US1771499A - Apparatus for feeding tape and projecting images therefrom - Google Patents

Description

July 29, 1930. J. WARD 1,771,499

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING TAPE AND PROJECTING IMAGES THEREFROM Filed March 6, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 33 Z IVENTOR BYM YM A ATTORNEYS J. WARD 1,771,499 APPARATUS FOR FEEDING TAPE AND PROJECTING IMAGES THEREFROM July 29, 1930.

Filed March 6, 1929 ,2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY- INVENTOR \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\N J VIII/Illlfflll'lfl Patented July 29, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOSHUA WARD, 0F ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO TRANS-LUX DAYLIGHT PICTURE SCREEN CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELA- WARE APPARATUS FOR FEEDING TAPE AND PROJECTING IMAGES THEREFROM Application fled March 6, 1929. Serial No. 344,887.

This invention relates to an apparatus for forming images such as stock quotations on a tape and projecting the images on a screen or similar device.

The embodiment of the invention shown and described herein comprises the usual form of stock ticker from which transparent tape with quotations printed by the ticker is fed out with a jerky or pulsating motion which has been changed into a relatively steady movement as the tape is being magnified by the projector in order to avoid magnifying at the same time the jerks given the tape by the ticker and thus rendering the quotations il-' legible.

The tape should glide across the projector shortly after its release by the ticker and this gliding is preferably accomplished by a separate takc-up motor which moves the tape at about the same speed it is released from'the ticker. Since the ticker is constantly starting and stopping, the ta'ke-up motor should also be ready to start and stop correspondingly so as not to overrun the feed of the tape by the ticker, and it has been found that this motor preferably therefore floats in its operation. That is, if the ticker slows up the take-up motorslows up and this slowing up is accomplished by rapidly making and breaking the take-up motor circuit so that the impulses to run the motor are not continuous, which produces the effect of floating. In order to cause this floating action the control for making and breaking the motor circuit must also float. that is, it must slow the motor down by rapidly acting to make and break the circuit to the motor. Of course when the ticker definitely stops, the motor must stop and that means the control must act immediately to break the motor circuit.

A device as above, therefore, requires a sensitive control. In addition the"--control should operate without injury to the tape or other parts of the apparatus and it should also be simple and not apt to get out of order but easily repaired, if repair is required. The principal objects of this invention are to provide a device of the character mentioned which shall possess these desired characteristics.

This application is in the nature of an improvement of the device set forth in my co pending application Ser. No. 278,744 filed lay 18, 1928.

Further objects of the invention will more .fully appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating by way of example the preferred embodiments of the apparatus used in carrying out the method.

In the accompanying drawings, showing by way of example the present preferred embodiments of the invention are as follows Fig. 1 is an elevation showing certain parts diagrammatically for clearness;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of parts of the apparatus other than the ticker;

Fig. 3 is a detail elevation of the valve control member showing the electrical contacts in closed position;

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the contacts in open positions; and

Fig. 5 is a detail front elevation showing the valve control member and part of an elec- 11081 circuit, in position with respect to the ape.

Referring to the drawings and particularly Fig. 1, the ticker mechanism is designated as 1 and the projecting device as 2. The ticker records imagesstock quotations-on tape and ejects the printed tape with a pulsating movement. The ticker here shown is the well known lVestern Union stock quotation ticker. The frame of the ticker is designated as It supports a roll of tape 4 which may be made of transparent or translucent material. The tape from the roll passes upwardly between feed rolls 5 and 6 from whence it passes over the platen mechanism 7 and beneath the type wheel 8, which is in contact with the ink roll 9. The type wheel 8 carries two rows of printing characters such as letters and figures respectively and is adapted to come into cooperative position with the platen 7 to print the two sets of characters on respectively opposite edges of the tape 4. From this position the tape passes over a support 10 and is formed into a loop 11.

