US2317202A - Apparatus for timing impulses - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 w. KOHLHAGEN APPARATUS Fon TIMING IMPULsEs April 20, 1943.

lFiled Feb. 21.1940

April 20, 1943.

w.l KOHLHAGEN APPARATUS FOR TIMING IMPULSES Filed Feb. 21,A 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 vrkn ERE Patented Apr. 20, 1943 APPARATUS F03. TIMING IMPULSES walten Koningen, Elgin, m., mmm a wmfbury Clock Company, Waterbury, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application February 21, 1940, Serial No. 320,048

' A15 claim.' (c1. 'z3-sz) The present invention relates to improvements in apparatus for timing impulses whereby impulses such, for instance, as those emanating from watchesclocks and the like or from the balance-wheel units thereof, may be compared to a pre-selected standard impulseor beat fre-4 -quency. For purposes of description the mentioned watches, etc., may be appropriately-designated as timepiece-umts.

' beats of a timepiece-unit are transmitted to an -oscillograph, or its equivalent.

Still another object ofthe present-invention is to provide a superior apparatus of the character referred to, wherein the operator may, at his option, duced by the timepiece-unit, to be utilized for gauging the accuracy of performance.

.With the above and other objects in view, as will appear to those skilled'in the art from the present disclosure, this invention includes all features in the said disclosure which are novel over the prior art and which are not claimed in any separate application. v l In the accompanying drawings, in which certainmodes of carrying out the present invention are shown 'for illustrative purposes: Fig. 1 is a schematic showing of one form of apparatus embodying the present invention; and

Fig. 2 is a schematic showing of another form of apparatus embodying the present invention.

Referring now to the apparatus which is schematically shown in Fig. 1, a watch III, or other device to be timed, is shown as located adjacent a microphone I i which latter vis connected by suitable wiring such as I2-i2 to an amplifier I2. The microphone Ii is in effect an electrical pick-up device which responds to each tick and each took of the watch I or other device being tested by transposing the sound thereof into electrical impulses which are amplified vby the ampliiler I3. If desired,.and especially when a bare balance-wheel unit is being tested, the elecselect either the ticks or `the tocks, pro- A trical pick-up device may take the form of a photo-electric cell which is activated by a beam of light interrupted by each half-cycle or beat of the balance-wheel unit being tested, in a manner well understood in the art.

Included also in the apparatus with suitable electrical connections are three electronic tubes of the gas-discharge type respectively designated A; B and C. Each of the said tubes A, B and C is characterized by a constructionpand arrangement of parts whereby. when the grid thereof is maintained at a negative potential, the tube does not conduct, but when the grid becomes positive or sufficiently low in negative voltage, the tube becomes a conductor and continues as such until the plate voltage is decreased or entirely removed, or until a strong negative potential is applied' to the grid.

Each or the tubes A. n and cls provided with a cathode, a grid, a plate andl preferably a usual heater, all of which elements are represented in lflas accompanying drawings by customary sym- For purposes of description, the tubes A andl B may be characterized as selector-tubes and the tube C may be characterized as the indicator.-

tube for reasons as will more fully'hereinafter appear. The apparatus also includes an oscillo- 'graph Il which requires no'detailed description or illustration since it may be of any conventional type well known in the art, and provided witha usual fluorescent `screen I5 upon which a beam visually appears accompanied by movements or changes in intensity. Connected tothe oscillcgraph Il is a frequency-standard control i6 which in a manner well understood in the art, is adapted to cause a horizontal beam I1 to appear'upon the'screen I5 of the oscillograph lI4 in lsuch rapid back-and-forth sweeping movement as to normally appear to be a .continuous stationary line of light.

v The various wires and connections between the. elements diagrammatically shown in Fig. 1

do not, in the main, require individual reference characters, but for purposes of clarity of description it is to be noted that the apparatus referred toincludes a plurality of condensers respectively numbered Il, I9, 25, 2i, 22, 23 and 24. The apparatus also includes resistors 25, 26 and 21 respectively interposed between one leg of the power supply and the respective plates of the tubes A, B and C. .An adjustable resistor 28 is in theA circuit of the cathode of the tube A and. similarly, an adjustable resistor 29 is in the circuit of the. cathode of the tube B. The cathode of the tube C also has an adjustable resistor 30 connected to it as is shown at the right of Fig. 1.

