US1964047A - Indicating dial for stock quotation boards - Google Patents

Description

June 26, 1934. c. T. FOSS 1,964,047

INDICATING DIAL FOR STOCK QUOTATION BOARDS Filed March 23, 1931 INVENTOR CLIFTON T. FOSS ATTORNEY Fatented June 26,

INDICATING DIAL FDR STOCK QUOTATION BOARDS Clifton T. Foss, New York, N. Y., assignor to International Communications Laboratories, 21c, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New ork Application March 23, 1931, Serial No. 524,622

6 Claims.

My invention relates to indicators and particularly to the type used in automatic stock quotation boards.

The object of my invention is in the design of such an indicator which will be compact and simple in its operation. The number wheel for indicating the stock quotation is operated by an electro-magnet which is controlled from a keyboard or other suitable transmitter.

Means are provided for causing the number wheel to rotate in one direction to display the proper number and to rotate in the opposite direction to return to its normal or home position.

Various features of my invention will be pointed out in the following description:

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows a side View of the indicator part1 in section;

Fig. 2 shows a detail of the number wheel partly in section with its controlling mechanism;

Fig. 3 shows a detail of the stop mechanism for the number wheel;

Fig. 4 shows the commutator and circuit connections for controlling the operation of the number wheel.

Referring first to Fig. 1, it will be noted that all the mechanism is housed in a casing 15 which serves as a support for the various parts. The number wheel 1, preferably made of aluminum, is in the form of a shell and rigidly fastened to the shaft 3 the ends of which project into openings in case 15 as shown. One end of a spring 14 is fastened to the shaft 3 and the other end passes through an opening in the case 15. This spring tends to turn the shaft in a clockwise direction.

Also attached to the shaft 3 is a pinion 2 engaged by the teeth 19 of the segment 18 as shown in Fig. 2. This segment is rigidly attached to the shaft 31, the ends of which also project into openings in the case 15. A stop 90 is provided to limit the movement of sector 18 in one direction.

A spring 42 is attached to a pin 41 projecting from the shaft 31 and also to the arm 43 which is pivoted to the case 15 at 46. This arm is provided with the slot 44 through which a pin 45 passes. This pin also passes through the end of the solenoid plunger 47 of the magnet 49 thus coupling it to the arm 43.

When the magnet 49 is energized, the plunger 47 is drawn within the core 48 and the arm 43 is moved toward the magnet 49. The movement of the arm 43 causes the rotation of shaft 31, that of the segment 18 and the consequent rotation of the shaft 3 and the number wheel 1 in a counterclockwise direction, The casing 15 has an extension through which a rod 32 passes to engage openings 16 in the number wheel 1. The rod 32 is provided with a disc 33 having a notch 34 adapted to be engaged by the projection or lip 36 of the rod 37.

The rod 32 is att ched'tothe arm 43 by means of s the spring 35 and the pin 95 which passes through the arm and engages one end of a slot 96 in rod 32 as shown. The operation of this arm causes the end of the rod 32 to disengage the openings 16 in the wheel 1.

The magnet 49 is fastened to one end of the case 15 by the screw 50. Attached to the forward end of the case by the screws 12 and 13 is a commutator base 11 provided with segments 21 to 30 of conducting material as shown in Fig. 4.

The base 11 is of insulating material and is provided with the raised portion or ridge 1'7.

This ridge is in the form of a spiral curve and is provided with a cut-away portion at 4 to admit the roller 5. This roller is attached to a flexible spring 6 which in turn is fastened to the arm 7, which projects from the collar 8 attached to the shaft 3 but insulated therefrom by the bushing 53.

The spring 6 is so adjusted that the roller 5 when brought opposite the opening 4 when the shaft 3 is rotating in a counter clockwise direction leaves the segment 30 and rests upon the insulated segment base 11.

In this position the roller 5, when the shaft 3 rotates in a clockwise direction engages the inner surface of the ridge 1'7.

When the roller 5 nears a complete rotation and again reaches the opening it will engage the segment 21.

The reason for this operation will be explained in the description to follow.

Referring to Fig. 4, I have shown a simple form of controlling circuit in order to describe the operation of the device. In ordinary practice the commutator segments as 2130 of a group of indicator units would be in multiple connection to the contacts 6170. Each indicator unit of this group would have associated with it, a contact as 60, so that a given indicator unit might be selected for operation by the closure of the assoopening 16 in the number wheel.