The loop 11 terminates adjacent the edge of the table 12 of the projector 2, across which the tape passes and then passes downwardly to a take-up device, which is operated to feed the tape 4 across the table 12. The forward end of table 12 also provides a suport for the tape in its path of movement rom the ticker to the projection 3315; and this support is so positioned as to provide a space in the path of travel of the tape for the formation of the loop. The take-up device may be of any suitable form and in the present embodiment comprises an electric motor 14 suitably geared to and driving a wheel 15, between which and the resiliently pressed idle wheel 16 the tape is engaged to be moved in the direction as indicated. The tape is passed around the idle roll 17 to increase its peripheral engagement with the wheel 15. This take-up motor is such that it not retarded under control of the ticker feed, it will feed the tape from the loop faster than it is fed to the loop by the ticker when the ticker is running at maximum speed. The projector lamp is designated as 18 and the light therefrom is passed through a suitable lens set 19 and thence through the projector table 12 and the lens set 20 against a retlecting mirror 21, which is adapted to reflect the light through a translucent pro ecting surface, such as 22, arranged in a vertical plane.

A suitable means, such as the -J spring 23, engages the tape adjacent the end of the projector table 12 contiguous to the loop 11 and is adapted to create sui'licient friction to entirely absorb any pulsations produced by the ticker that may not have been absorbed by the loop and suction means heretofore described; so as to eliminate such pulsations at the projection axis.

A pneumatic suction plunger valve 2a is provided in the end of a sleeve which is secured in the end of a pipe 26 leading to an air pump to he later described. The plunger and associated members are positioned intermediate the projector table 12 and the ticker support 10 and as here shown the lunger lies substantially at the center or lbwermost point of the loop 11. In this position the mouth 27 of the plunger is in the ath of movement of the tape and is closed y the loop 11 in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 8. but is opened when the loop 11 is shortened as shown in dotted lines in Figs. 4 and 5.

The plunger 21 is seated on a helical spring 28 which in turn seats in the sleeve 25 adjacent the point where the pipe 26 is attached to the sleeve member. As shown there is a clear passage through the mouth 27, plunger 24, and the sleeve member including spring 28 to the pipe 26 through which air passes. In the closed position with the loop lying over the mouth 27, as shown in Fig. 3, suction from pipe 26 causes the plunger 24 to press downwardly against the spring 28 while when the loop 11 is removed and the opening 27 is unclosed, the spring 28 forces the plunger upwardly. The strength of the opening should be such as to be readily overcome by the amount of suction applied when the tape has restricted or entirely closed the mouth of the plunger. The suction, however, should not be sufiiciently great to injure the tape or parts of the mechanism associated therewith when the tape has restricted or closed the mouth.

In its movements the plunger is guided and its travel restrained by a finger 29 attached to the plunger which contacts in the upward travel with the finger 30 on the sleeve 25 and in its downward travel contacts with the upper edge of the sleeve itself. Electrical contacts 31 attached to the plunger and 32 attached to the sleeve form part of an electrical circuit furnishing current to the take-up motor as more fully described below. These contacts are suitably insulated from the parts to which they are attached and when the plunger moves it makes and breaks the electrical circuit mentioned.

heferring more particularly to Fig. 2, the re-ation of the valve control member to the take-up motor and suction device is shown. The motor 14 is arranged to be connected to the power line 33 by means of the switch 34 and the projector lamp 18 is connected across the lines leading to the motor and bet ween the motor and switch 34. A variable resistance 35 is placed in one side of the line between the switch and the motor for the purpose of regulating the speed of the motor. Connected to the power lines 83 by another switch 36 and lines 37 is a second motor 38 driving the air pump 39 which provides suction through the pipe 26 to the sleeve and plunger. The motor 38 is thus arranged to operate continuous ly. One side of the circuit passing from the switch 34 to the take-up motor 14 passes through contacts 31 and 32 before it passes to the motor itself. Therefore, when these contacts are separated no current passes to the tal-:eup motor and it stops. but when the contacts are together the motor runs. In order to prevent arcing between these contacts a condenser 40 is placed across these contacts.