The apparatus also includes resistors 3|, 32, 33 and 34 connected to certain of the various elements of the apparatus in a manner as will clearly appear by reference to Fig. l.

Electrically interposed between the power supply and the condensers23 and 24 before referred to, isv a potentiometer 35 manually regulatable in the usual manner of such instruments to control the voltage applied to the connected features of the apparatus.

Interposed in the circuit in such manner as to enable the operator to select either the tube A or the tube B for effecting the direct ring of the indicator tube C, is a control-switch 33 functioning in a manner as will more fully hereinafter appear.

For 4purposes of making clear one particular functioning apparatus, the various conductors and resistors above referred to have been marked in Fig. 1 with values suitable for an apparatus to time the impulsesV of a watch having, for instance, 240 beats per minute. Under these conditions the beats of the watch, that is' to say the alternate ticks and the tocks. will occur approximately one-quarter second apart, a tick occurring each half second interspersed by tocks which occur at half-second intervals. 'If the watch is in perfect beat, the tick will follow a tock at exactly one-quarter-second intervals.' but very,

often even in substantially-perfectly-operating watches, the interval between a tick and a tock may be slightly more or less than one-quarter second, in which case the interval between the tock and the tick will be commensuratelysmaller or greater than one-quarter second. The duration of the sound emanating from the watch I3 1 foreach tick and each tock may, in some instances, be as high as one-twentieth of a second, thoughthe ticks andV the tocks .are not usually alike in amplitude.

In the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1. the condensers I8 and I9 serve to isolate the tubes A and B from. any direct current emanating from the amplifier I3. Thev resistors 3l, 33 and 34 are all grid resistors serving merely to maintainthe grids of the respective vtubes A,'B and C at the potential of the point 31 of the circuit. 'I'he plates of the respective tubes A, B and C are electrically interconnected, as shown, by a conductor 38, to the plus power-supply wire 33, with resistors 25, 26 and 2l appropriately interposed as shown in Fig. 1.

The cathode of the tube A is connected by means of a conductor (in which is interposed the resistor 28 and the resistor 2,3) to the cathode of the tube B. Intermediate the resistors- 28 and 29 Just referred to, the conductor 43 is connected by means of a conductor 4I (in which is interposed the resistor 32) to a conductor 42 extending between a negative power-supply wire 43 and the amplier I3. The necessary negative voltage on the respective grids of the tubes A and B is provided by the voltage drop across the resistor 32 which is in series with the respective cathodes of each of the said tubes. Thus, negathe tubes A and B through the grid-resistors 3| and 33 respectively, and always appears between' tive" voltage is applied to the respective grids of The remainder of the wiring of the circuit illustrated in Fig. 1 is so clear as not to require individual reference characters for/each of the conductors.

In the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, the tubes A and B are normally maintained at cut-oil conditions, due to the voltage drop vacross the resistor 32, which is common to the cathodes of both tubes A and B. This is a practice well known in the art, since a voltage drop across the resistor 32 places the cathodes of the tubes A and B at a higher positive potential than the potential in the line wire 42, and the resistors 3| and 33 connect the respective grids'to the line wire 42, thereby making both of the said grids less positive than the cathode, which, in other words, is the same as making the grids negative relative to the cathodes. The voltage drop across the resistor'32 presumes, of course, that one of the two tubes A or B is in a ilred" or conducting condition. This condition will always obtain when `the apparatus is energized, since when neither tube is red no voltage appears across the resistor 32 for the reason that a voltage drop depends upon current iiow. 4It no bias voltage appears, one of the tubes will discharge and provide such current flow. The two tubes A and B will not normally fire at the same time, as it is exceedingly remote or improbable that any two tubes would be absolutely identical in characteristics. When one tube does ilre, however, voltundesired impulses For purposes of an understanding of the operation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, let it.

be assumed that they tube A is-in a conducting condition and that current is flowing through theI resistors 25, 28 and 32.

