US2302017A - Printing telegraph system - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 17, 1942 c. J; FITCH 2,302,017

PRINTING TELEGRAPH SYSTEM File May 8, 1941 L L L I v m FM F IG.1. r

7'2 2o E I Q o I Ft lT ras 27 E 17 5 Patented Nov. 17, 1942 OFFIC PRINTING TELEGRAPH SYSTEM Clyde J. Fitch, Endwell, N. Y., assignor to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May 8, 1941, Serial No. 392,408 6 Claims. (c1. 17s 5s.1)

This invention relates to a printing telegraph system, and more particularly to such systems utilizing start-stop impulse distributing means.

The present invention constitutes a modification of the system described in the copending application Serial No. 370,675, filed December 18, 1940. I

I In the said copending application, provision is made for controlling the operation of the impulse generating and distributing means by means of a start-stop electronic oscillation generator; whereas, in the present application, the stepping operations of the distributing means is under control of electromagnetic relay means. The said relay means are energized, at periodic intervals, by means of an oscillatory control circuit including a pair of electric storage means, such as condensers, the discharging operations of which are under control of the relay means, which oscillatory circuit is effective to control, at periodic times, the conductivity of an electron discharge path, the said path being connected to the relay means for causing the energization of the latter when ever the discharge path is rendered con I ductive.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention resides in the provision of periodically operated electromagnetic relay means for controlling the operations of impulse distributor actuating means, which relay means are under the control of an oscillatory circuit.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which discloses, by way of example, the principle of the invention and the best mode, which has been contemplated, of applying that principle.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a wiring diagram showing the circuit connections of the control elements of a preferred type of signaling system. I

Fig. 2 shows the wave forms of the variably timed signals generated by the system.

Referring now to the circuit diagram, the system to be described is of the start-stop type, wherein a continuous signal or current condition is impressed upon the associated transmission medium at the times character signals are not impressed thereon.

The present description will be limited to means for initiating and transmitting the .permutation signals, which incorporate the step by step impulse distributing means and the associated start-stop control means.

Suitable means for ters in accordance with the received signals are well known to those skilled in the art.

The impulse distributing means, generally in dicated by the reference character D, comprises two stationary conducting ring assemblies in-' cluding the rotatable contacts 9 and I0, respec-- tively,which are adapted to engage and connect progressively the individual conducting segments I I to the related common conducting segment I2.

The said contacts are rotated by a shaft indicated by the reference character I3, having a ratchet I4 affixed thereto. The said contacts 9 and I0,

shaft I3, and ratchet I4 are advanced step by step by the spring urged pawls I5 pivotally supported by the individual pivoted armature arms I6 of the control magnets MI and M2. Each step the contacts are advanced a distance equal to half the length of the longer conducting segments l I, such as segments P, and I6. The lengths of the remaining segments I I, such as O and S'are half that of the previously mentioned segments. The segments and contacts are so arranged that, when one of the contacts 9 transfers, for example, from segments I to 3, or 3 to 5, one of the con- :;tacts I0 sweeps-across the central portions of ;segments, respectively.

One terminal of each of the magnets MI and M2 is connected to the positive terminal I! of a suitable power supply. The other terminal of magnet MI is connected to the contact I2 ofrelayRZ, and the other terminal of magnet M2 is connected to contact II of the said relay. The armature of relay R2 is connected to the negative terminal I8 of the said power supply. With the contacts conditioned as. shown in the circuit "diagram, the magnet MIis connected to the said terminals of the power supply by means of conditions, to efiect engagement of the associated armature with the contacts II and I2, alternately. In-this manner, it will be seen, that magnets MI and M2 are energized alternately to advance,

step'by step, the contacts 9 and I'0, thereby making the individual control circuits, associated: with the distributor D, availablesuccessively, dur-; receiving the signals and recording the charac-t55'",'ing theoperationiof the distributor. The timed;

interval during which the distributor is operated will be referred to as a signaling cycle.

In addition to relay R2, relays RI and R3 are provided, the coils of which are connected in series, and are connected in the output circuit of the electron discharge device TI. The purpose of the relays RI and R3 will be understood presently.

The control circuits I9, or signaling channels, are connected to the individual conducting segments II, namely, I6, and the normally open contacts TCI--TC6, respectively. The said contacts TCITC6 represent diagrammatically the well known control contacts which are operated permutatively to control the initiation of the character signals, by suitable means, such as the transmitting teleprinter devices shown in U. S.

