US2207252A

US2207252A - Indicator

Info

Publication number: US2207252A
Application number: US244443A
Authority: US
Inventors: Handley John
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1937-12-08
Filing date: 1938-12-07
Publication date: 1940-07-09
Anticipated expiration: 1957-07-09

Description

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 A TTOR/VEY J. HANDLEY July 9, l194.0.

INDICATOR yFiled Dec. 7, 1938 July 9, 1940. J HANDLEY n 2,207,252

INDICATOR Filed Dec. 7. 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 2.

A from/y July 9 1940- l l J. HANDLEY 2,207,252

INDICATOR Filed Dec. 7, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig.

/N VEN Ton Fig, 4, l y

A TTORNEY July 9, 1940- J. HANDLEY 2,207,252

. nv VEA/rop ATTORNEY Patented July 9, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE Application December 7, 1938, Serial No. 244,443 In Great Britain December 8, 1937 26 Claims.

This invention relates to indicator devices in which one or more of a number of plates is selected and moved to indicating position.

The object of the invention is to provide a compact and practical device which is capable of providing, for instance, a choice of all the letters of the alphabet and the numerals 1-0.

According to the main feature of the invention an indicator device comprises a stack of. closelyspaced parallel plates, means for selecting at least one of said plates, and means for moving a selected plate or plates out of the stack into indicating position.

The invention will be clearly understood from the following description of one embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an electrically-controlled indicator device according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the indicator device;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of. the device partially in section;

Fig. 4 is a detail view of changeover mechanism for the plate-selecting and moving equipment; While Fig. 5 is the electrical control circuit for the indicator shown'in Figs. 1-4.

Brief description of structure The device comprises a stack of '72 plates, and both sides of. each plate carry a quarter of a letter or iigure. Groups of four spaced plates, e. g. Nos. l, 19, 37, 55, each make up one complete letter or figure when their top sides are placed together, and a second complete letter or figure when the undersides are placed together. A total of 72-:4 2=36 letters and figures is thus obtained allowing for the 26 letters of the alphabet plus the ten gures.

The stack of plates I, best shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 1 is vertically movable, and each plate has on each side two

pivot pins

5, 6, Fig. 3, which normally engage in horizontal slots 2 in side supports 3, 4 which are vertically movable as hereinafter explained. The long pivot pins 5 on each side pass through the supporting slots and engage in vertical slots in fixed uprights I2 which are supported by side plates I3 from xed frame member 9 and which hold the plates I from lateral movement. The uprights I2 are cut away in Fig. 3 lcarry lugs I4 which extend through openings in side plates I3 into the cut away portions of the uprights I2 and embrace the pivotpins 5 of the four plates in line with said cutaway portions of uprights I2` The uprights I5 carry rollers 22 engaging horizontal channels 23, Fig. 1, in which the uprights I5 can be moved laterally by bell-cranks I6, I'l engaging slots 24 in the uprights. The bell-crank pairs I6, Il are connected by links I8.

The front ends of the

slottedsupports

3, 4 are more widely spaced than the rest of the supports and are positioned behind horizontally slotted angle-members 34, Fig. 3, which are vertically movable under control of

linkages

32, 33 at each side of the device, each lever 33 engaging a slot in the corresponding angle member 34. The actuation of these linkages is caused by shaft 3| the latter shaft being rocked by arm 3l which is moved by link 30.

It will be seen that when a group of plates is moved forward by uprights l5, their pivot pins leave the slots in support 3 and engage the slots 21 in the angle members 34, while the pivot pins 5 remain in the slots in supports 3. Vertical movement of the member 34 upwardly or downwardly will turn the selected plates into a vertical position showing their top sides or undersides respectively.

The plate supports 3, 4 are mounted on a channel back plate 'I vertically slideable in rails 8 xed to frame 9, the vertical movement being governed by an internally screwed boss I which is integral with back plate 'I and which extends through slots 9' of frame 9 to engage a vertical threaded spindle II. Rotation of the spindle II thus moves the back plate 'I vertically in guides 8 in the frame 9 to raise or lower the side supports 3 and 4 so as to bring a desired group of `plates in line with the lugs I4 on the laterallymovable supports I5.