Since the tube A hasred as a result of an impulse from the amplifier I3 and has reached a steady state of conduction, way of example that approximately .002 ampere is ilowing through the' resistor 25, the tube A, resistor 23 and the resistor 32. The voltage drop across each member mentioned then is respectively- 200 volts, 15 volts, 4 volts and 30 volts as normal values when the gas in the, tube A is ionized. With no current ilowing through the tube B, no voltage drop occurs across the resistor 23, and the condenser 20 charges up to 200 volts, which appears across the resistor 25. The voltages Just referred to are IR" drops which depend upon the values of current (I) and the resistor (R") through which the current flows. 'I'he 30- volt potential across the resistor 32, blocks up the tube B due to the bias effect already ex- Plained. v l

Now when the next impulse comes from the ampliner I3 as a result of one beat of the timepiece I3. the tube A is at owing to the fact that it this time insensitive,

the other for a brief period of time after' it may be said by is already ionized, but the impulse will be sumcient to make the gridl c 2,317,202' of the tube B positive so that the said tube cori-` ducts, and current will flow through the cathodeanode circuit of the tube B. This current-flow sets up an IR. drop in the resistor 26 of 200 volts, due to the current-flow through this leg of the circuit. It should be noted that the plate of the tube B, instantly upon that tube becoming conductive as just described, drops in potential and that the plate-connection of the resistor 26 is negative with respect to the conductor 38. Furthermore, it is to be noted that the plate-connection of the tube B is common with the positive side of the condenser 20. Thusg'when the tube B becomes conductive, the condenser 20 discharges through the tube B, the resistors 29 and 32, and the power supply, all of which features constitute a circuit in parallel with the resistor 26, and thedischarge current also passes through the resistor 25. This discharge current in passing through the resistor 25 increases the IR. drop therein to a value in excess of the original 200 volts and thereby lowers the plate-potential f tube B to a degree sufilcient to deionize and snuff out the tube A. The plate-connection of the tube A is in common with the negative side of the condenser -20 which thus reduces the potential of the plate of the tube A when the tube B becomes conductive. y l

When the tube A becomes de-ionized and snufIed-oui; as above described, the condenser VZI) will discharge through the resistors 25 and 26 and recharge in the opposite direction, until the voltage appearing across the said condenser 20 is equal to the IR. drop across the resistor 26. At this time steady conditions will obtain. The circuit is symmetrical and when the steady conditions occurs with the condenser 20 fully charged, the circuit is in such condition that the nextimpulse from the amplifier I3 will cause the tube A to ionize, to both itself become ccnductive and to snuff-out the tube B, for reasons of a character already explained in connection with the snufng-out of the tube A.

From the foregoing it will be seen that when a tick or tock is picked up by the microphone II, the amplier I3 will send out an electrical impulse which will cause`the previously-idle tube (A' or B, as the case may be) to become conductive and to snuff-out the companion tube which has just previously been conducting. As each of the tubes A or B is snuffed-out, it will cause the companion tube to reset itself, so to speak, in preparation for being fired by the next impulse from the amplifier I3.

With the switch 36 in the position shown by full lines in Fig. 1, each time the tube A fires or becomes conductive, it causes the tube C to fire or become conductive, so that the latter tube, in turn, affects the oscillograph I4 and diverts or deects a` portion of the normally-horizontalappearing beam I1 into a substantially-vertical flash 44 which fades and reappears alternately with each alternate beat of the watch I0. Should the switch 36 be shifted into the position shown by broken lines in Fig. 1, then it will be the tube B which will flre the'tube C.

If, following a given appearance of the vertical fiash 44, the next appearance of the said flash should be to the left of the position in which it previously appeared, such change of position would indicate that the watch being tested is not keeping correct time and may, for instance, indicate that the watch is running slow. If the vertical ash 44, upon its subsequent occurrences, following its first occurrence just above referred to, should appear more to the right of the position of its first appearance, this will also indicate that the watch is not in beat with the frequency-standard as determined by the frequency-standard control I6. When, however, the vertical ash 44 appears and reappears at the same location on the screen I5 of the oscillograph I4, the indicationk is that the beat of the watch I0 .is in consonance with the frequency-standard supplied by the frequency-standard control I6.

