US2177479A - Program device - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 24, 1939. D R. DE TAR 2,117,479

PROGRAM DEVICE Filed June 7, 1938' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I nve ht or Donald RKDeTan M His Attorney.

D. R. DE TAR PROGRAM DEVICE Oct. 24, 1939.

Filed June 7, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor-2 Donaki]? DeTar: I y W is A tor-hey Patented on. 24, 1939 PROGRAM DEVICE Donald R. De Tar, Stratford, Conn., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application June 7, 1938, Serial No. 212,275 14 Claims. (Cl. 20037) My invention relates to program devices, and A. M. group 3 in the extreme upper position, particularly to devices for use in connection with which is designated by the letters Oil, or with radio receivers to effect desired tuning thereof any of those of the P. M. group 4 in the extreme in accordance with a prearranged schedule. lower position which is similarly designated, the

It has for one of its objects to provide a. proradio receiver is automatically turned off by the 5 gram device which may be readily applied to program device. If any of the sliders 5 be in any radio receivers of conventional construction and one of five other positions as indicated by the without alteration of the receivers. reference characters I, 2, 3, 4, and 5 indicated Another object of the invention is to provide at the right, and at the left, of the two groups such a program device, which is of simple conof slots, the receiver is tuned to a selective 10 struction, economical to manufacture, and which broadcasting station at the times to which the is readily mountable in the cabinet of the radio respective sliders correspond. If the sliders of receiver with which it is to be used. the P. M. group 4 be in the upper position, which A still further object of the invention is to propositions are designated "N or Neutral, then vide such aprogram device which may be mountno operation is effected at the particular time 15 ed in the radio cabinet without detracting from corresponding to the respective sliders which are the beauty of the cabinet and which lends itself so positioned. to pleasing cabinet designs. These reference characters may also appear The novel features which I believe to be charon the face plate I at the right and at the left aoteristic of my invention are set forth with of the clock 2, adjacent to the call letters of the 20 particularity in the appended claims. My inparticular broadcasting station to be received. vention itself, however, both as to its organiza- Thus, with the sliders in the position indicated tion and method of operation together with furin the A. M. group 3, the receiver is off during ther objects and advantages thereof, may best be the hours from 12:00 to 6:15 asindicated y understood by reference to the following dethe numerals indicated along the top of the group 25 scription taken in connection with the accomand by the indicated position of the sliders. At panying drawings in which Fig. 1 represents a 6:15 A. M. it is tuned to station WJZ. Station dial, or face plate, for use in connection with my WJZ is heard from 6:15 to 6:30 when the reinvention; Fig. 2 represents in somewhat exceiver is again turned off and remains turned ploded way, the mechanical mechanism thereof Off until 7115 when it is automatically un d to 30 Figs, 3 and 4 represents certain details and Fig. station WHN. It remains tuned to station WHN 5 indicates the circuit arrangement employed. until 8:00 oclock when it is again turned ofi Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, I have and remains turned off until8z30 when it is tuned shown therein a face plate I, at the middle of ,to WOR, and so on, throughout the rest of the which is mounted a clock 2. Two groups of partwelve hour period. During the afternoon hours, 3 allel vertical slots in the face plate I are indithe schedule is determined by the sliders of the cated at 3 and 4, one of these groups being, for lower group, the slider corresponding to 12:00 convenience and appearance, arranged above the oclock noon 'being at the right andthat correclock, and the other below the clock, the group sponding to 11:45 P. M. being at the left.

