of this invention is the provision of means whereby the operation of the selecting magnets is assured, even though thecurrent impulses, when distributed to the selecting magnets, are of extremely short duration.

Another object 1s to provide suitable receiving mechanism of. the abovetype, re-

quiring a minimum of electro-mechanicalda VlCeS.

-A further object is tov provide an improved selecting mechanism capable of very rapid operation by allowing the selection of a character to takeplace simultaneously with the printing of the preceding character selected.

To the above ends, a rotary current distributer is provided with conducting segments for distributing the effects of line current impulses to a plurality of selecting magnets. The selecting magnets are controlled by the line current impulses, and each magnet is provided with a condenser connected in parallel therewith. In the system disclosed the selecting magnets are emloyed to select the desired selectable; memhers and the actual work of moving theopcrating parts is performed by a battery of cams carried by .a power driven shaft,- instead of employing an additional set of operating magnets for this purpose. In addition to the receiving segments there is a local segment common to each quadrant of the distributor, or to each'group of receiving segments-t Connected in a local circuit with each local segment are operation-controlling magnets for" performing auxiliary functions.

The above and other featuresofthis invention will be fully set forth in the followand will be more reference to readily understood by in. which Figure 1 companying drawings the acshows the circuit connections and the selecting magnets diagrammatically; and Fig. 2 1s a sectional view of the preferred form of selecting and printing mechanism of a telegraph receiving printer.

The receiving current distributer 10 is of the usual well known construction for multiple'x telegraphy and is provided with a' rotatable current distributer arm 11 The distrlbuter head, as illustrated, consists of a receiving common ring 12, and a plurality of recelvlng segments 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, etc., adapted to be connected with the ring 12 by means of trailer brushes 35 and 36 carried 1' by the distributer arm 11. A local ring 13 1s also prov1ded and is likewise adapted to Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr. 12, 19210 3 Application filed m 19, 1917. Serial No. 181,557. Y i

be connected with alocal segment 14 during each quarter of a revolution. The receiving common ring 12 is connected to the tongue 20 of the linerelay armature 21. The tongue 20 1s adapted to ply between contact points 22 and 23, which are connected to opposite termlnals of battery 24, contact 22 being connected to the negative terminal and contact 23 being connected to the positive termmal. Contact 22 is also connected to a condenser 25, and contact 23 is likewise connected with condensers 26 and 27. As will be readily observed from the drawings, condensers 26 and 27 are normally charged by battery 24 when the tongue 20 is out of engagement with the contact 23, and the condenser 25 is normally chargediby battery 24 when the tongue 20 1s out of engagement with contact 22, and ar adapted to be discharged under certain conditions as .will hereinafter appear.

The line relay 28 is connected in the line L and is shown provided with the usual artiv ficial line AL for duplex working. Selecting magnets 30, 31, 32, 33 and 34 are connected with the receiving segments 15; 16, 1.7 18 and 19 respectively. Connected in parallel with the selecting magnets 30 to 34 inclusive, are condensers 40, '41, 42,

43 and 44 respectively, the purpose .of which W111 be ex lained presently. The local segment 14 '0 each quadrant is connected with I other terminal of condenser 27 being connected. to the local ring 13. It is obvious that the overlap and startingmagnets may be connected in parallel.

'In 2 is shown diagrammatically the essential details of the preferred form of selecting and printing mechanism. The selecting magnets to 34, inclusive, control the actuation of latches 50, 51, 52, 53 and 54 respectively. The latches 50 to 54, inclu-, sive, normally extend under the edges of seleeting bars '60," 61, 62, 63 and 64 respectively and thereby hold the selecting bars in their normal position. The selecting bars 60 'to 64 inclusive may be pivotally connected to the frame 45 in any suitable manner.

The springs 65 are constantly acting upon the selecting'bars 60 to 64 inclusive, tending to draw them downward against their respective stops 70, when released by their respective latches 50 to 54 inclusive. A pluspacing, automatic signaling, etc., as will a pear from a pending application Serial 0. 173546 of Harry Pfannenstiehl. When one of the selectable code bars is per-' mitted to move forward it carries with it a pull bar 76 into the path of a reciprocating printing bar 77. The actuation of the printing bar 77 iseffected by a cam 80 carried by a rotatable shaft 78, which is normally under spring tension tending to rotate. The cam shaft is adapted to be released for each revolution bythe starting magnet 47. The printing bar 77 and selectable pull bar 76, when forced down by the action of the cam 80, cause the desired type, carried by the type lever 83, to be thrust against the paper platen 84, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 2.

