US2272242A - Indicating device - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 10, 1942. E. FRlsCHKNEcH-r INDICATING DEVICE Filed Aug. 19, 195'? 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIG. 2

FIG. I

FIG. 4

FIG.3

IIIIIIIIIIII.

l null u Wmig Qlllm INVENTOR ERNEST FRISCHKNECHT FIG. I2

III

ATTORN Y Feb. 10, 1942-. E. FRlscHKNEcH-r 2,272,242

INDIGATING DEVICE Filed Aug. 19, 1957 2 sheets-sheet 2 FIG. 6

42 l Jp a 67 FIG. 7

INVNTOR ERNEST FRISCHKNECHT aww@ ATT RN Y Patented Feb. 10, i942 UNITED sTaTlss;l 'PATENT A OFFICE 2,212,242 Y INDICATmG DEVICE Ernest FrischknechtfJackson Heights, N. Y., as-

signor to The Teleregister Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application August 19, 1937, serial No. 159,849

1o claims. (ci. 111-328) This invention relates to indicating devices and especially to the general class of indicators such, for example, as is shown inthe patent to Merton L. Haselton, No. 2,049,499, issued August 4, 1936, these indicators being particularly adaptable for use in brokers automatic stock quotation boards or other bulletin boards for displaying information.

In indicators of this class the` speed of operation is limited by the inertia of the indicia carrying drum, which drum is started and stopped manytimes during each of the stepping opera-V tions requiredto reset the indicators to new positions. In an effort to minimize the effect of the inertia of the drum, indicators have been devised heretofore in which the indicia carrying drum is caused to rotate by the action of a coil spring intermediate the driving element and the drum whereby the spring tension increases in proportion to the angular advance of the driving means with respect to the drum. This type of indicator is provided with a resilient back stop for stopping the drum in its rest position and a back ratchet mechanism for preventing movement of the drum in a reverse direction. The provision of the resilient back stop and the ratchet mechanism adds to the mass of the drum and thereby increases the inertia of the drum, causing additional friction at the drum bearings which must be overcome by the coil spring above referred to, and the ratchet employed adds to the work to be done by the coil spring. As the coil spring is necessarily of suicient strength to overcome the frictional eiect of the drum bearings, the spring tension is of suillcient magnitude to cause the drum to accelerate quickly and forcibly strike the back stop after the drum shaft has come to rest, thus causing appreciable wear on the parts, tending to shorten the life of the unit.

Among the objects of the present invention is the provision of means for minimizing the effect of the inertia of the indicia carrying drum, and for causing the indicator to operate reliably at a considerably higher rate of speed than has been possible heretofore with the same electrical energy input to the indicator or to operate at speeds heretofore attained, with considerably less electrical energy input to the indicator.

Another object is an indicator having a range of operation greater than that heretofore obtainable, and which will operate at high speeds in response to impulses that vary Within wide limits both with respect to the length of the impulses and the signal strength thereof.

Another object of the invention is a rotatable drum type indicator in which the various characters on the drum structure viewable from the front of the unit are much larger than those obtainable with drum type indicators heretofore devised, without increasing the over all frontal dimensions of the indicator unit and without increasing the over all dimensions of the quotation board.

A further object is an indicator of the class described in which the various characters on the drum structure may have the same size as those obtainable with drum type indicators heretofore employed in quotation boards, with substantially reduced over all frontal dimensions of the indicater units, whereby a greater number of items may be posted on a board without increasing the over all dimensions ofthe board.

An additional object is an indicator for mounting in adjacent relationship with other indicators of a group such that the characters on the indicator are substantially twice the size of the characters heretofore displayed by indicators having substantially the same frontal dimensions, with the characters of adjacent indicators separated by a distance substantially equal to the width of a character.

Still another object of the invention is an indicator structure comprising a plurality of nested drums in which the characters of a series of characters are apportioned between the drums, the drums coacting with each other to selectively display any of the characters of the series.

The invention further resides in the features of combination, construction and arrangement hereinafter described and claimed.