40 3 corresponding to a certain period of the day At e left of the drawing, I e icated as, for example, the twelve hours of the morna control handle 6 in the form of a knurled disk ing, and the group 4 corresponding to a different which is used to set the clock. At the right is period of the day as for example, the twelve a similarly appearing control handle 8 which is hours of the afternoon. Each slot corresponds movable upwardly to disconnect the program deto a certain interval of its respective period. vice from the receiver, or downwardly to connect 45 Since, as shown, there are 48 slots in each group, it thereto. each slot corresponds to a fifteen minute inter- The mechanism whereby the desired control val. In each slotis arranged a slider 5, each of operations are effected is illustrated in detail in these sliders being positionable longitudinally of Fig. 2 where I have indicated a fragment of the 50 the respective slot and being arranged, as will face plate I near the center of the drawing, the 0 presently be described, to effect the selection of remainder being broken away to expose the mea desired program, or wavelength, in accordance chanical elements at the rear of the face plate. with the position in the slot which it occupies at The sliders 5, in addition to being mounted in the time to which the particular slider correthe face plate I are of conducting material and sponds. For example, with the sliders of the of an elongated U-shape. The legs of the U are arranged to straddle and to grip conducting plates 9 and III, the sliders of the A. M. period gripping the plate 8 and the sliders of the P. M. period gripping the plate i8. These plates are of conducting material and are provided with grooves ll into which a prong or detent i2 on one leg of each of the sliders falls. in each of the different respective positions of the slider, whereby the slider is retained in any position in which it may be placed by the operator. The opposite prong of the slider carries a projection it, which extends therefrom to engage any one of a plurality of contacts H, which are mounted on a rider l5, which is reciprocated along a rotating shaft l8. This shaft is driven by a motor i1 through a suitable gear reduction drive l8. The motor I! may be a synchronous motor of ordinary construction such as is commonly used in clocks. The shaft is provided with a double spiral groove, or double helix, which extends throughout that portion of the length thereof adjacent to the groups of slots l and sliders W. The spiral groove extends about the shaft in both a right hand and a left hand direction, the right and left hand spirals being connected at the ends. In the rider H5 is mounted a pin l8 (shown in Figs. 3 and 4) having a portion which is suitably shaped to ride in the spiral groove and thereby, as the shaft rotates, to cause movement of the rider first to the right and then to the left, the pin l8 riding from the forward, or left handed, portion of the spiral into the reverse, or right handed portion of the spiral at the ends of the shaft.

The contacts i4 comprise two groups, A and P, the group A being for the A. M. period and cooperating wlth the A. M. group of sliders and the group P being for the P. M. period and cooperating with the P. M. group of sliders. The corresponding contacts of the two groups are connected together by conductors i9 carried upon the back of the rider. Each pair of corresponding contacts II is also connected to respective sliding contacts 20, 2|, 22, 23, 28 and 25, which slide along corresponding bus bars 28, 2!, 22, 28', 24' and 25'. These bus bars are arranged parallel to the shaft i6 and correspond to the different operations to be effected by the preselector. That is, the bus bar 20' corresponds to the off condition of the receiver and is connected through brush 28 with the extreme upper and lower contacts of the rider. Bus bars 2|, 22', 28', 28' and 25' correspond respectively to the five stations WOR, WICC, WHN, WJZ and WEAF to be selected at different times.

These bus bars 20 to 28 are shown considerably displaced from rider ii for purposes of clearness but actually are mounted immediately adjacent thereto. This is apparent from Fig. 3 which is a back view of the rider and which shows the mounting of the contacts 20 to 28 which ride upon these bus bars.

These bus bars 28' to 28 are respectively connected through conductors 28 to the remote control system, later to be described, of the receiver. The common return conductor 21 of this remote control system is connected through member 48 of the preselector, switch 28, member 88, conductors 29, 28' and 32 and thence alternately through switches 88 and ii to the conducting plates 9 and i8. That is, during the hours of the morning the conductor 21 is connected through the switch 28, conductors 28 and 28', plate 82, switch 8| and member 88, to the conductor 8, and during the hours of the afternoon it is connected through the switch 28, conductors 28 and 28', plate 82, switch 88, and member II, to the conductor ill.

The switches 28 and Ii are arranged at opposite ends of the shaft i8 and each of the switches comprises a pin mounted in the slidable conducting plate 82, these pins being positioned in the path of movement of the rider I! so as to be engaged thereby to actuate the slider 82 either to the right or to the left dependent upon the direction of motion of the rider. When the slider 82 is actuated to the left to the position shown, the pin at the left end of the slider engages a conducting arm 83 which is conductively attached to the plate 8. This occurs when the rider i8 is at the extreme left end of the shaft, or at 12:00 oclock midnight. When the rider I 15 is at the opposite end of the shaft it engages the corresponding pin of the switch 80 carrying the slider 32 to the right and bringing the right end pin into engagement with a conducting arm 84 which is conductively connected to the plate iii. At the same time the switch 3| is, of course, opened, the pin of this switch being moved away from the arm 33.

The sliding bar 32 is retained in either of its two positions by means of two recesses 38 provided in the right end thereof and which cooperate with a spring pressed detent 3b which may be mounted in any suitable support (not shown).