In instances where the timepiece being tested is very close to keeping correct time as determined by the unit I6, the sequential vertical hashes 44 will appear to very gradually drift either to the left 'or right.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the resistances, condensers, etc., of the circuit shown in Fig. 1 are such that the tube A is fired by every alternate beat 0f the watch I0 to effect the firing the tube C and the actuation of the oscillograph I4. The tube B becomes activated by each beat intermediate the beats which activate the tube A and, under the conditions shown in Fig. 1, the tube B acts as a shut-off or snuffer for the tube A, to cause the said tube A to cease functioning shortly after each activation thereof in order that the said tube A may be set for becoming active on each alternate beat of the watch Ill.

Since, as before noted, the beat of the watch II) is made up of alternate ticks and tocks, for

purposes of ydescription let it -be assumed thatthe tube A is activated by each tick and the tube B by each tock. r`hus, each tick acts through the tubes A and C to create a vertical ash such as 44 upon thescreen I5 of the oscillograph I4. Meanwhile each tock of the watch l0 activates the tube B to cause the said tube B to snui out the tube A and reset the same, so to speak, for activation by the next tick. The tube B does not fire the tube C, but acts only as a snuier for the tube A. l

Let it be assumed for purposes of description that the impulse provided by each tick of the watch I0 is not quite satisfactory for the actuation of the oscillograph I4 and that the operator decides, therefore, that the watch should be rather than each tick as has previously been the case. The role of the tube A has also been changed by the shift-over of the switch 36 so that the said tube A acts as a snuffer for the tube B to reset the tube B intermediate each pair of tocks. Under these conditions, the tube A does not directly affect the tube C.

Referring now to the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 2, it will be noted that a. microphone or other impulse-generator 46 is employed which is activated by a watch 41 or other instrument being timed. Like the apparatus of Fig. 1, the apparatus of Fig. 2 includes an amplifier 48. The apparatus also includes two gasedis'charge electronic-tubes E and F whichy may correspond to the tubes A, B and C in general characteristics.

The circuit shown in Fig. 2 has incorporated therein condensers 48, 49, 50, 5I, 52 and 53. The

apparatus also includes resistors 54, 55, 58, 51, 58,

59, 60, 8i and 52.

The circuit also includes an oscillograph B3 or other suitable indicator corresponding to the oscillograph l4'before described, and having a fluorescent screen 54 upon which appears a substantially-horizontal flash or beam 65 corresponding to the beam i1 referred to in connection with the apparatus of Fig. 1. The flash or beam 65 is produced by the action of a frequency-standard control 66 which may correspond to the frequency-standard control I6 referred to in connection with the description of Fig. 1. A

The individual wires connecting the various tubes, vcondensers, resistors, etc., above described, do not require detailed description herein as the circuit connections are made plain by Fig. 2. l

Each beat (both ticks and tocks) of the watch 41 will be picked up by the microphone 45, and

the energy produced thereby' will be strengthened by the amplifier 48' with the result that each of the said beats will apply .positive voltage to the grid of the tube E. 'I'he application of positive voltage to the grid of the tube E will, in each instance, cause the same to conduct or fire.

It is well to halt the description of operation at this point toa explain that the condenser 49 and the resistor 55 and also the condenser 5| and the resistor il provide artimed dischargeconstant respectively.r The combination of the resistor 56 and the condenser 49 is so proportioned and valued as to provide a time-constant somewhere in the vicinity of the interval between each beat oi' the watch 41. Under these conditions, the tube E will fire in step with the beats of the watch 41 (once for each tick and tock) owing to the fact that the amplifier voltage will apply a varying voltage to the grid of the tube E. When the grid of the tube E becomes positive, it fires the tube and discharges the condenser 49 through the resistor 55. When the discharge described takes place, the voltage across the condenser 49 decreases to such a value that the tube ceases to conduct and resets itself for the nextV cycle of operations.

The condenser 5i and the resistor 62 are adjusted and related so that the timing of the tube F is in frequency approximately one-half of that of the tube E.