For an understanding of the invention, and for illustration of some of the various forms it may take, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of an indicator unit employing certain features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front View of the indicator unit of Fig. 1;

y Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section, taken .along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, showing certain parts in the position they assume when the indicator drum is at rest;

Fig. 4 is a cross section, taken along the line 4--4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a view, partly in section, taken along the line 5 5 of Fig. 1, showing certain details of the indicator drum and commutator structure associated therewith;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of another embodiment of an indicator unit comprising other features of the invention;

Fig. 'I is a view, partly in section, taken along the line of Flgu;

Fig. 8 is a view, partly in section, along the line l-l of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 shows certain details of the gear train, taken along the line 9--9 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 10 shows the means for stopping the indicator drums in the blank position, taken along the line IB-IU of Fig. 6;

Fig. 11 shows another form of cam structure whichmay be employed with the indicators of Figs. 1 to 10;

Fig. 12 shows a further form of cam structure adapted for use with the indicators of Figs. 1 to 10; and

Fig. 13 is a diagram illustrating a certain desired relationship between the characters on drums of adjacent indicator units, obtainable with indicators such as shown in Figs. 6 to 10.

The invention is shown in connection with an indicator unit of the class disclosed in the Haselton patent above referred to. It is to be understood, however, that various `features disclosed herein are not limited to an indicator unit of this general construction.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, there is shown an indicator unit comprising a U shaped frame I having an upper leg member 2, a lower leg member 3 and an end portion 4. The leg members 2 and I are connected by cross members 5 and 6 to provide a rigid frame construction. Secured to the cross members 6 is a mask 'I through which are displayed the indicia on an indicator drum l rotatably supported on a shaft 9 which is rotatably mounted on the leg members 2 and- 3. As described in the patent to Haselton hereinbefore referred to, the indicator drum preferably is provided with indicia comprising a blank space and the digits 1 to 9 and 0.

An armature II, having a working end I2 and a lever portion I3, Fig. 3, is pivotally mounted at I I so as to be attracted by the electromagnet I5 against the action of the retractile spring IE. When the armature is attracted by the electromagnet, the end Il engages the star wheel I8, causing the shaft 9 to be advanced approximately one twenty-second of a revolution and as the magnet I5 is deenergized, the retractile spring I 6 causes the end I9 of the armature to engage the star wheel and advance the same approximately one twenty-second of a revolution, whereby the star wheel and shaft 9 are advanced one eleventh of a revolution for each cycle of operations of the fork I2.

A commutator 2I is rigidly mounted on the shaft 9, which commutator coaots with the contact springs 22 and 23 to cause the shaft 9 to assume the position corresponding to the blank position of the indicator after sufficient step-bystep restoration impulses have been transmitted to the unit to advance the shaft to the blank position. Following the transmission of restoration impulses, sufficient step-by-step actuation impulses are transmitted to the indicator unit to cause the same to take the desired new setting, the circuit for the actuation impulses being completed through the commutator 2l in the manner described in the Haselton patent above referred to. Fig. 5 shows the position of the commutator with respect to the contact springs 22 and 23 when the setting thereof is in accordance with the setting of the indicator unit shown in Figs. 1 `to 4.

The indicator drum 8 has a sleeve portion 2l whereby the drum is mounted on the shaft 9 so as to rotate freely with respect to the shaft, the lower portion of the sleeve 24 terminating in a cam surface 25 which coacts with a corresponding cam surface 26 on the shaft 9.

With the indicator unit at rest, the sleeve 24 assumes the position with respect to the shaft 9 shown on Fig. 4, the cam surfaces 25 and 26 of the sleeve and shaft respectively being in contact with one another whereby the drum has moved axially along the shaft 9 until it has assumed the lowermost position possible. Whilev any suitable means, for example, the force exerted by a spring or magnetic attraction, may be employed to cause the cam surface 25 to press against the cam surface 26, I prefer to utilize the force of gravity acting on the drum 8.

The operation of this indicator unit will now be described: As each impulse is received by the electromagnet I5, the armature II is quickly attracted thereto, causing the end Il to engage the star-wheel I8 and move the latter quickly through substantially one twenty-second of a revolution. Since the star wheel I8, the commutator 2| and shaft 9, including the cam portion 26, are rigidly attached one to another, these parts also move quickly through the same angular degree of movement as the star wheel. The cam 26 will move ahead angularly with respect to the drum due to the inertia of the drum re tal-ding the movement thereof and the cam surfaces 25 and 26 will be angularly displaced with respect to each other thereby causing the drum to be moved upward, and since the drum is continuously acted upon by a force causing the cam surfaces 25 and 26 to exert pressure against each other, the drum will rotate in the direction of movement of the shaft 9.