Since the movement of the rider it: along the shaft IB is comparatively slow the contacts l4 thereof are in engagement with the sliders I during considerable periods and the time of engagement between any contact ii and a respective slider may vary to some extent. In order that the desired tuning of the receiver may be effected at accurately preselected times as, for example, at the end of each fifteen minute interval the switch 28 is provided, this switch being arranged to close its contact at the end of each fifteen minute interval and for a time only sufficiently long to permit the desired tuning operation to be effected. These contacts are then again opened. This operation of the switch 28 is'provided by means of two cams 81 and 21' shaped as indicated on the drawing. In the position shown the cams retain the contacts of switch 28 apart. If it be assumed that the shaft rotates in counterclockwise direction, however, the member 88, which carries one contact of the switch and which rides upon the cam 81, first falls off the shoulder '88 of the cam I! and thus causes the two contacts of the switch 28 to engage. At a desired interval later, which may be about ten seconds, the member 80 which carries the opposite contact of the switch 28, falls off the corresponding shoulder 4! of the cam 31', thus causing the contacts of the switch 28 to separate. This operation occurs at the end of each fifteen minute interval, the contacts being retained open between operations.

Manual control for the switch 28 is also provided. This manual control comprises the handle 8 which extends through the face plate I of the device and which is provided on the rear of the face plate with a resilient member 42 having its opposite ends curved as indicated at 48 and u. The end 48 cooperates with a shoulder 44' provided in the back of the face plate while the end 83 rides along the back ll of the face plate. When handle 8 is pushed upward the curved end 88 rides up the shoulder 88' onto the back surface of the face plate i and retains the member in its -upper position. when the member I is moved downward the end 43 rides downward along the surface 43' of the face plate I, tension of the member 42 retaining the member 8 in its lower position. The member 8 is also provided with an arm 45 which, when in its upper position, engages an arm 46 of the member 38 and raises it to an extent sufflcient to prevent engagement of the contacts of the switch 28. In this way the program device is completely disabled and dis-- connected from the receiver.

The left end of the shaft l6 shown in the drawing is connected through a suitable clock gearing arrangement 41 to the hands of the clock 2, which is shown in Fig. 1. This clock may, of course, be positioned at any desired location but is conveniently located between the A. M. and P. M. groups of control members as indicated in Fig. 1.

The clock may be set by operation of knob 6 on the shaft iii of the program device, the time intervals of the program device being thereby always in agreement with the indication of the clock. In order to permit rotation of shaft l6 by knob 6 without rotation of the motor I1, a suitable clutch, or friction drive connection, is provided between the motor and the shaft. As shown, the motor operates gears 88 and 8i, the latter of which is frictionally engaged by member 82 which is rigidly attached to shaft 84 which, in turn, is geared to shaft 56. When the shaft is turned by knob 6, member 82 rotates with shaft 86, gears 8| and 88 and hence the motor remaining unaffected by the turning of the setting knob.

The face of the clockis provideclwith an aperture it in back of which rotates a disk 49. This disk rotates once in twenty-four hours. The half 50, of it, is colored white, and the other half 5| is colored black, so that either white or black appears through the aperture 48, this comprising an indication as to whether the upper or the lower group of sliders is effective at the particular time.

Fig. 3, as previously stated, illustratesa back view of the rider i5 and shows the contacts 20, 2|, 22, 23, 24 and 25 thereon. It also shows additional members 52 between which the connections H! of Fig. 1 are made, these connections comprising flexible conductors which may be positioned in the grooves 53 and 54 extending lengthwise of the back of the rider.

Before describing in further detail the operation of the program device illustrated in Fig. 2, I will refer to Fig. 5 which illustrates a remote control system with which it may be employed. In Fig. 5 I have indicated at 55 the tuning element of the radio receiver, which may be the ordinary tuning condenser, this tuning element being arranged to be driven by a motor 56 hav ing field windings'5l and 58. .On the shaft of the motor is indicated a commutator comprising two conducting segments 59 and 60, which are insulated from each other as indicated at 6|. About this commutator are positioned contacts 20", 2i", 22", 23", 24" and 25", which are connected to the coiresponding bus bars 20 to 25. The two segments 59 and 60 are connected respectively to one terminal of the motor field windings 58 and 51, the other terminals of which are connected through conductor 21 to one side of a source 12 of energy for operating motor 56. The opposite side of source 12 is connected to member 40 of switch 28 of the program device and thence through the program device to bus bars 28' to. 25 dependent upon the operation push button, tuning purposes.

selected by the program device. Accordingly, it will be observed that whenever a connection is completed by the pretimer from member 40 through switch 28 to one of the bus bars 20' to 25' the motor is energized to operate the condenser 55 in a direction, dependent upon the field winding energized, to a position corresponding to the bus bars 2II-25 through which the circuit is completed. When such a position is reached, the insulating section 6| moves under the contact 28" to 25 through which the motor is energized and thus deenergizes the motor.