'Ihe power for operating the various parts o the indicator device is furnished by spindle 46 driven by a motor M, which is only shown in Fig. 5, since it may bey common toa number of indicator devices similar to the one herein described and illustrated. Thereference character 41'in Fig. 2, represents the spindle of an `adjacent indicator device and corresponds to the spindle 46 of the indicator device shown and described. As indicated in Fig. the common motor Mhas multipled starting circuitsone for each indicator device-so thatfthis motor, and likewise all the spindles corresponding to spindle 46, will rotate whenever contacts 55 of any of the common indicator devices are closed, i. e. whenever any of the indicator devices requires rotational power.

For making use of this rotational power of spindle 46 in the particular unit under consideration, a clutch 56 operable by solenoids 54 is provided as shown in Fig. 2. This clutch when operated drives gear 59, which in turn meshes with a gear 6|) on the slideable clutch member B0' whose position is controlled by solenoid 69 as explained in more detail hereinafter. When slid to the right by solenoid 59, clutch 69 engages a cooperating member on shaft 43, thus driving this shaft to cause right hand rotation of threaded spindle through the reversible drive comprising gears 4|, 42, 43' and reversing clutch 49. Normally, however, solenoid 69 is deenergized and clutch B5 is then positioned as shown so as to clutch with gear 5| which is in engagement with a gear 62 xed to spindle 2|, thus driving this spindle 2|. As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, spindle 2| carries a contact making cam 93, a plate-tilting cam 25 for operating the linkage 39-33 and a crank and connecting rod assembly 29, I9 for operating the interconnected bell-cranks I5, I1, I8.

The cam 25 operates a rocker lever 26, an oiset extension of which is pivoted at 29. The upper end of this rocker lever 23 is formed as a slotted pivot plate 36 for link 39. The position of link 39 in the slotted plate 33 is controlled by a lever 35 which is operated by shaft 38 best shown in Figs. 2 and 4. As later described this shaft 38 is controlled by an arm 39 fixed to shaft 38 and moved by a vertical slotted link 31 carried by a bracket Hl fixed to the boss IIJ of the vertically-

movable stack assembly

3, 4, 1, ID. This linkage is arranged so that when the stack reaches its lowest and highest positions the lever 35 is thrown over by a snap action, which will be described later, from one position to another to control the movement of the linkages 30-33. When the link 39 is in the position shown in Fig. 1, cam 25 causes the left-hand end of levers 33 to move downwardly and so expose the tops of the selected plates. When link 3U is in its left-hand position, the levers 33 move upwardly to expose the undersides of the plates.

For controlling the position to which the stack of plates is moved to select a letter or digit there is provided a single-motion wiper switch 44 cornprising three bank contact levels and wipers 5|, 52, 53. The location of this switch is best seen in Fig. 2 and its electrical connections are shown in Fig. 5.

The

levels

52, 53 are used as hereinafter described for marking the positions in which the stack is to be stopped. For the present it is suiiicient to state that the eighteen groups of four plates each may be selected during downward movement of the stack via bank 52 and during upward movement of the stack via bank 5|. The movement of the angle-members 34, Figs. 1 and 3 is so controlled that plates selected during downward movement of the stack are turned to show their top sides while plates selected during upward movement of the stack are turned to show their undersides.

Various contact-spring pile-

ups

45, 55, 51, 58, 15 and a relay 48, Fig. 5 are provided for controlling the indicator circuits shown in Fig. 5.