When the armature II assumes the position shown on the drawings with the end I9 in engagement with the star wheel, the shaft 9 will have completed its angular movement of approximately one eleventh of a complete rotation and the drum 8 will be additionally raised away from the cam surface 26 and continue to followthe shaft 9 by theaction of the cams 25 and 2S. As the movement of the shaft 9 is continued in response to additional impulses received by the electromagnet I5, the angular displacement be tween the cams 25 and 26 may vary, the drum continuing its rotation until no further impulses are received, at which time the drum comes to rest in the position shown on Fig. 4, with respect to the shaft. It will be noted that the inertia of the drum is not positively included in the mass to be started and stopped with each movement of the armature, and thus the indicator may be operated at a relatively high rate of speed due to the method of applying the rotative force to the drum.

The outer corners of the cam surfaces 25 and 26 preferably are slightly rounded to facilitate a smooth cam action during the operation of the indicator, and both cams are brought to a point or otherwise formed to prevent the drum assuming a rest position from the position shown on Fig. 4 with respect to the shaft.

Figs. 6 to 10 show a modied form of the in vention, in which the digits or other characters of a series of characters are apportioned to a plurality of nested drums, which drums are successively rotatable to display any selected one of the various characters of the series. 'I'he number of nested drums employed, and the number of actuating elements required to operate them, will depend upon the number and nature of the characters in the series, the desired size of the Icharacters displayed, and the manner in which the .characters are apportioned to the various drums. For the purpose of illustration, two nested drums are shown in Figs. 6 to 10, and the digits 1 to 9, 0 and a blank position are apportioned to the two drums. With this latter arrangement the digits displayed by the indicator of Fig. 6 (which has the same frontal dimensions as the indicator of Fig. 1) may be substantially twice thesize of the digits shown on the indi` cator of Fig. 1

Referring to Figs. 6 and 1, an electromagnet 3| attracts an armature 32 to cause movement of the star Wheel 33 in generally the same manner as the indicator unit of Fig. 1. The star wheel 33 is rigidly mounted on a shaft 34 supporting the commutator 35 and a gear 36. The commutator is in electrical contact with the shaft and is provided with an insulating button 31 for engagement with a commutator spring 38 when the shaft 34 is in a position to display a blank setting. In all other positions of the shaft 34, the spring 38 is in electrical contact with the commutator 35 and disengaged from the spring 39. The spring 38 is connected to one end of the winding of the electromagnet 3| and the circuit is continued through the commutator 35, the shaft 34, springs 4| and 42 to ground in all positions of the shaft 34 except the blank position. When the shaft 34 is in the blank position this circuit is interrupted by the insulating button 31, and the spring 38 is in electrical contact with the spring 39 and the slip connection 43, in such a manner that-when actuating impulses are received at the slip connection 44, the circuit is continued through the slip connection 44, winding of the electromagnet 3|, the commutator spring 38 and thence to ground at the spring 42 when the shaft 34 is in any of its moved positions, or through the spring 39 and slip connection 43 to ground when it is desired to move the indicator unit from its rest or blank position.

Mounted on the shaft 34 is a ratchet disc 49 provided with a series of detents 45 arranged circularly thereon which coact with the ratchet spring 46, whereby the shaft 34 is prevented from moving in the reverse direction as the indicator unit operates.

The gear 36 meshes with a gear 41 having the same number of teeth as the gear 36. The gear 41 is attached by a sleeve or other suitable means to the gears 48 and 49 and is pivotally mounted on the stud 5I so that the assembly of gears 41, 48 and 49 rotates as a unit under control of the shaft' 34, making one revolution for each revolution of the shaft 34.