When a key is depressed. it will lock open its contacts and. restore the previously depressed button. The winding of. magnet 49 is in electrical connection with the. roller 5 (this connection, in reality, would be to roller 5 through terminal 10, spring 9, collar 8-, pin 7 and spring 6 in Fig. l and also connected to a contact in the button 60. tively to contacts of buttons 61 to 70.

The numbers or characters to be displayed appear on the outer surface of the wheel or shell 1. When the roller 5 is in engagement with segment 21 then the first number or character as numeral 1 will. appear in the opening or window 80 at the end of the case 15 and when the roller is in engagement with segment 22 the numeral 2 will appear and. so on..

The operation of the device is as follows:

In order to have numeral 3 displayed, button 63 is depressed thus removing ground from segment 23 but thisv ground. connection will be connected tov the remaining segments 21, 22, and24 to 30 inclusive through contacts of the buttons 61, 62, and 64 to inclusive.

We will assume roller 5 is resting on segment 21, then by depressing button 60 the circuit of magnet 49 is completed from battery 90, contacts of button 60, winding of magnet 49, roller 5, segment 21, contacts of button 61 to ground. Magnet 49 becoming energized causes the plunger 47 to be drawn Within the tube 48 and likewise draws the arm 43 toward the magnet.

The movement of the arm 43 causes the rotation of the shaft 31 and sector 18 and the consequent rotation of the shaft 3 carrying the number wheel 1. The foregoing movement will continue until the roller 5 engages segment 23 from which ground has been disconnected by the operation of button 63, thus opening the circuit extending through the winding of magnet 49.

When roller 5 engages contact 23, the numeral 3 on the number wheel is displayed and the wheel is maintained in this position as the end of rod 32 now engages an opening 16 in the wheel 1 due to the restoration of arm 43.

If now it is desired to cause numeral 2 to be displayed, button 62 is depressed restoring button 63 and reconnecting ground to segment 23, again closing the circuit of magnet 49.

The arm 43 will again be attracted toward the magnet and the number wheel will rotate in a counter-clockwise direction causing the roller 5 to progressively engage the grounded segments 23 to 30 inclusive. When the end portion of segment 30 is reached and the roller is opposite the opening 4, it will swing inward and engage the insulated base 11, thus breaking the circuit of magnet 49.

At this time the pin 40 engages the portion 39 causing the pin on rod 37 to move inward and the lip 36 to pass under the collar 33. When the arm 43 restores, the lip 36 engages the notch 34 thus preventing the end of rod 32 engaging an At this time the tension of spring 42 is removed from the shaft 31 thus allowing shaft 3 under tension of' spring 14 to rotate in a clockwise direction. This causes the roller 5 to rotate in a clockwise direction on the inner side of ridge 17 until the opening 4 is reached.

When this happens the roller engages the segment 21 and again closes the circuit of magnet 49. The roller will now rotate outside the ridge 17 until the ungrounded segment 22 is reached thereby again opening the circuit of magnet 49.

The segments 21 to 30 are connected respec- The energizing of magnet 49 when roller 5 engaged segment 21 caused the attraction of arm 43 and the consequent operation of rod 32 causing the collar 33 to disengage the lip 36 from notch 34 allowing the arm 3'7 to restore.

What is claimed is:

1. An indicator arrangement comprising a r0- tatable indicator carrying thereon a plurality of characters, means normally locking said indicator against rotation, a commutator having a plurality of segments corresponding to said characters and a Wiper rotatable with said indicators in phase with the rotation of said characters through a display position, means for selecting a segment corresponding to the character to be set to said display position, a magnet, means for initially energizing said magnet when said wiper rests on a segment corresponding to the charac ter previously set to said display position and for thereafter de-energizing it when said wiper reaches the selected segment, driving means, actuated upon the energization of said magnet, for rotating said indicator, and means for rendering the locking means efiective upon actuation of said magnet to free said indicator for rotation and to prevent further rotation thereof upon the de-energization of said magnet.