. It is to be understood, of course, that a similar distributer may be used at the transmitting station and that some means must be provided for maintaining synchronism between the two stations. Synchronism may be maintained between the two distributers by means of a synchronizing system, such as disclosed in a copending application of Amos F. Dixon Serial No; 869,784, wherein" the transmitters of adjacent quadrants are normally connected to battery of opposite potential, thereby providing at least 111 current reversals durin each revolution of the distributer when t e transmitters are idle. However, any suitable synchronizing scheme may be employed with this system. In Fig. 1 a group of selecting magnets is shown, connected to each of the four distributer quadrants, and arranged for four.

receivin channels. Obviously, by means of the dup ex line four channels Inayalso be worked in the opposite direction. In the embodiment disclosed, the receiving segments of quadrants 1 and 3 are so connected spond only to impulses of positive polarity,

.or to' the discharge of condenser 26, while the receiving segments of quadrants 2 and 4 are connected so that the corresponding selecting magnets respond only to impulses of negative polarity or to, the discharge of condenser 25.

A better understanding of the selecting, and printing mechanism can be obtained from a .description 'of the selecting andprinting of a specific character. Assume,- for example, that the letter B is to be selected and printed, and that the combination of impulses required is positive, negative, negative, positive, positive. Also assume that the distributer arm 11 is in the position shown in the drawing, that is, the

.brush 35 is just starting upon the receiving segment 15. Then, as the first impulse is received over the linelL and through the line relay28, the armature 21 will be actuated to throw the contact tongue 20 into engagement with contact 23. The instant the tongue 20 engages the lower contact 23, the condenser 26,, which has previously been charged by battery 24, will discharge through contact 23, tongue 20, common .ring a 12, brush 36, distributer arm 11, brush 35, segment 15, selecting magnet 30 and con denser 40 in parallel, and back to the other, side of the condenser 26. Now, if the dis: tributer arm 11 is traveling at a comparatively slow rate of speed so that the segment 15 and receivingring 12 are interconnected for a sufficient length of time to cause the actuation of selecting magnet 30, the condenser 40, connected in parallel therewith, performs no useful function. However, if the distributer arm is, traveling at a high rate of speed, which for high speed operation may ';be assumed to be in the neighborhood of; 600 revolutions per minute, the length of time that the brush 35 rests on segment 15 will probably not'be suflicient to effect the actuation of the selectin magnet 30. The condenser 40 is used or the purpose of prolonging the op erating pulse through the selecting magnet 30. This condenser is charged whi-le the dis- 116 tributer brush is passing over segment 15, and is permitted to discharge through magnet 30 the instant the brush leaves segment 15, thereby prolonging the flow of current through selecting magnet 30, and insuring 120 its operation. When the selecting magnet 30 is actuated it attracts its armature and withdraws its respective latch 50 from engagement with its corresponding selecting 'bar 60." The selecting bar is then permitted tact tongue 20 to be thrown against its upper contact 22. Now, when the contact tongue 20 engages contact 22 and the distributer brushes interconnect segment 16 and the receiving ring 12, the condenser 25 will not be discharged through the second selecting magnet 31 because the circuit for magnet 31 is connected back to the negative side of battery 24. Hence no current will flow. The same is true with respect to the third impulse, which is of negative polarity. lVith respect to the fourth impulse, however, which is of positive polarity, the line relay will cause the contact tongue 20 to move into engagement with the contact 23, and the condenser 26 will discharge through the selecting magnet 33 and cause it to operate as hereinbefore described in connection with selecting magnet 30. When the selecting magnet 33 attracts itsarmature, causing its respective latch 53 to disengage its corresponding selecting bar 63, the selecting bar falls against its stop 70 and the latch 53 is locked in its actuated position by the holding pawl 58. \Vhen the brush 35 passes off of segment 18, the charge in condenser 26 will again build up and the instant the brush engages segment 19, the condenser 26 will again discharge, but through the selecting magnet 34 and will effect its operation, as hereinbefore described in connection with'magnets 30 and 33. The magnet 34 thereupon attracts its armature and withdraws its respective latch 54, thereby permitting selecting bar 64 to rest against its stop 70, and the latch 54 is locked in its actuated position by the holding pawl 59. From Fig. 2 will be seen that the code bar 75 shown is notched for the selection of the character B, and when the selecting bars 60, 63 and 64 move against their respective stops the selected code bar 75 will be drawn forward by the action of spring 65 The selected code bar in moving forward engages a pin 73 carried by its respective pull bar 76. and moves-the pull bar into the path of the reciprocating printing'bar 77.