The intermittent gear 49 is provided with twenty-two teeth arranged on one-half the periphery thereof, the other half of the periphery being smooth. Intermittent gear 48 is similar in all respects to gear 49, and the gears 48 and 49 are so mounted that the smooth portion of one gear is opposite the toothed portion of the other,

the gears being displaced 180 one from the' other. Gear 48 engages gear 52 and gear 49 engages gear 53. Intermittent gears 52 and 53 are similar in construction and are each provided with twenty-one teeth in a continuous series and an arcuate portion intermediate the ends of the series of teeth,V these arcuate portions being of such shape as to engage the smooth portion of the gears48 and 49 respectively. The gears 52 and 53 would have twenty-four teeth each if no blank portion were provided, which arrangement provides a gear ratio between the gears 48 and 52, and 49 and 53, of 6:11 such that, as the gears 48 and`49 are advanced 11 steps through one complete rotation thereof, the gear 52 makes one revolution and the gear 53 also makes one revolution, the gear 53 advancing through one complete revolution in six steps while the gears 48 and 49 are advancing through the first six steps of their revolution, and the gear 52 making one revolution in six steps while the gears 48 and 49 are advancing through the last six steps of their revolution. During the movement of the gears 48 and 49 from the fifth to the sixth step, gears 52 and 53 are concurrently advanced one step, at which time the inner drum is advanced to its blank position, the outer drum advancing to display the digit 6 at this time. The gear 52 is rigidly attached to the shaft 54 which shaft carries a cam 55 secured thereto. The outer drum 56 is supported by a sleeve 51 adapted to rotate freely about the shaft 54 and provided with a cam surface 58 which coacts with a complementary cam surface 59 of the cam 55. The gear 53 is attached to a sleeve 6| having a cam surface 62 the sleeve being free to turn about the shaft 54. An inner drum 63 is supported by a sleeve 64 having a cam surface 65 for engagement with the cam surface 62 of the sleeve 6i, the sleeve 64 also being rotatable about the shaft 54.

The inner drum 63 bears a blank portion and the indicia 1 to 5 whereas the outer drum has a section 66 cut away of sufficient size to expose any of the indicia of the inner drum and bears the indicia 6 to 9 and 0 upon the outer surface thereof.

A mask 61 is provided with an aperture 68 of suflicient size to display any of the selected digits. This mask may readily be removed by slipping one end of the mask around one of the studs 69 which hold the mask in position. The mask is provided with a projecting portion 12 at the upper and lower edges thereof which abut the end of the upper and lower frame portions of the unit and thus maintain the mask in exact position relative to the indicia bearing drums.

The operation of this indicator unit will now be described in detail. Assuming, for example, that the indicator is set to display the digit 1 as shown on the drawings and it is desired that the setting be changed to display the digit 8, sufficient restoration impulses are transmitted to the indicator coil 3| to cause the indicator to be restored to blank. The restoration circuit may be traced from the slip connection 44, electromagnet 3l, commutator spring 38, commutator 35 and thence to the grounded shaft 34. v

In response to the firstl five restoration impulses, the inner drum 63 advances to the blank position and during the fifth and the succeeding five restoration impulses the outer drum is given one complete rotation, and the insulating button 31 engages the spring 38 and disengages the spring 38 from the grounded commutator 35 and connects the spring 38 to the spring 39 as the tenth restoration impulse is received. Such additional restoration impulses as may be received are ineffective as the springs 38 and 39 are now ungrounded. The indicator will assume the blank position with the blank portion of the inner drum in alignment with the cut away portion 66 of the outer drum and the aperture 68 of the mask.

Ground is now placed on the slip connection 43 and eight actuation impulses are transmitted to the unit. The first of these impulses causes the commutator 35 to advance one position thereby to cause the insulating button 31 to leave the spring 38 and the spring 3B to engage the grounded commutator 35 and become disengaged from the commutator spring 39. During movement of the gear 3B in response to the first lm-l pulse the gear 53 is advanced one position. As the next succeeding four impulses are received the gear 53 is advanced i additional steps. As the sixth impulse is received both the gears E2 and 53 are advanced one position. As the seventh and eighth operating impulses are received the gear 52 and cam 55 are advanced to their third position after which the outer drum comes to rest to display the digit E.