'I'he impulse from the tube E when the same discharges or res as above described, is of proper phase relation to drive the grid of the tube F to such a value that it will bev caused to re through the condenser 5|, but 'will not flre until such condition `is reached. Thus, the discharge timeconstant of the tube F depends on the values of the condenser 5I and the resistor 6|, and is preferably of such value that the discharge oc curs in the vicinity vof .001 second.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the watch 41 will cause the tube E to fire in step with each beat (both ticks and tocks) and provide an impulse across the resistor 56 which in turn is applied to the tube F to cause the latter to re with every other discharge of the tube E, and hence with every other beat of the watch 41. The transient appearing across the resistor 6I is transferred through the condenser 53 to the oscillograph 6,3 to cause a flash or transient 61 extending perpendicularly with respect to the flash or beam 65 before referred to on the screen i4.

The out-of-timiug, if any exists, of the watch 41 being tested will vary the position of the vertical flash or transient 81 on the screen 54 of the oscillograph 63 in a manner similar to that described in connection with the apparatus of Fig. 1.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the apparatus of Fig. 2 is such that only every other beat (each tick or each'tock, but not both) is caused to-become visible or otherwise apparent by means of the oscillograph' 63 or such other indicator as it may be desired to employ and which will properly respond to the impulses supplied by the circuit.

By providing an apparatus in which every other beat of the escapement of a time-instrument may be eliminated, as-is the case with both of the forms of the present invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the confusion which would arise, were every beat to be thrown upon the fluorescent screens, or their equivalents, is avoided. The confusion referred to might occur from several different causes, such, for instance, as the *I fact that more often than not each succeeding beat of the timepiece-movement does not occur at the same time-interval, though each complete cycle of two beats each (one tick and on'e took) would occur at regularly-timed intervals. Thus, if both the ticks and tocks were impressed upon the fluorescent screens, or their equivalent indicating-means, the jumping-in position between the tick-impulses and the teck-impulses would ordinarily be of such confusing nature as to preclude the reasonably-accurate judgment as vto the timekeeping properties of the watch.

Another cause for possible confusion, if both ticks and tocks are indicated, would, under some circumstances, arise from the fact that the sound produced by a tick might very markedly differ from the sound produced by the took.

Thus, by means of the present invention, an apparatus is produced which serves indicate the timekeeping properties of a timeinstrument being tested.

The inventionmay be carried out in other speciilc ways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential char-l acteristics of the invention, and the present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as' illustrative and not restrictive, and

all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

I claim: 1. An apparatus for timing impulses including in combination: an electrical pick-up device constructed Vand arranged to respond to each beat of a timpiece-unit; an indicator; an electrical circuit interconnecting the said electrical pick-up device and the said indicator; a pair oi' interacting electronic-discharge sas tubes both connected by the lsaid electric circuit to the said pickup-device for activation thereby; means causing the said fpair of electronic-discharge tubes to assume an out-of-phase relationship,

with respect to each other and causing one thereof to act as a snufler for the other; and a third electronic-discharge gas-tube'connected to the said electric circuit and in position to be actuated by one of the said pair of tubes and to actuate the said indicator.

2. An apparatus for timing impulses including in combination: an electrical pick-up device constructed and arranged to respond to each beat of a timpiece-unit: an indicator; an electric circuit interconnecting the said electrical pick-up to accurately the' device and the said indicator; two interacting electronic-discharge gas-tubes both connected by the said electric circuit to the said pick-up de-A vice for activation thereby; means causing one of the said discharge-tubes to act as a snuffer for the other thereof; and means independent of the timpiece being tested and constructed and arranged to time the said` discharge-tube in outofphase relationship.

3. An apparatus for vtiming impulses including in combination: a microphone constructed and arranged to respond to each beat of a time- Vpiece-unit; an oscillograph; anelectric circuit interconnecting the said microphone and the said oscillograph; two interacting electronic-discharge gas-tubes connected by the said electric circuit to the said microphone for activation thereby; means independent of the timepiece being tested and causing one of the said dischargetubes to act as a snuifeil for the lother thereof; and means independent of the timepiece being tested and constructed and arranged to time Vsaid discharge-tubesin out-of-phase relationship.