Patents Nos. 1,214,515 and 2,161,564. Upon operation of any one contact or any combination of contacts of the group TCI--TC6, the normally closed contacts TC are opened. The latter are connected by conductor 20 to the S conducting segment of the distributor. The contacts TCI, T03, and T05 are also connected by a common conductor 2| to the P segment of the distributor, and by means of contacts I4 of relay R3 to the cathode circuit of electron discharge device T2, which is of the double triode type, and the elements of which are connected as a well known type of oscillator. The output circuit of the device T2 includes the primary winding of transformer 22, the secondary winding of which can be connected to any suitable transmission medium. The contacts T02, T04, and TCG are connected by a common conductor to contact I3 of relay R3.

Now, so long as the contacts TCI-T,C6 remain in the normal positions shown, a circuit can be traced from the positive terminal I! of the power supply to conductor 23, conducting segment 0, contacts II), conducting segment S, conductor 20, normally closed contacts TC, conductor 24, resistor 25 to the control grid of device TI, and continues through resistors 26, 21, and 28 and conductor 29 to the negative terminal I8 of the said power supply. By means of the described circuit, the negative biasing potential, impressed upon the said control grid through resistors 26, 21 and 28 which are included in the grid-cathode circuit of device TI, is overcome by the positive potential impressed thereon, thereby rendering the device conductive as long as contacts TC remain closed.

The coils of the said relays RI, R2, and R3 are included in the output circuit of device TI, as mentioned before, and are energized, at the times the said device is conductive, to close the related contacts I2 and I4 as shown, and to open the contacts I0, I2 and I3, respectively. The circuit, just referred to, can be traced from the positive terminal I! of the power supply to coil of relay R3, coil of relay R2, coil of relay RI, anode and cathode of device TI and conductor 30 to the negative terminal of the said power supply. It is evident that the operation of the said contacts III-I4 can be effected, by means of single relay means instead of the three individual relays. It has been found, however, that, for the present purposes, the contact timing arrangement can be controlled to a greater degree by the use of individual relays as shown.

Another circuit can be traced from the positive terminal I! of the power supply to conductor 3|, center tap connection of the primary winding of the device T2, conductor 32, armature and contact I4 of relay R3, conductor 2|, segment P of the uppermost conducting ring of the distributor D, contacts 9, the related common conducting segment I2, and conductor 33 to the negative terminal I8 of the said power supply, thereby causing the device T2 to oscillate and impress the continuous signal upon the secondary windmg of transformer 22 and the associated transmission network. This continuous signal conditron is indicated by the character A in Fig. 2.

Now, so long as contacts TC remain closed, the mentioned circuits remain conditioned as described to permit (1) the continuous signal to be impressed upon the secondary winding of transformer 22, (2) the control grid of device TI to be conditioned by a sufficient positive potential to overcome the negative biasing potential impressed thereupon to render the device conductive, and relays RI to R3 energized, and (3) the magnet MI to be energized by a steady current flow therethrough to hold the ratchet mechanism In the position shown in the circuit diagram.

However, upon operation of any one of the contacts TCI-TCI5, or any combination thereof, contacts TC are opened, thereby removing the positive potential from the said grid of device TI. The normal negative biasing potential impressed on this grid through resistors 26, 27, and

"28 is effective now to render the device non-conductive, and conse uentl can 152, and R3 to be d energi zed. fip o r i d ezfir gi non of relay R3, the associated armature is transferred from contact It to I3 to open the cathode circuit to device T2, thereby causing the latter to be non-conductive. In the present type of system, the cessation of the continuous signal condition is termed the start signal, and is indicated by the character B in Fig. 2.

Upon deenergization of relay R2, the associated armature is transferred from contact I2 to- II to effect energization of magnet M2, and deenergization of magnet MI, thereby causing the distrlbutor contacts 9 and IE! to be advanced one s ep.

Upon deenergization of relay RI, the associated armature engages contact In to connect the nor- V mally charged condenser 35 to conductor 36 to transformer 22, anode and cathode elements of transfer the charge to condenser 31. T

of the resistors 21 and 28 are chosen so 51 3 1:)? closure of contact In the following circuit is established: from one terminal of the condenser 35 to contact I 0, conductor 36, variable resistor 21, condenser 37, conductors 38 and 29 to the other terminal of the said condenser. The time constant factor is regulated by the R and C values of the resistor 21 and condenser 31, which in turn determines the frequency of the oscillatory opxenr'iiltionzhnow to be described.

en e condenser 37 is full ch means of the described circuit, th neg a t is p tential mpressed upon the grid of device TI is neutralized by the positive potential impressed thereupon by the fully charged condenser 31 thereby causing the device TI to become conduc t1ve again and cause the relays RI, R2 and R3 to be energized. Energization of relay R2 causes the distributor contacts 9 and I0 to be advanced another step, and energization of relay RI causes tne condenser 35 to be disconnected from condenser 37. The latter now discharges through resistors 21 and 28, which discharge is regulated by the time constant of the discharge circuit Upon discharge of condenser 31, the grid of de vice TI again is influenced by the negative potential impressed thereon to render the device non-conductive, thereby causing the relays R! to R3 to be deenergized again.