The details of the mechanism previously referred to which controls the rocking of shaft 38 can be most clearly seen in Fig. 4, which shows the shaft 38, lever 35 fixed thereto. and slotted link 31 connected to bracket IU which is carried by boss I9 for producing the rocking action of shaft 38 in substantially the same relative positions as these members are shown in Fig. 1. Referring more particularly to Fig. 4, it will be noted that the slotted link 31 engages arm 39 fixed to shaft 38 in such manner as to actuate this arm to rock the shaft only at the extreme upper and lower limits of the stroke of the line 31. It will also be seen that the position of arm 31 is further controlled by a pair of cooperating wedge shaped members afdxed respectively to arm 39 and to a stiif spring 69 so as to maintain arm 39 in the position to which it was last pushed or pulled by link 31 while at the same time insuring that the movement of this arm 39 when it does 'take place is completed with a snap action. The rocking shaft 38 which is thus actuated by arm 39 under the joint control of link 31 and the snap action wedges carries not only lever 35 previously referred to, but also cam arm for actuating contact spring pile-up 45. Additionally rocker shaft 38 also carries loosely journalled thereupon a reversing mechavnism 1| which as seen in Figs. 2 and 4, has essentially the form of a loose sleeve bearing at one end means for shifting reversing clutch and bearing at the other end a forked arm 1| by which the rocking of this reversing mechanism 1| is controlled.

The arm 39 has a lost-motion connection with a forked arm 1|, Figs. 2 and 4, which is journalled on shaft 3S and an intermediate arm 1|" of mechanism 1| also carries a wedge cooperating with a wedge on a spring 13 weaker than spring 59. The forked arm 1| controls the reversing clutch 49, and is not moved until the lever` 39 has moved so far that spring 69 vtakes control and moves both lever 39 and arm 1| by snap action to their reverse positions. Thus reversal of the driveof lead screw does not take place until the vertically-

movable stack assembly

3, 4, 1, i9 which by means of bracket I9 carries slotted link 31 has completed its stroke.

General sequence of operation terminal corresponding to the new character de'- sired. The principal steps in the sequence of operation for effecting such a change of the character displayed is as follows:

Normally a group of plates will be in indicating position. When the marking on the switch is changed, shaft 2| is given a half revolution to withdraw the plates into the stack, the stack is then moved downwardly or upwardly by rotation of lead screw l according to the direction in which the stack last moved either until `it reaches a marked contact, or reaches the bottom or top of its travel. In the latter'case the direction of movement will be automatically reversed and the search for the marked position continued. Whenever such reversal occurs cam arm B5 also shifts contacts 45 so that the switch level corresponding to the new direction of travel of the stack of plates will be searched over.

v Finally when the marked group of plates is selected screw spindle is stoppediand shaft 2|r is given another half-revolution to move the selected group of plates to indicating position.

Detailed description of operation 'at the same time closes contacts 55 to start the motor M, Fig. 5, to drive shaft 45.

linkages

25, 3D, 3|, 32, 33 to shift uprights 34 for turning the plates into horizontal position.

When the indicator is set, the recess shown at the bottom of the cam 53 in Fig. 1 is opposite the contact-operating roller so that

contacts

51, 58 are both open. When shaft 2| begins to rotate, contact 51 but not 58 is closed and a circuit is formed via off-normal bank 53, Fig. 5,y to hold solenoid 54 energised until a complete half-revolution has been made even if relay 48 reoperates. This prevents stoppage with the indicator in a partly-set condition.

When the shaft 2| has completed the halfrevolution, contacts 58 are also closed as shown in Fig. l, and solenoid 64 is energized. Solenoid BB-operates clutch 65', disengaging gear-wheels 6|, 62, and engaging the shaft 43 which drives the lead screw The solenoid also operates arm S5 to engage a slotted wheel BS on shaft 2|. If shaft 2| has not completed its rotation arm 65 cannot enter the slot and changeover of the clutch 69 is prevented. At the same time an arm 61 which is in engagement with one of two diametrically opposite radial slots in a disc 68 on shaft 43 is withdrawn to allow shaft 43 to rotate. Contacts15, Figs. l and5, are controlled by a roller which normally engages a recess in the face of disc 58 so that the contacts are normally open when the shaft 43 rotates, contacts 15 are closed to hold the circuit of solenoid 59 closed during each revolution of shaft 43.