The bus bar 28' is connected to contact 20", which is positioned on the commutator at a point which does not correspond to any station to be received. At this point the commutator is arranged by means of a projection 62 which engages one arm '63 of a switch 64 to open said switch. This switch is. connected in series with the power supply circuit to the receiver, which is deenergized when this switch is opened. When a circuit is closed through the program device from member 48 to any of the bus bars 20' to 25' the commutator is operated to the corresponding position and upon its initial movement permits switch 64 to close and thus energize the receiver.

Shown at the left of the diagram are a number of keys which may be operated for touch, or Each of these keys when pressed inward operates a movable contact'li thereof downward. This contact H of each key except the upper one operates between two outer contacts, the lower of which is connected to the corresponding brush 2!!" to 25" of the commutator, and the upper of which, except for the key marked Off, which has no-upper outer contact, is connected to the movable contact ll of the next adjacent key. Thus, for example, if key WJZ be pressed, a circuit is complete from one side of the source 12 through the armature H of the WEAF key and its upper contact, armature H of WJZ at its lower contact, brush 24", segment 88 of the commutator, field winding 51 of the motor to the opposite side of the source 12. The Oil key connects the upper side of the source to the brush 28" corresponding to the off position of the commutator.

It will thus be seen that any of the five stations indicated may be selected either by operation of the key corresponding thereto or by means of the pretimer, or program-device.

If the operator desires that the programs to be received be selected automatically throughout the day in accordance with a desired schedule he sets up the desired schedule by properly positioning the different sliders 5 in the face plate 1. He then moves handle 8 to the lower position to connect the program device to the control system of the receiver. The program device then at the end of each fifteen minute interval completes a circuit by means of switch 28, which effects the program selection desired at that time.

For example, with the sliders in the position shown in the drawing at 6:15 A. M. the circuit is completed from member 40, through switch 28, member 38, conductors 29, 29 and 32, switch3l, conductor 33, plate 9, slider 5 for the 6:15 A. M. time interval, fourth contact from the top on group A of contacts on the rider, one of conductors l9 to contact 24 which engages bus bar 24'. This bus bar is connected to contact 24" on the distributor through which the circuit extends through winding 51, conductor 21, and source 12, back to switch 28. The motor now operates until insulating section II of the commutator falls under contact 24" when it becomes deenergised.

The receiver is now tuned to WJZ. A short time later switch 2| opens. It closes again fifteen minutes later to complete the same circuit except that it includes the slider for the 6:30 A. M. interval, top contact of group A on the rider, bus I. and contact on the distributor which as previously stated causes the receiver to be turned off.

This operation continues at the end of each fifteen minute interval until sometime after 11:45 A. M. when rider ll engages the pin of switch I l and carries it into engagement with arm 14 thereby opening switch II. The operations then continue but the selections are-as determined by the position of sliders of the P. M. group, the sliders of the A. M. group being inactive.

m If at any time when a program is being received the operator desires to change the program he may do so by merely pressing any of the keys indicated in Fig. 5. If he desires to select a station for which no key is provided he may do. so

u by operating the switch 13 either to the right or left, thereby energizing the corresponding field winding of the motor, which operates the condenser to scan the entire frequency band. When a station is received which the operator desires go he merely releases the key 18 which returns unmerely projects through a corresponding opening in one portion N of the boxing. the opposite portion of which is indicated at ll, these two portions being adapted to be suitably attached directly by means of bolts through the openings ll. These boxings are positioned within the nonconducting member I! which may be moulded in the shape indicated and which carries the contacts ll of Fig. 1.