In this position, as in all other moved positions of the outer drum, the inner drum assumes a position with its blank portion directly behind the aperture 6B in the inaslr but concealed by the outer drum. It will be noted that the inner drum 63 receives its rotative movement through the action of cam surfaces 62 and 65 and the outer drum 56 is moved through the action of cams 5t and 59 whereby the drums are not required to start and stop each time the gears 62 and 53 are stepped ahead but are moved axially in accordance with the angular displacement ol' the drums with respect to the gears as the indicator unit operates. This arrangement provides for an indicator unit having indicia of approxi-J mately twice the size of those employed hereto-n fore with indicators having substantially the same frontal dimensions.

Referring now to Fig. lil there are shown thereon two drums A and El closely spaced in the manner at present employed in stock quotation systems for posting numbers representative of the prices oi stocks and the lilre. The radius of each drum is indicated by the reference character R, and the circumference C of each drum is equal to 21rR. Since each of the drums 5G and 63, Fig. 7, is divided into six equal char acter spaces each comprising an arc oi' 60 degrees, the arcuate distance allotted to each character, as indicated on Fig. 13, is

and the distance or space between the centers of the two drums is substantially equal to twice the radius of each, or substantially 2R.

Since the chord dened by a 60 arc of a circle is equal to the radius of the circle, each of the characters displayed by adjacent indicators will extend' into the space 2R between the centers cf the drums A and B by an amount and the distance between the inner edges of the characters on the drums A and B will be equal to the distance R, which is substantially the width of a character. This arrangement will be found to be particularly effective in regard to visibility of the posted digits and economyof space oc cupied by the indicators.

In contrast to the foregoing arrangement, the drum type indicators heretofore employed have an indicating drum with 1l positions for displaying the digits l to 9, 0 and,v blank, and the arcu caracas ate distance allotted to each of the characters may be represented by the expression 21rR 1T and the distance between the inner edges of characters of adjacent indicator units is indicated generally by the expression l 21TH n 2R-lr since, in the case of relatively small angles the arcuate distance is substantially equal to the subtended chord the inner edges of the characters on each of the adjacent indicators being separated by a distance of approximately two and one half times the Width of a character.

The arrangement disclosed in Figs. 6 to 10 is of particular importance in connection with the rotatable indicator units which comprise .in automatic stock quotation board, since the size of the quotation board necessarily is limited by the space available in the broker-s office, and the large number of stocks whose prices are displayed requires the use of thousands of individual indicator units in each stock quotation board, the settings of which indicators must clearly be visible to observers in customers rooms of brokers omces, and also to the customers men who report the prices of the various stocks to customers.

By the use of the indicators disclosed, each of the digits of a stock quotation indicator may be made substantially twice as large as the digits of the rotatable drum indicators at present employed in stock quotation boards, and thus the visibility of the digits and the distance at which the prices may be observed is greatly increased, Without increasing the frontal dimensions of the indicator units or the over all dimensions of the quotation board. This enables observers in the customers rooms of brokers oflices and the like to follow the .stock prices from a greater distance and over a greater portion of the quotation board than has heretofore been possible. In installations of the size usually employed, an observer may readily follow the stock prices over the entire board Without leaving his seat in the customers room. The structure of Figs. 6 to l0 also makes it possible to employ indicator digits of the size at present in use in stock quotation boards, with substantially reduced over all frontal dimensions of the indicator units, so that a greater number of stocks may be posted on a board of given size than has heretofore been possible, and with such an arrangement the customers may observe the activity of a greater number of stocks from a given position.

Another advantage of the foregoing structure is that brokers customers men, who have fixed stations at telephones in the customers rooms, can quote prices of any of the stocks displayed on the board without leaving their stations at the telephone and without the necessity of writing down or memorizing the prices of those stocks which heretofore have not been discernible from their stations, and thus materially reduce the possibility of error in quoting stock prices to customers in response to telephoned requests.

The cam surfaces 25 and 26 shown on Fig. 4

v may be replaced by the arrangement of Fig. 11

wherein either cam surface is replaced by a pin 12 extending from the shaft El and coacting with the other cam surface, or the arrangement of Fig. 12 maybe employed wherein a roller 'I3 is mounted on the stud 14 extending from the shaft 9. The use of the pin 12 or the roller 13 in the manner here shown and described results in an inexpensive arrangement of parts which gives satisfactory results generally in the manner of the cams and 2B of Fig. 4.