The lead screw moves the stack downwardly for instance and at the same time through worm gears 12, 13 rotates the switch 44. Let -us assume that the new marked position is not reached before the stack reaches the bottom of its stroke. As it approaches the bottom of its stroke, the upper end of the slot in link 31 impinges on roller 16 in the end of arm 39 of lever 35 arm 39 therefore rocks the shaft 38 so that lever 35 changes over the position of link 30 in the slotted plate while cam arm 85 shifts contacts 45 to transfer the marker control from switch level 52 to level 5|. ment also causes the wedges on arm 39 and spring 59 to force spring 59'to the right until the points of the wedges pass one another when the arm 39 completes its stroke by snap action as previously described. During` the last part of this motion which thus takes place with the snap action, reversing mechanism 1| is carried Valong with arm 39 because the lost "motion beto vthe corresponding contact grounded, relay 48 is energized when the position The first part of this rocking movetween 39 and 1| has now been taken up. The reversing mechanism thus moves reversing clutch 40 to reverse the drive of screw When the operative wiper 5| or 52 finds a grounded contact, relay 48 energizes (see Fig. 5) and opens contacts 482 so that on completion of the revolution of shaft 43, solenoid 69 is deenergized. Clutch 60' will .thereupon restore to normal position to drive shaft 2| again when the shaft 43'has reached the position in which arm 51 can engage the slotted disc 68,

Although relay 48 is now operated, solenoid 54 is still energized via off normal wiper and bank 53 and contacts 51 of .cam 63, Figs. 1 and 5, which is standing in the position shown in Fig. 1. The motor M therefore continues energized over contacts 55. When the shaft 2| starts to move contacts 58 are opened to prevent any possibility of solenoid |59 reoperating but -contacts 51 remain energized until the shaft 2| completes a half revolution and the contact roller enters the recess in cam 63 and allows contacts 51 to open.

During this half-revolution the crank 20, link I9 and bell-cranks |6, |1 move the supports l5 and the selected plates forward and when the rocker pivots 5 enter the slots 21 the upward or downward movement ofthe angle-members 34 dependent on the position of link 35 turns the selected plates to expose their undersides or top sides respectively to view.

It will be noted that the off-normal' level 53 of the marker switch has one contact disconnected. This position of the switch `is provided for controlling a blank indication.

in level 52 is is reached and immediately', both circuits for solenoid 54 are opened, at 48| and by wiper 53 respectively. Solenoids 69 and 54 therefore release together` so that shaft 2| does not make its half-revolution to move a selected group of plates into indicating position and no indication is given. In this case when the marking on the banks of switch 44 is changed, relay 43 releases,

to position the group of plates required by the Y new marking on the switch.

What is claimed is:

l. An indicator device comprising a stack of closely-spaced parallel plates, means for selecting any desired one of said plates independent of its position in said stack and means for moving said` selected plate out of the stack into an indicating position at right angles to the plane of the plates in the stack whereby said plates may be moved into indicating position in any desired order independent of their succession in said stack.

2. An indicator device comprising a stack of closely-spaced parallel plates, electrically controlled, means for selecting any desired one of said plates independent of its position in said stack and means for moving said selected plate out of the stack 'into an indicating position at right angles `to the plane of the plates in the stack wher/eby said plates may be Ymoved into indicating position in any desired order independent of their succession in said stack.

3. An indicator device comprising a stack of closely-spaced parallel plates, means for selecting any desired one of said platesindependent If lead 11 f..

of its position in said stack, means for shifting the stack at right angles to the plane of the plates to bring the selected plate in a predetermined position, and means for moving said selected plate out of the stack to an indicating position at right angles to the p-lane of the plates in the stack whereby said plates may be moved into indicating position in any desired order independent of their succession in said stack.