While I have described my invention by reference to a form of employing rigid bus bars III to II arranged to effect connection between conductors I! and the different contacts i4 carried by the rider it will be understood that these rigid conductors maybe dispensed with, the contacts ll being connected directly through flexible leads to conductors II. Buch flexible leads, of course, would be of sufficient length to permit reciprocation of the rider.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention. it will, of course. be understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto, since different modifications may be made both in the circuit arrangement, in the instrumentalities. and in the mechanical construction employed without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the appended claims. and I contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 0! the United States, is:

i. In a program device, a plurality of control conductors, a shaft, a rider mounted thereon and axially reciprocated thereby. said rider carrying a plurality of contacts, each contact being connectedto a respective one of said control conductors, a plurality of contacts spaced along said shaft and positioned to engage different contacts carried by said rider in accordance with a predetermined schedule, thereby to select one and another of said conductors at different times, a switch, a circuit including said switch, one of said control conductors and one of said plurality of contacts dependent upon the instant position of the rider, means on said shaft to close said switch at regular intervals thereby to complete said circuit in accordance with the instant position of said rider and the instant position of the contact engaged thereby, and means to render sad contacts active during movement of the rider in one direction and inactive during movement of the rider in the other direction.

2. The combination, in a program device, of a plurality of settable contact members arranged side by side in a. row and movable transversely of said row to a plurality of positions, a plurality of bus bars extending longitudinally of said row and parallel thereto, a contact carrier having contacts respectively engaging said bus bars and contacts engagable with said settabie contact members in the different respective positions of said members, means to reciprocate said contact carrier along said parallel row and bus bars to engage said settable contact members in sequence, and means to render said contact members active during movement of said contact carrier in one direction and inactive during movement of said contact carrier in the opposite direction.

3. The combination, in a program device of a plurality of rows of settable contact members, said settable contact members of each row being movable transversely of the respective row to different podtions, a plurality of conductors extending along said rows, a contact carrier having contacts respectively engaging said conductors and contacts engagable with said settable contact members in the different respective positions of said members, means to reciprocate said carrier along said rows of contact members to engage said contact members in sequence. means carried on said carrier to connect any one of said conductors with a settable contact member in either of said rows. and means to complete a circuit through contact members in one of said rows during movement of said carrier in one direction and through contact members in the other row during movement of said carrier in the other direction.

4. The combination, in a program device, of a plurality of conductors arranged side by side, a plurality of groups of contacts positioned along said conductors but disengaged therefrom, a contact carrier. means to reciprocate said contact carrier along said conductors, said contact carrier having contacts engaging said conductors and a plurality of groups of other contacts, each group of said other contacts cooperating with a corresponding group of said first mentioned groups of contacts, each contact of said first mentioned groups being positioned to engage one of the contacts of the corresponding group of contacts carried by-said .carrier, dependent on the position of the respective contact of the first mentioned groups. means on the carrier to connect a contact of any of the first mentioned groups to any of said conductors, and means to render one of said first mentioned groups active and the other inactive during movement of the 7 carrier in one direction, and to render said one v sponding respectively to said groups carried by said carrier, the contacts of each of said last groups being spaced along the path of travel of said contact carrier and positioned to be engaged by the contacts of the corresponding groups carried by said carrier, the contacts of each of said last groups being continuously connected to a corresponding one of said common conductors, whereby any of said plurality of conductors may be connected to one of said common conductors, and means to complete the circuit from one and the other of said common conductors alternately to any of. saidplurality of conductors.

V 6. The combination, in a program device, of a shaft, a contact carrier, means to reciprocate said carrier along said shaft, a plurality of groups of contact members the contacts of said groups being spaced along said shaft and positionable transversely of the movement of said carrier to engage different contacts carried by said carrier, each group being connected to a common con ductor, a two position switch, and means operable in response to movement of said carrier to the limits of its motion to reciprocate said switch between its two positions, said switch in one position interrupting connections to one 'of said common conductors and establishing connection to the other, and in the other position establishing connection to said one common conductor and interrupting connection to said other.

7. The combination, in a program device, of a plurality of bus bars, one of said bus bars being common to the others, said one bus bar comprising a plate, a plurality of contact members spaced along said plate each corresponding to a predetermined time and shaped continuously to grip said plate and to be settable in a plurality of positions crosswise of said plate, a contact carrier having a group of contacts, cooperating with said contact members in said different respective positions crosswise of said plate, means to move said carrier longitudinally of said plate whereby said contacts engage first one and then another of said contact members in sequence, each of said contacts carried by said carrier being in continuous engagement with a corresponding one of said bus bars.