While the indicator unit of Figs.. 6 to 10 has been shown as comprising twoindicator drums, the present invention is not so limited, since additional drums may be similarly employed to display a larger number of characters. For example, three drums may be employed to display the letters of the alphabet. With this arrangement each of the two outer drums would have a cut away portion through which the characters of the inner drum are exposed. Each of the three drums would be settable to 10 positions including the blank or rest position. The letters of the alphabet may be arranged in any convenient manner upon the drums, such as the letters A to I on the outer drum, J to R on the intermediate drum, and the letters S to Z and blank upon the inner drum.

Another arrangement would employ, for example, four drums, the first three of which would display the letters of the alphabet in the manner just described and the fourth or innermost drum the digits l to 9 and il. With this arrangement all but the innermost drum would have a cut away portion and the blank position would be displayed by the blank portion of the drum bearing the letters S to Z. Any other suitable arrangement may be employed such as, for example, an arrangement comprising digits l to 9 and blank on the inner drum, the letter O being used to display digit 0. It will further be understood that the digits may be arranged on any of the drums and `the alphabet arranged in any desired order on the remaining drums. In fact not only digits and letters may be so displayed but any other character such as, for example, any of the punctuation marks or symbols representative of foreign currency and the like.

When more than two drums are employed, it is merely necessary to employ sufiicient cam elements to operate the various drums and choose the proper arrangement of gearing such that the drums are operated in successive relationship in accordance with the character to be displayed.

In each of the foregoing modifications, the indicator has a greater range of operation than that heretofore obtainable, because it Will operate at high speeds in response to impulse that vary within wide limits. 'I'he operating characteristics of indicators of the class herein described may be defined by reference to the percentage of signal, or stepping pulse, to which the indicator will respond at a given speed of operation. During flow of the current comprising each stepping pulse the electromagnet of the indicator is energized and actuates the indicator drum driving shaft one-half step, the shaft being rotated another half-step by the action of the retractile spring during the no-current interval immediately following the pulse. The period comprising the flow of current representing each pulse and the no-current interval immediately following the pulse is the basis on which the length of signal is ordinarily computed. For instance, a 38% pulse means that the current comprising each stepping pulse flows during the initial 38% of the above named period, the pulse being followed by an interval of 62% during which no current flows. The indicators heretofore devised will not operate, at the high speeds now required, on less than a 38% pulse or more than an 8,1% pulse (which means that the minimum signal to which such indicators will respond applies a pulse to the indicators of 38% followed by a no-current interval of 62%, and the maximum signal with which the indicators will operate applies a pulse of 81 to the indicators followed by a no-current interval of 19%). In the structure of the present invention, however, there is little friction and inertia to be overcome at the instant the pulses are received and the indicator drum is not required t0 take its setting until after all the pulses of a train have been received, and the retractile spring does not have to overcome the inertia of the drum after each pulse is received, and therefore the indicator will operate over a considerably wider pulse range than the indicators devised heretofore, the indicator satisfactorily operating at high speeds on a minimum pulse of 28% and a maximum pulse of 87%, or any pulse intermediate these limits. This results in an indicator which will operate reliably at high speeds. and which does not require the delicate adjustments heretofore necessary in indicators of thel class described. Also, since the indicator of the invention has a greater operating range, the possibility of error in the prices displayed by the in-` dicators of the quotation board is greatly reduced.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to particular preferred examples thereof which give satisfactory results, it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention;

and it is intended therefore in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. In an indicator, a rotatable shaft, indicia bearing means rotatably mounted on said shaft, cam driving mechanism between said shaft and indicia bearing'means to cause the latter means to follow and to lag the movement of said shaft during rotation of the shaft to a new position, and means including said cam driving mechanism for arresting the movement of the indicia bearing means after said` means has moved through the same angular distance as the shaft.

2. An indicator comprising an indicia bearing member, means for advancing said member with a rapid step-by-step movement, and means including cam driving mechanism intermediate said advancing means and said member to cause the movement of said advancing means to proceed without immediately overcoming the inertia of said member and to cause movement of the member to follow and to lag that of the advancing means during the movement of the advancing means.