2. An indicator arrangement comprising a rotatable indicator, means normally locking said indicator against rotation, said indicator being constructed in the form of a shell and carrying on its periphery a plurality of characters, a commutator disposed within said indicator, said commutator having a plurality of segments corresponding to said characters and a wiper rotatable with said indicators in phase with the rotation of said characters through a display position, means for selecting a segment corresponding to the character to be set to said display position, a

magnet, means for initially energizing said magnet when said Wiper rests on a segment corresponding to the character previously set to said display position, means for de-energizing said magnet when said wiper reaches the selected segment, driving means, actuated upon the energization of said magnet for rotating said indicator, and means for rendering the locking means operative upon the actuation of said magnet to free said indicator for rotation and to prevent further rotation thereof upon the de-energization of said magnet.

3. An indicator arrangement comprising an indicator carrying thereon a plurality of characters, means for normally locking said indicator against rotation, a commutator having a plurality of segments corresponding to said characters and a wiper rotatable with said indicator in phase with the rotation of said characters through a display position, a magnet, means for initially energizing said magnet when said wiper rests on a segment corresponding to the character then displayed and for thereafter holding it energized as long as said wiper is in engagement with said segments, driving means actuated upon the energization of said magnet for rotating said wiper in engagement with said segments, means for rendering the locking means operative upon the energization of said magnet to free said indicator for rotation and to relock said indicator upon the de-energization thereof, means for moving said wiper out of engagement with said segments when it reaches a predetermined segment in its rotation, means thereupon eifective for preventing the locking of said indicator by said locking means upon the resultant de-energization of said magnet, means rendered eiTective upon movement of said wiper out of engagement with the segments for rotating the drum and wiper to a second predetermined position, and means effective upon said second predetermined position being reached to move said wiper into engagement with the segments.

4. An indicator arrangement comprising an indicator carrying thereon a plurality of characters, means for normally locking said indicator against rotation, a commutator having a plurality of segments corresponding to said characters and a wiper rotatable with said indicator in phase with the rotation of said characters through a display position, a magnet, means for initially energizing said magnet when said wiper rests on a segment corresponding to the character then displayed and for thereafter holding it energized as long as said wiper is in en gagement with said segments, driving means actuated upon the energization of said magnet for rotating said wiper in one direction in engagement with said segments, means for rendering the locking means operative to free said indicator for rotation upon the energization of said magnet and to re-lock said indicator upon the de-energization thereof, means for moving said wiper out of engagement with said segments when it reaches a first predetermined segment, means thereupon effective for preventing the locking of said indicator by said locking means upon the resultant de-energization of said magnet, tensioning means thereafter effective to rotate said indicator in the opposite direction and out of engagement with said segments to a second predetermined position and means effective upon said second predetermined position being reached to move said wiper into engagement with the segments.

5. An indicator arrangement comprising an indicator carrying thereon a plurality of characters, means for normally locking said indicator against rotation, at commutator having a plurality of segments corresponding to said characters, a wiper rotatable with said indicator in phase with the rotation of said characters through a display position, and a spiral ridge, having an opening therein, for guiding said wiper, a magnet, means for initially energizing said magnet when said wiper rests on a segment corresponding to the character then displayed and for thereafter holding it energized as long as said wiper is in engagement with said segments, driving means actuated upon the energization of said magnet for rotating said wiper on the outside of said ridge and in engagement with said segments, means for rendering the locking means operative upon the energization of said magnet to free said indicator and operative upon the de-energization thereof to relock said indicator, means for moving said wiper through the opening in said ridge and out of engagement with said segments when said wiper reaches a first predetermined segment, means thereupon effective for preventing the locking of said indicator by said locking means upon the resultant de-energization of said magnet, and tensioning means thereafter eifective for rotating said wiper on the inside of said ridge and out of engagement with said segments until said wiper reaches a second predetermined segment whereupon said moving means is efiective to move said wiper through said opening into engagement with the segments.

6. An indicator arrangement comprising a ro- 100 tatable indicator carrying thereon a plurality of characters, means normally locking said indicator against rotation, a commutator having a plurality of segments corresponding to said characters and a wiper rotatable with said indicator 195 in phase with the rotation of said characters through a display position, means for normally grounding said segments, means for removing ground from a selected segment corresponding to the character to be set to said display position, 119 a magnet, means for initially energizing said magnet when said wiper rests on the segment corresponding to the character previously set to said display position, said magnet being de-energized upon said wiper reaching the selected segment from which ground has been removed by said ground removing means, driving means actuated upon the energization of said magnet for rotating said indicator, and means for rendering the locking means operative upon the ener- 4 gization of said magnet to free said indicator for rotation and to prevent further rotation thereof upon the de-energization of said magnet.

CLIFTON T. FOSS.

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