8. In combination, a shaft driven continuously at constant speed, a contact carrier 'mounted thereon, means to reciprocate said carrier along said shaft at a constant speed, said carrier having a plurality of contacts continuously engaging on the one side respective stationary bus bars, and on the other side successive contact members, said contact members being spaced along'said shaft, and each contact member being movable transverse to the movement of the carrier to engage different contacts on the carrier in accordance with the position of the contact member, and means to render certain of said contacts carried by said carrier active and others inactive during movement of the carrier in one direction, and to render said certain contacts inactive and said others active during movement of the carrier in the opposite direction.

9. In combination, a shaft driven continuously at constant speed, a contact carrieramountedthereon, means to reciprocate said carrier along-fl 5 said shaft at a constant speed, said carrier having a plurality of contacts continuously engaging on the one side respective stationary bus bars, and on the other side, successive contact members, said contact members being spaced along said shaft, and each contact member being movable transverse to the movement of the carrier to engage different contacts on the carrier in accordance with the position of the contact member, said reciprocating means comprising a' helical groove about said shaft having forward and reverse portions and fixed drive means on said carrier riding successively in said portions of said groove.

10. The combination, in a program device, of a row of contact members, a shaft, a contact carrier, means to reciprocate said contact carrier along said shaft, said contact members being positionable longitudinally of said carrier to en gage contacts positioned along said carrier and carried thereby, the different contact members of said row corresponding respectively to different time intervals, a constant speed motor, a reduction drive connection from said motor for said shaft, a clock face having cooperating hour and minute hands, a drive connection from said shaft for said hour and minute hands and means to rotate said shaft free of said motor to set said clock.

11, The combination, in a program device, of 36 a shaft having right hand, andleft hand, helical grooves therein, said grooves being joined at the ends of said shaft to form a'continuous groove, means to rotate said shaft continuously in the same direction, a contact carrier having a rider 40 engaging one of said grooves so as to be reciprocated along said shaft as said rider is propelled by first one of said grooves and then the other, said carrier being restrained between a plurality of bus bars on the one side and a row of contacts 5 on the other, the contacts of said row being positionable in a plurality of positions, longitudinally of said carrier, each position corresponding to a respective bus bar, and contacts on said carrier,

each of said contacts engaging a respective bus bar and being positioned to be engaged by the contacts of said row when in the respective position longitudinally of the carrier.

12. The combination, in a program device, of a shaft having right hand, andleft hand, helical grooves therein, said grooves being joined at the ends of said shaft to form a continuous groove, means to rotate said shaft continuously in the same direction, a contact carrier having a rider engaging one of said grooves so as to be reciprocated along said shaft as said rider is propelled by first one of said grooves and then the other, said carrier being restrained between a plurality of bus bars on the one side and a conducting plate on the other, a plurality of contacts carried by said carrier each contact engaging a respective bus bar and projecting toward said plate in positions transverse to said plate corresponding to the respective bus bar, and contacts adjustable transversely of said plate and positioned between said plate and the contacts of said carrier, conductively to connect said plate with any one of said bus bars through a respective contact on said carrier dependent upon the position transversely of said plate to which said adjustable contact is adjusted.

13. The combination, in a program device of a shaft having right hand and left hand helical grooves therein, said grooves being joined at the ends of said shaft to form a continuous groove, means to rotate said shaft continuously in the same direction, a contact carrierhaving a rider engaging one of said grooves so as to be reciprocated along said shaft as said rider is propelled by'flrst one of said grooves and then the other, said carrier being restrained between a plurality of bus bars on the one side and a conducting plate -on the other, a plurality of contacts carried by said carrier each contact engaging a respective bus bar and projecting toward said plate in positions transverse to said plate corresponding to the respective bus bar, and contacts adjustable transversely of said plate and positioned between said plate and the contacts of said carrier conductively to connect said platewith any one of said bus bars through a respective contact on said carrier dependent upon the position transversely of said plate to which said adjustable contact is adjusted, a panel parallel with said shaft having parallel slots therein spaced at regular intervals along said shaft and extending at right angles to the shaft and adjustment members 'positioned in said slots, each of said members carrying a respective one of said adjustable contacts;

14. The combination, in a program device, of a shaft having-right hand, and left hand, helical grooves therein, said grooves being joined at the ends of said shaft to form a continuous groove.

means to rotate said shaft continuously in the same direction,. a contact carrier having a rider engaging one of said grooves so as to be reciprocated along said shaft as said rider is propelled by first one of said grooves and then the other, said carrier being restrained between a plurality of bus bars on the one side and a pair of conducting plates on the other, each of said plates having positioned thereon, andspaced at regular intervals along said shaft, conducting members

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