Operation \Vhen it is desired to operate the device. the ticker 1 is started and the switches 34 and 36 are closed. The motor 38 operates the pump 39 to create suction in the line 26 through to the atmosphere. The tape is approaching but has not reached the mouth 27. The circuit to the take-up motor 11 is still open as shown at Fig. 1 due to the pressure of the spring 28 on the plunger 21. As the tape is ejected from the ticker with a pulsating motion. it reaches the mouth 27. passes it. then passes on to the table under the J spring 23 and then across the projection axis and down to the rolls 15, 16, 17 from which it may be taken up on a wind-up reel (not shown). IVhen the tape has either closed the orifice or passed near it as indicated by the dotted line 116 in Fig. 5, so that the suction from the line 26 can act on the tape, the tape is pulled down and with it the plunger 24, and the contacts 31 and make the electrical circuit leading to the motor 14. The motor starts and pulls the tape in a gliding motion across the table 152 and past the projection zone. a

It has been found in practice that the tape normally occupies the dotted line position l1 shown in Fig. 5 under ordinary operation of the ticker and when in this position, the motor 14 is substantially under floating control. If, while in this normal position, the ticker tends to eject the tape faster. the tape momentarily will lie for a longer period over the orifice 27 and will keep the contacts 31 and 32 closed to operate the motor 14 to cause a continuous take-up of the tape which will continue until approximately the normal position is reached. If the ticker ejects tape slower than normally, the tape momentarily rises. followed by the plunger acting under control of the spring 28, the contacts 31 and 32 separate, the motor 14 stops and the tape is no longer pulled across the projection table. The motor will remain cut oil until the ticker has supplied suflicient tape for the loop to occupy the position fo'r the contacts to be again made and the motor started to continue takinc up the tape.

The plunger 24 with its sleeve and contacts forming a movable valve control member in the path of the tape constitutes a sensitive pneumatic control member which floats and keeps the control take-up motor 14 floating to move the tape across the projector. It consists of few parts and these can be readily gotten at for repairs. it repairs are necessary. The position of the movable member on the opposite side of the tape from thaton which the images or printing appear, permits the operation of the device without danger of blurring the printing.

While I have described my improvements in great detail and with respect to a preferred form thereof, I do not desire to be limited to such details and forms since many changes and modifications may be made and the invention embodied in widely different forms without departing from the spirit and scope thereof in its broader aspects. Hence I desire to cover all modifications. forms and embodiments coming within the language or scope of any one or more of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the character described, the combination with means for recording on tape images to be projected, of means for projecting said images from said tape, a

take-up motor for moving said tape past the projection axis of said projecting means, supporting means for said tape in its path of travel from said first means to said projection axis positioned to provide a gap between said first means and said projection axis for a loop of said tape, means adjacent said tape loop comprising a movable member having a mouth past which the tape moves, said movable member being responsive to variations in air pressure at said mouth, an air pump, a conduit connecting said mouth and said air pump, and operative connections between said movable member and said take-up motor for controlling the movement of the tape past said projection axis, responsive to the movements of said movable member.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with means for recording on tape images to be projected, of'means for projecting said images from said tape, a take-' up motor for moving said tape past the projection axis of said projecting means, supporting means for said tape in its path of travel from said first means to said projection axis positioned to provide a gap between said first means and said projection axis for a loop of said tape, and pneumatic means comprising a suction head member provided with a mouth over which the loop passes, an air conduit communicating with the mouth, an air pump communicating with the conduit for drawing air therethrough and a plunger located in that part of the conduit between the tape and the pump, and operative connections between said plunger and said take-up motor for controlling the movement of said tape past said projection axis responsive to the movements of said plunger.