4. An indicator device comprising a stack of closely-spaced parallel plates, electrically-controlled, means for selecting any desired one of said plates independent of its position in said stack, means for shifting the stack at right angles to the plane of the plates to bring the selected plate in a predetermined position, and means for moving said selected plate out of the stack to an indicating position at right angles to the plane of the plates in the stack whereby said plates may be moved into indicating position in any desired order independent of their succession in said stack.

5. An indicator device comprising a stack of closely-spaced parallel plates, means for selecting any desired one of said plates independent of its position in said stack, means for moving said selected plate out of the stack to an indicating position at right angles to the plane of the plates in the stack, and means for selectively turning the selected plate in one direction or another so that either one of its faces can be exhibited in the indicating position whereby said plates may be moved into indicating position in any desired order independent of their succession in said stack.

6. An indicator device comprising a stack of closely-spaced parallel plates, electrically-controlled, means for selecting any desired one of said plates independent of its position in said stack, means for moving said selected plate out of the stack to an indicating position at. right angles to the plane of the plates in the stack, and means for turning the selected plate in one direction or another so that either one oi its faces can be exhibited in the indicating position whereby said plates may be moved into indicating position in any desired order independent of their succession in said stack.

'7. An indicator device as claimed in claim 12 and comprising means for selectively turning each plate of the selected set in one direction or another so that either one of its faces can be exhibited in the indicating position.

8. An indicator device as: claimed in claim 5, and in which the means for selecting a plate comprises an electrical selector device arranged to be operated in step with movement of the stack to test in turn different electrical marking circuits, and test means arranged to be operated over one of said marking circuits to stop movement of the stack.

9. An indicator device as claimed in claim 5, and comprising a common drive and clutches for clutching in turn to the common drive the means for moving the stack and the means for moving the selected plate out of the stack into indicating position.

10. An indicator device as claimed in claim 8 and lcomprising a rst rotatable spindle for moving the stack, a second rotatable spindle carrying means for moving the plates out of the stack and for turning each selected plate into indicating position, driving means for the shafts, and clutch means for connecting the drive to the tWo shafts in turn.

11. An indicator device as claimed in claim 8, and comprising driving means for the stack arranged to move the stack in opposite directions in turn between 4extreme positions, and control means arranged to cause said selected plate to be turned to exhibit one face in response to the occurrence of the selection during movement of the stack in one direction and to cause said selected plate to be turned to exhibit the other face in response to the occurrence of the selection during movement of the stack in the opposite direction.

12. An indicator device comprising a plurality of sets of plates disposed in closely spaced parallel arrangement to form a stack, means for selecting any desired one of said sets of plates independent of the relative position of said set of plates in said stack, means for shifting said stack at right angles to the plane of the plates to bring the selected set of plates to a predetermined set of positions, and means for moving the plates of the selected set out of the stack into an indicating position at right angles to the plane of the plates in stack whereby said sets of plates may be moved into indicating position in .Y

any desired order independent of the sequence of said sets oi plates in said stack.

13. An indicator device comprising a stack of closely-spaced parallel plates each bearing matter to be displayed when a group of one or more y of the platesis brought into an indicating position which is at right angles to the plane of the plates in the stack, means for selecting any one of the groups of plates for display regardless of the identity oi the last group displayed, and.

means for moving the selected group only, out of the stack into the indicating position.

14. An indicator device comprising a stack of closely-spaced parallel plates each bearing matter to be displayed when a group of one or more ,i

of the plates is brought into an indicating position which is at right angles to the plane of the plates in the stack, means for selecting any one of the groups of plates for display regardless of the identity of the last group displayed, means for shifting the stack at right angles to the plane of the plates to bring the selected group into a predetermined position, and means for moving the selected group from that predetermined position out of the stack into the indicating posifor moving the selected group only, out of thel stack into the indicating position, and means for turning the selected group in one direction i or another so that either one of its faces can be displayed in the indicating position.