In this manner, the described circuits are conditioned in an oscillatory manner, at a frequency determined by the capacity of condenser 31 and resistance of resistor 23, until the circuit from the grid of device TI to the S and O conducting segments of the distributor is closed to impress the steady positive potential upon the grid through resistor 25 as described herein'above. That is, the said oscillatory conditions continue until the contacts 9 and [0 are returned to the normal home positions shown in Fig. 1, when it is assumed the contacts TC are closed to permit thecircuit, just referred to, to be established.

Thus, it is seen, that oscillatory conditions are created to render the device conductive and nonconductive at equal, periodic intervals to effect energization and deenergization of the relays Rl to R3 accordingly. Relay RI controls the operation of the oscillating circuit, relay R2 controls the alternate energization of the magnets MI and M2, and consequently the step by step operation of the distributor, and relay R3 controls the alternate connection of the TCI, TC3, T05 and TCZ, TC4, and TCB groups of control switches to the oscillation generator T2. During the described cycle of operation, the contacts 9 and I5 are advanced eight steps before returned to the normal home position.

In order to describe briefly how the various signaling channels or circuits are energized, or rendered conductive, as they are made available, assume that when the said contacts TC are opened that contacts TCI, TC4, and T05 are closed. Now, during the first step, the start signal (see B in Fig. 2) is initiated as described. During the second step, the contact [4 is closed, and since contacts TCI are closed, a circuit can be traced as follows: from terminal I! to conductor 3!, device T2, conductor 32, contact [4, conductor 2!, contacts TCI, the I segment ll of distributor D, contacts 9, common segment l2, conductor 33 to terminal 18, thus rendering device T2 conductive to generate the first character signal of the combination as indicated at C in Fig. 2. During the said second step, contacts I!) engage the 2 segment, but no circuit can be completed therethrough since contacts T02 are open; and assuming for the moment that the latter are closed, no circuit could be established at this time, due to the fact that the contact 13 is open.

During the third and fourth steps, no signals are generated as indicated at D and E in Fig. 2. During the fifth step, the device T3 is rendered conductive since contacts TC4 are closed and contact I3 is closed at this time to generate the second signal of the combination as indicated at F in Fig. 2. During the sixth step the third signal indicated at G in Fig. 2 is generated, since contacts T05 are closed and contact I4 is closed at this time. During the seventh step, the device T2 is non-conductive, and during the eighth step, the said device T2 is rendered conductive continuously to generate the continuous signal indicated A in Fig. 2. It is remembered that this condition is established by the closed contacts TC and the circuits established through the P segment and the O and S segments. The oscillatory conditions described are interrupted by these circuits, and are resumed only upon the opening of the said TC' contacts to prevent the impression of the steady positive potential upon the control grid of device Tl. From this detailed description, it is evident how various other signal combinations can be initiated under control of the contacts TCI-TC6, and the described impulse distributing means,

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single modification, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1., A system of the character described having impulse distributing means and actuating means therefor, the latter including a pair of electromagnets, control means including electromagnetic relay means for effecting, at periodic intervals, the alternate energization of the said electromagnets, and means for controlling, at periodic intervals, the energization of the said electromagnetic relay means.

2. A system of the character described having impulse distributing means and actuating means therefor, means including electromagnetic relay means for effecting periodic energization of the said actuating means, and means including oscillatory control means for controlling, at periodic intervals, the operations of the said relay means.

3. The invention set forth in claim 2 wherein the said oscillatory control means comprises an electron discharge path and a plurality of electric storage means for controlling the conductivity of the said discharge path.

4. The invention set forth in claim 2 wherein the said oscillatory control means comprises an electron discharge path and a plurality of electric storage means for controlling the conductivity of the said discharge path, and means controlled by the said relay means for controlling the operations of the said electric discharge means.

5. A system of the character described having impulse distributing means and actuating means therefor, electron discharge means having an input and output circuit, relay means connected in the said output circuit, an oscillatory control circuit connected to said input circuit for controlling, at periodic intervals, the conductivity of the said discharge means, means whereby the said relay means energized during the intervals the discharge means are rendered conductive, and means controlled by the relay means for energizing, at periodic intervals, the said actuating means of the impulse distributmg means.

6. The invention set forth in claim 5, wherein the oscillatory control circuit includes capacitance means for controlling the conductivity of the discharge means, and means controlled by said relay means for effecting the discharging operations of the said capacitance means.

CLYDE J. FITCH.

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