3. In an indicator device for selectively displaying indicia and comprising a rotatable shaft and means responsive to current impulse signals for rotating the shaft to different settings respectively corresponding to the indicia to be displayed, an indicia bearing member driven by said shaft and rotatable about the shaft, and means for substantially neutralizing the effect of the inertia of the indicia bearing member on the rotative movement of the shaft, said means including cam surfaces on the shaft and indicia bearing member coacting to cause the rotative movement of said member to lag the rotative movement of the shaft when taking a new setting and to come to rest, after the shaft has taken its new setting, to display the selected indicium.

4. In an indicator device for selectively displaying indicia and comprising a rotatable shaft and means responsive to current impulse signals for rotating the shait to different settings ren spectivelv corresponding to the indicia to be disw played, an indicia bearing member mounted to rotate about the shaft and axially movable alone the shaft, and means for substantially neutralizing the effect of the inertia of the indicia bearing member on the the rotative movement of the shaft, said means including cam surfaces on the shaft and indicia bearing member coacting to cause said member to move axially along the shaft during rotative movement of the shaft 'to facilitate the rotative movement of the shaft, said means causing the rotative movement of the inu dicia bearing member' to lag 'the rotative movem ment of the shaft and come to rest, after the shaft has taken a new setting, to display the selected indicium.

5. In an indicator device .for selectively displaying indicia and comprising a rotatable shaft and means responsive to current impulse signals for rotating the shaft to diiferent settings respectively corresponding to the indicia to be disn played, an indicia bearing member driven by said shaft and rotatable about said shaft, and means for substantially neutralizing the effect oi' the inn ertia of the indicia bearing member on 'the rotative movement of the shaft, said means including cam surfaces on the shaft and indicia bearing member enacting to cause the rotative movement of said member to lag the rotative movement of the shaft when taking a new setting, said means including said cam surfaces .for causing the indicia bearing member to rotate in either direction and come to rest, after 'the shaft has taken its new setting, to display the selected indicium.

6. In an indicator device for selectively' dis playing indicia and comprising a vertically dis posed rotatable shaft and means responsive to current impulse signals for rotating the shaft to different setting-s respectively corresponding to the indicia to be displayed, an indicia bearing member mounted to rotate about the shaft and axially movable vertically along the shaft, and means for substantially neutralizing the effect oi' the inertia of the indicia bearing member on the rotative movement of the shaft, said means including cam surfaces on the shaft and indicia bearing member coasting to cause said member to move axially along the shaft against the force of gravity to facilitate rotative movement of the shaft, said means causing the indicia bearing member to rotate about the shaft and come to caracas rest under the influence of gravity, after the shaft has 'taken a new setting, to displayF the selected lndicium.

'7. An indicator of the class described for selectively displaying any one of the characters of a series, said indicator comprising a pluralityV of nested rotatable elements having salu characters oi" the series apportioned thereto and coasting to selectively display any character' or said series, the outermost ci said elements having an apar ture for displaying the characters ci the other element, and means responsive to for rc tating said elements to diri-errent positions resp-ecMM tively to display said characters.

B. ln a posting device, a plurality of nested rotatable elements collectivelv having series cl' characters thereon, one of said elements corregir-issJ ing an aperture for displaying 'the characters of the other element, means operatively connected to said rotatable elements tor causing said elements to taire settings for selectively posting any one of said characters, said means causing each selected character to appear in. the same place each oi the other characters occupies when posted.

means whereby any oi the characters on said dis.

play means are brought into operative relationn ship with said mash to indicate the setting ci 'the device.

lu. An indicating device comprisuig,r a plurality of vertical rotatable nested members for display ing the settings or the device, a first group ol" characters carried by one of said members, and a second group oi characters carried by the ren ymainder of said members, certain of said memu bers having an apertured portion through which the characters on the remainder ci said members may be displayed, said hrs-t and second groups of characters on said members collectively comprising the digits l to 9 and 0 in overlappiner relationship and arranged to cause 'the width of each character to be not less than substantially onehali the Width of the indicating device.

ERNEST FRISCHENECHT.

Images