16. An indicator device comprising a stack of closely-spaced parallel plates each bearing matter to be displayed when a group of one or more of the plates is brought into an indicating position which is at right angles to the plane of the plates in the stack, means for selecting any one of the groups of plates for display regardless of the identity of the last group displayed, means for shifting the stack at right angles to the plane of the plates to bring the selected group into a predetermined position, means for moving the selected group from that predetermined position out of the stack into the indicating position, and means for turning the selected group in one direction or another so that either one of its faces can be displayed in the indicating position.

17. An indicator device as claimed in claim 5,-`

comprising driving means for the stack arranged to move the stack in opposite directions in turn between extreme positions, control means arranged to cause a. selected plate or plates to be turned to exhibit one face if selected during movement of the stack in one direction and. to be turned to exhibit the other face if selected during movement of the stack in the opposite direction, and means operable by the stack in its extreme positions to change the setting of said control means.

18. An indicator device as claimed in claim 5, comprising driving means for the stack arranged to move the 4stack in opposite directionsin turn between extreme positions, control means arranged to cause a selected plate or plates to be turned to exhibit one face if selected during movement of the stack in one direction and to be turned to exhibit the other face if selected during movement of the stack in the opposite direction, and means operable by the stack in its extreme positions to change the setting of said control means, and also controlling reversing equipment for the driving means for the stack.

` 419. An indicator device as claimed in claim 8, and comprising a rst rotatable spindle for moving the stack, a second rotatable spindle carrying means for moving the platesout of the stack and for turning each selected plate into indicating position, driving means for the spindles, clutch means for connecting the drive to the two spindles in turn, and positive locking means which prevent change over of the drive from one spindle to another unless the spindles are in a predetermined position.

20. An indicator device comprising a stack oi` closely-spaced parallel plates each bearing matter to be displayed when a group of one or more of the plates is brought into an indicating position, means for selecting any one of the groups of plates for display, means for shifting the stack as a whole in a direction at right angles to the plane of the plates to bring the selected group into a predetermined position, and meansfor moving the selected group from that predetermined position out of the stack into the indicating position. v

21. An indicator device comprising a stack of closely-spaced parallel plates each bearing matte to be displayed when a group of one or more of the plates is brought into an indicating positer to be Adisplayed when a group of one or more of the plates is brought into an indicating position, means for selecting any one of' the groups l of plates for display regardless of its position in the stack, power-driven means for vshifting the stack in a direction at right-angles to the plane of the plates to bring the selected group into a predetermined position, and power-driven means for moving the selected group fromthat predetermined position out of the stack into the indieating position.

23. An indicator device comprising a stack of closely-spaced parallel plates each bearing matter to be displayed when a group of one or more of the plates is brought into an indicating position i which is at right angles to the plane of the plates in the stack, means for selecting any one of the groups of plates for display regardless oi' its position in the stack, and means for movingthe selected group only, out of the stack into the indicating position.`

24. An indicator device comprisinga stack of closely-spaced parallel plates each bearing matter to be displayed when a group of one or more of the plates is brought into an indicating`r position which i-s at right angles to the plane of the plates in the stack, means for selecting any one of the groups of plates for display regardless of its position in the stack, means for shifting the stack at right angles to the plane of the plates to bring the selected group into a predetermined position, and means `for moving the selected group from that predetermined position out of the stack into the indicating position.

25. An vindicator device comprising a stack of closely-spaced parallel plates each bearing matter to be displayed when a group of one or more of the plates is brought into `an indicating position which is at right angles to the plane of the plates in the stack, means for selecting any n,

one of the groups of plates for display regard-. less of its position in the stack, means for' inoving the selected group only, out of the stack into the indicating position, and means for turning the selected group in one direction or another so that either one of vits faces can be dis.-

played in the indicating position.

26. An indicator device comprising a stack oi closely-spaced parallel plates each bearing matter to be displayed when a group of one or more its positionv in the stack; meansfor shifting the stack at right angles to the plane of the plates to bring the selected group into a predetermined position, means for moving the selected group from that predetermined position out of the stack into the indicating position, and means for turning the selected group in one direction or another so that either one of its faces can be displayed in the indicating position.

vJCI-IN HANDLETY.