Immediately after the fifth line impulse is received the local segment 14 is interconnected with the local ring 13 by means of brushes 37 and 38 carried by the distributer arm l1. The instant the local ring 13 and segment 14 are interconnected, the condenser 27, which is normally charged, will discharge through the windings of the overlap magnet 46 and starting magnet 47. The operation of. the starting magnet 47 starts the printing mechanism in operation and the action of the overlap magnet 46 places the selecting mechanism in readiness for a new selection. The latter will be described later. When the starting magnet 47 is energized it attracts its armature and with draws the brake 79 from engagement with a drum 85, thereby permitting the cam shaft the selecting and printin 78 to rotate. -When the cam 80, carried by I platen 84, thereby effecting the printing of the desired character. Any suitable means may be provided for stopping rotation of the cam shaft at the end of each revolution, for example, the operation of the magnet 47 may be so timed as to permit the brake 79 to reengage the drum 85 and stop the rotation ofv the cam shaft at the proper instant. The instant the desired type has been thrust against the paper platen, the printing bar, pull bar, etc., may be restored to normal by suitable springs.

It is to be understood that the showing in Fig. 2 is purely diagrammatic and is for the purpose of illustratin one application of applicants invention. Tn actual practice mechanism disclosed in Harry Pfannenstlehls pending application, Serial No. 173546 would be used.

The purpose of the overlap magnet .46 is to place the selecting mechanism in readiness for a new selection as soon as one selection has been completed and simultaneously with the printing of the previously selected character.- The actuation of the overlap magnet causes the rack 86 to move vertically, and release the pawls 55 to 59 inclusive from the actuated latches 50 to 54 inclusive. The operation of the overlap magnet .may be timed to take place as soon as the selecting bars are permitted to drop so'thatthe bentover portions of the selected latches, when released, will abut against the actuated selecting bars. The purpose of the overlap magnet may be considered twofold. First, by releasing the latches so that they abut against the selecting bars,v they are thereby aced in position tp move under the selectmg bars the instant the bars are restored to normal, or if the second character selected has positive impulses in common, or in the same order, with those of the preceding group of impulses, then some of the latches will be selected a second time in succession and will be withdrawn from against the selecting bars, before they are permitted to 1 move thereunder, thereby increasing some- I what the selective action of the magnets which are required to function by successive groups of impulses.

The overlap and starting magnets are not provided with condensers in arallel therewith for the reason that the ocal segments may bemade of sufficient length to insure the operation of the magnets without employing condensers. for prolonging the 'fio'w of current therethrough, as in the case of the selecting magnets.

The purpose of the condensers 25 and 26 is to allow the use of high resistance in the cirv cuits of the selecting magnets and at the same time permit the full potential of the battery 24 to be applied to the selecting magnets at the instant the circuits are closed. In this way the apparatus is effectively protected against overheating either from a continuous flow of current or from the application of higher voltages.

hat is claimed is:

1. Selecting mechanism comprising a current impulse distributer, a plurality, of selecting magnets connected thereto, a plurality of condensers of which at least one is normally charged, a relay for connecting said condensers through said distributer to said selecting magnets to effect their operation, and a condenser associated with each selecting magnet for prolonging the fiow of current therethrough.

' 2. Selecting mechanism comprising a current impulse'distributer, a normally charged condenser controlled by said distributer, and a plurality of operation-controlling magnets adapted to be operated by the discharge current from said; condenser.

3. Selecting mechanism, comprising a current distributer, selecting magnets connected therewith, a line relay comprising a movable armature associated with said distributer, opposing contacts for said relay armature, and

normally charged condensers connected with said contacts and adapted to be discharged through the selecting magnets when said contacts are engaged by said armature.

4. Selecting mechanism, comprising a plurality of selecting magnets, a current impulse distr buter, a line relay cooperating with said distribute/r for determining the sequential operation of said magnets, a condenser, and a plurality of o'peration-controL ling magnets controlled by said distributer and said condenser independently of said relay.

5. Selecting mechanism, comprising a plurality of selecting magnets divided into rality of selecting magnets divided into groups, a line relay comprising a movable armature, opposing contacts for said relay armature, a pair of normally charged con- ,densers' connected respectively to said contacts and to alternate groups of said mag nets, and a current distributer coiiperating with the line relay for bringing the selecting magnets under the influence of the discharged current of the said condensers.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 13th day of July, A. 1)., 1917.

ERl/VIN P. BANCROF T.

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