'3. In a device of the character described, the combination with means for recording on tape images to be projected, of means for projecting said images from said tape, a take-up motor for moving said tape past the porting means for said tape in its path of travel from said first means to said projection axis positioned to provide a gap between said first means and said projection axis for a loop of said tape, and pneumatic means comprising a suction head member having a movable plunger provided with a mouth over which the loop passes, an air conduit communicating with the mouth and plunger, an air pump communicating with the conduit for reducing the air pressure in said conduit while the loop is in contact with the mouth, said reduction in pressure serving to move said plunger, and operative connections between said plunger and said take-up motor to control the movement of said tape past said projection axis responsive to the movements of said plunger.

4:. In a device of the character described, the combination with means for recording on tape images to be projected, of means for projecting said images from said tape, a take-up motor for moving said tape past the projection axis of said projecting means. supporting means for said tape in its path of travel from said first means to said projection axis positioned to provide a gap between said first means and said projection axis for a loop of said tape, and a suction head member having a movable plunger positioned near the path of said tape. said plunger being provided with a mouth over which the loop passes, an air conduit supporting said plunger. an air pump comn'iunicatiug with the conduit and the plunger. and operative connections between said plunger and said take-up motor for controlling the movement of said tape past said projection axis rcsponsive to the movements of said plunger.

In a device of the character described, the combination with means for recording on tape images to be projected. of means for projecting said images from said tape, a take-up motor for moving said tape past the projection axis of said projecting means. supporting means for said tape in its path of travel from said first means to said projection axis positioned to provide a gap between said first means and said projection axis for a loop of said tape, an air pump, a suction head comprising two telescoping members one of which is movable and has a passage therethrough one end of which is located adjacent the path of movement of the tape and adapted to be closed by the tape loop, a conduit connecting, the other end of said passage to the air pump whereby when the tape closes said passage said movable telescoping member is moved. and operative connections between said movable member and said take-up motor for controlling the movement of the tape past said projection axis responsive to the movements of said movable member.

6. In a device of the character described. the combination with means for recording on tape images to be projected. of means for projecting said in ages from said tape. a take-up motor for moving said tape past the projection axis of said projecting means. supporting means for said tape in its path of travel from said first means to said projection axis positioned to provide a gap between said first means and said projection axis for a loop of said tape, and pneumatic control means for controlling the movement of said tape past said projection axis including a pneumatic head having a valve plunger located adjacent the path of movement of the tape and having an orifice therethrough adapted to be closed at one end by the tape loop. an air pump, an air conduit connecting the other end of the plunger orifice with said air pump, whereby when the tape closes said orifice said valve plunger is moved, and operative connections between said valve plunger and said take-up motor for controlling the movement of the tape past said projection axis responsive to the movements oi said plunger.

T. In a device of the character described, the combination with means for recording on tape images to be projected. of means for projecting said images from said tape. a take-up motor for moving said tape past the projection axis of said projecting means, supporting means for said tape in its path of travel from said first means to said projection axis positioned to provide a gap between said first means and said projection axis for a loop of said tape, and air suction control means for controlling the moveiutait of said tape past said projection axis including an air conduit for communi.catin; with said tape, a suction pump connected to said conduit. :1 plunger member in said conduit between said tape and said suction pump. electrical contacts operativelv related to the plunger and adapted to be broken by movement of said plunger, an elec trical circuit including said contact and said take-up motor whercby-u 'ion movement of said plunger member the electrical contact made or broken to control the movement of said take-up motor.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination with means for recording on tape images to be projected. of means for projecting said images from said tape, a take-up motor for moving said tape past the projection axis of said projecting means, supporting means for said tape in its path of travel from said first means to said pro jection axis positioned to provide a gap be tween said first means and said projection axis for a loop of said tape. an air conduit, a spring held plunger having a mouth communicating with said tape at one end of said conduit, a suction tan at the other end of said conduit. a circuit for said take-up motor, contacts on said plunger and conduit for miking and breaking said circuit to stop and start said take'up motor. said making and breaking being controlled by the motion of said plunger into and out of said conduit according to the lowered or raised position of said tape.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JOSHUA WARD.

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