US1956351A - Signal control system - Google Patents

Description

April 24,- 1934. HERsHEY 1,956,351

SIGNAL CONTROL SYSTEM Filed May 13, 1930 Illlllllllj L Imreniur Ham" EHersha Wm m Patented Apr. 24, 1934 are r-A'rs 1,956,351 SIGNAL CONTROL SYSTEM Harry E. Hershey, Oak Park, Ill., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Associated Electric Laboratories, Inc., Chicago,

of Delaware 111., a corporation The present invention relates 'in general to signal control systems, but is particularly concerned withthe provision of circuits and apparatus for controlling signals andpe'rforming other switching functions automatically under'the control and coincident with the movement of a film.

The invention is illustratedin the accompanying drawing "comprising Figs. 1 and 2; which show sufficient of the circuits and apparatus to enable the'invention to be readily explained.

As'illustrated, the invention is applied to equipment used in the production of sound motion'pictures, and is utilized to automatically control the volume of the sound amplifier. In addition a group of service'lamps are illustrated, with relays arrangedto vary their intensity of illumination. In addition there are shown relays for accomplishing any other desired switching operations considered necessary'or desirable.

In Fig. l, the relays 11 to 14, inclusive, comprise a group employed in controlling'the output volume of the sound amplifier. The relays 21 to 29, inclusive, comprise a second groupoperable independent of the firstgroup. As illustrated, relays 21 and 24 are utilized to control the intensity of the light produced by the associated red, blue, amber, and white lamps, and accomplish this function through the medium of associated heavy duty relays 21' and 24'. Relays 22, 23 and 25 to 29 may be used to further control the associated lamps or to perform other circuit switching functions.

' The group of counting relays 39 to 64, inclusive, (relays 43, 44, and 49 to 62, inclusive, not shown) are provided for the purpose of enabling the selection and operation of any relay in either of the foregoing groups in accordance with the number of impulses transmitted to the counting relay group.

The relay 3, under control of relays 1 and 2, functions to control the locking circuit of the relay group comprising relays 11 to 14. The relay 8, under control of relays 6 and 7-, is arranged to control the locking circuit of the relays 21 to 29.

The relay 75, under control of relays 2 and 7, functions to control the release of the counting relay chain after each setting.

The relay 4 is under control of impulses transmitted from the photo-electric cell and functions to control the setting of the counting relays.

The slow-release relay 5 functions to hold positive battery ofi the operating circuitstof relays 1 and 6 until the operation of the countingrelay chain has determined which of these relays is to be operated.

In Fig. 2 a small section of the film used is diagrammatically shown and at the margin-thereof illustrates the impulse track thereon which cooperates in the usual manner with a photoelectric cell. As shown, it. will be noted that there are five frames between an impulse series and one frame between each two impulses of a series. In motion picture work the film ordinarilytravels at a rate of 90 feet per minute, or 24 frames per second, so that with this arrangement each impulse will cover one and one-half frames or three frames for the complete cycle, and these impulses will be delivered at approximately 8 per second.

Since there are only four relays inthe group controlling the output of the sound amplifienthe maximum time required to set one of these up will be approximately one and one-half seconds. The maximum time required to change a setvup in the second group will be approximately four seconds, because there are assumed to be nine possible set-ups in this group, and since thesame chain of counting relays serves both groups,the four impulses necessary to change the first group must alway: be transmitted in any series transmitted to change a set up in the second group.

It is believed that the operation of the apparatus may best be explained by describing the operations as they take place. For this purpose it will first be assumed that all of the apparatus is at normal, as shown, and that a section of the film, arranged to transmit one impulse, passes the photo-electric cell. When this occurs positive battery flows through the photo-electric cell, through the associated amplifier, and the relay 4 to negative battery; and since there is but one variation in this series the relay 4 will momentarily operate but once. Relay 4 upon energizing, connects positive battery through its upper springs to relay 5 and negative battery, and at its lower springs connects positive battery over conductor 82, through the lower armature 'and resting contact of relay 4% to the winding of relay 39 and negative battery. Relay39 operates over this circuit.

Relay 40 having restored to normal by this'time allows negative battery to fiow'through the winding of relay 39, its upper springs, the winding of relay 40,. and the springs of relay 75 to positive battery. .Relay 40 energizes and relay til-remains locked up over thistcircuit.

. The relayfi, uponrestoring, allows positive b'at- .tery to flow from its springs, through the'wind- 2 ing of relay 1, conductor 83, the upper armature and the resting contact of relay 46, the upper armature and resting contact of relay 42, and the upper armature and contact of relay 40, conductor 86, and the lower winding of relay 11 to nega tive battery, thereby causing the operation of relays 1 and 11, respectively. The relay 1 closes two circuits, the first from positive battery through the springs of relay 1, the winding of slow-to-operate relay 2, to conductor 85, and from the positive battery supplied through the springs of relay 1, through the upper armature and resting contact of slow-to-operate relay 2, through the winding of relay 3 to the conductor 85, over which common conductor negative battery is supplied through the lower springs of relay 39 and the resistance 87.

The relay 3 operates immediately, after which the slow-temperate relay 2 operates and opens the circuit of relay 3. This momentary operation of relay 3 is for the purpose of momentarily removing positive battery from the hold conductor 88, thereby permitting the release of any previously operated relay of this group. The deenergization of relay 3 causes positive battery to be again supplied over conductor 88, preparatory to locking up relay 11. Relay 2, upon operating, also at its lower set of springs supplies positive battery over conductor 81 to the winding of relay '75 and negative battery. Relay accordingly operates and opens the locking circuit of relays 39 and 40, thereby permitting them to deenergize preparatory to receiving a subsequent set-up.

Attention is called to the fact that on each pair of counting relays, a make spring combination is provided to feed negative battery through the resistance 87, and through the winding of relay 2, and the make springs of relay 1 to positive battery. Therefore, upon the deenergization of counting relay 39, negative battery is removed from conductor and the relay 2, accordingly restores and at its lower spring set again opens the circuit of relay 75, which accordingly restores.

In the circuit operation described the relay 11, at its upper springs, bridged the resistance 100 across the loud speaker leads, thereby diminishing its volume output. If now the next impulse series received from the relay 4 comprises four impulses the relay 14 will be operated and the relay 11 restored, thereby changing the sound volume in accordance with the difference between resistances 100 and 104.

It will now be assumed that the relay 4 receives a code comprising five impulses. The first of these impulses will cause the actuation of counting relays 39 and 40 in the same manner as in the case when only one impulse is transmitted. The relay 5, being slow-acting, will not deenergize between the impulses of the series and, therefore, the operation of relays 1, 2 and 3 cannot occur at any other time than at the termination of an impulse series, which is always followed by the deenergization of relay 4 for a time period required for five opaque frames of the film to pass the photo-electric cell.

Upon the second energization of relay 4 positive battery on its lowermost springs passes over conductor 82, through the lower armature and working contact of counting relay 40, through the lower armature and resting contact of relay 42, and'the winding of relay 41 to negative battery. Relay 41 energizes over this circuit, at its lowermost springs connects negative battery to the conductor 85 through the resistance 87 independent of relay 39, and at its uppermost springs prepares an operating circuit for relay 42 and a holding circuit for itself which becomes effective upon the termination of the second impulse to relay 4 in the same manner as in the case of relays 39 and 40. The third impulse transmitted to relay 4 causes the operation of counting relays 43 and 44, not shown, while the fourth and fifth impulses of the series bring about the actuation of counting relays 45 to 48, inclusive.

Upon the deenergization of slow-release relay 5, following the transmission of this impulse series, positive battery flows from the springs of this relay through the winding of relay 6, conductor 84, through the upper armature and resting contact of relay 64, the contact and upper armature of relay 48, conductor 89, to the lower winding of relay 21 and negative battery. Relay 21, accordingly, operates and at its lower spring sets modifies the intensity of the illumination of the associated lamps in accordance with the setting of the associated rheostats. It will be noted that, upon the energization of the relay 5, a circuit was closed from positive battery, through the springs of this relay, through the winding of slow-to-pull-up relay '7, to conductor 85, and from the upper terminal of relay '7 through its lower armature and resting contact, and through the winding of relay 8 to the conductor 85; and from this point on to negative battery through the lowermost springs of the operated counting relays and the resistance 87. Consequently immediately following the energization of relay 6, relay 8 operates to remove positive battery from the holding circuit of the relay group 21-29, in order to enable any previously operated relay of this group to restore. An instant later the slow-to-pull-up relay 7 energizes to open the circuit of the relay 8 at its lowermost armature and at the front contact of this armature completes a locking circuit for itself. The relay '7 also at its uppermost springs applies positive battery to conductor 81 to bring about the energization of release relay '75, thereby bringing about the release of the operated counting relays. Upon deenergization of the counting relays negative battery is removed from the conductor 85 and the relay 7, accordingly restores its armatures.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that applicant has provided a relatively simple and reliable set-up whereby an almost unlimited number of switching operations can be automatically brought about coincident and in accordance with the progressive movement of a film'through a projecting machine and that the arrangement may be used independently of or in conjunction with the production of silent or sound motion pictures.

Having described my invention what I consider to be new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent will be pointed out in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a reproducing system, a sound record, means for reproducing sound waves in accordance with said record, an impulse track divided into uniform lengths of opaque and transparent portions on said record, means cooperative with said track, and groups of relays selectively controlled by said means in a manner dependent on the par- 11'."

ticular combinations of transparent and opaque portions passing it to from time to time regulate the volume of the sound reproducing means and to perform other switching operations respectively.

2. In a signaling system, a film, a projecting machine thru which the film may be moved, an impulse track on said film, a photo-electric cell cooperative With the impulse track and included in a circuit including an impulsing relay, groups of circuit switching relays, and means controlled by said impulsing relay in accordance with the impulses received by it, through the medium of its photo-electric cell, to select and operate any relay of any group.

3. In a signaling system, a film, a projecting machine through which the film may be moved, an impulse track on said film, a photo-electric cell cooperative With the impulse track and included in a circuit including an impulsing relay, groups of circuit switching relays, means controlled by said impulsing relay in accordance with the impulses received by it, through the medium of its photo -electric cell, to select and operate any relay of any group, locking circuits for each relay of each group, and means operated consequent to the operation of any relay of any group to interrupt the locking circuit of any previously operated relay of such group.

4. In a signaling system, afilm having an impulse track thereon, a photo-electric cell cooperating with said impulse track and controlled thereby, a relay variably controlled by said cell in accordance with the impulses received from the impulse track, a plurality of devices controlling sound volume and lighting effects, said devices selectively controlled by said relay in accordance with the impulses received from said cell.

HARRY E. HERSHEY.

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