4. An apparatus for timing impulses including in combination: an eiectrical pick-up device constructed and arranged to respond to each.

beat of a timepiece-unit; an indicator; an elec` tric circuit interconnecting the said electrical pick-up device and the said indicator; a pair of interacting electromc-discharge gas-tubes connected into the said circuit to respectively receive only selected beats picked up by the said electrical pick-up device; means independent of the timepiece being tested and interconnecting the two said gas-tubes and constructed and arranged to give the two said electronic-discharge by the said electric circuit to the said pick-up device for activation thereby; means causing one of the said discharge-tubes to act as a snuifer for the other thereof ;A means lindependent. of the timepiece being tested and constructed and arranged to time the said gas-tubes in out-ofphase relationship; and a frequency-standard control-unit electrically connected to the said indicator and providing a standard-frequency indication thereon for comparison with the effects of beats of the timepiece-unit upon the said indicator.

6. An apparatus for timing impulses including in combination: a microphone constructed and arranged to respond to each beat of a timepiece-unit? an oscillograph; an electric circuit interconnecting the said microphone and the said oscillograph; two interacting electronicdischarge gas-tubes connected by the said electric circuit to the said microphone for activation thereby; means causing one of the said gas-tubes to act as a snuffer for the other thereof; means independent ofthe timepiece being tested and constructed and arranged to time the said gastubes in out-of-phase relationship; and a frequency-standard control-unit electrically connected to the said 4indicator and providing a standard-frequency indication thereon for comparison with the effects of beats of the timepiece upon the said indicator.

'1. An apparatus for timing impulses including in combination: a microphone constructed and arranged toV respond to each beat of a timepiece-unit; anoscillograph; an electric circuit interconnecting the saidmicrophonel and the said oscillograph; a frequency-standard controlunit connected to the said oscillograph and providing upon the screen thereof. an oscillating beam of predetermined frequency; a pair of interacting electronic-discharge gas-tubes connected -by the said electric circuit to the said microphone for activation thereby; and means independentof thetimepiece being tested and causing one of the said gas-tubes yto assume an out-of-phase relationship with respect to the other of said gas-tubes and to cause one thereof to act as a snufier for the other, one of the said i gas-tubes respond-ing to only the ticks and the other thereof responding to only the tocks of' a timepiece-unit being tested and only one thereof affecting the said oscillograph to periodically deect the oscillating beam thereof provided byY .the said frequency-standard control-unit 8. An apparatus for timing impulses including in combination: a microphone constructed and arranged to respond to each beat of a timepieceunit; an oscillograph; an electric circuit interconnecting the said microphone and the said oscillograph; a frequency-standard control-unit connected to the said oscillographand providing upon the screen thereof an oscillating beam of predetermined frequency; a pair of interacting electronic-discharge gas-tubes connected by the said electric circuit to the said microphone for vactivation thereby; means causing one of the saidv gas-tubes to assume an out-of-phase relationship with respect to the other of said gastubes and to cause one thereof to act as a snuiler for the other, one of the said gas-tubes responding to only the ticks and the other thereof responding to only the tocks of a timepieceunit being tested and only one thereof affecting the said oscillograph to periodically deflect the oscillating beam thereof provided by the said frequency-standard control-unit; and means for selectively causing either one or the other vof the said'discharge-tubes to deflect the oscillating structed and arranged to respond to each beat of a timepiece-unit; an indicator; an electric circuit interconnecting the said electrical pickup means and the said indicator; a frequencystandard control-unit connected to the said indicator and providing upon the screen thereof an oscillating beam of predetermined frequency; a pair of electronic-discharge tubes connected to the said electric circuit; and means causing one of the said discharge-tubes to assume an out-ofphase relationship with4 respect to the other of said discharge-tubes and to cause one thereofing in combination: an electrical pickup device constructed and arranged to respond to each beat of a timepiece-unit; an indicator; an electric circuit interconnecting the said electrical pickup device and the said indicator; a first electronic-discharge gas-tube interposed in the said circuit in such manner as to be fired by impulses picked up by the said pickup device; a second electronic-discharge gas-tube also interposed in the said circuit intermediate the said first tube and the said indicator and connected to the said rst tube to be iired thereby and connected to the said indicator to fire the same; and means constructed and arranged to cause the said second tube to respond only to predetermined ones of the impulses of the said rst tube.

11. An apparatus for timing impulses,- including in combination: an electrical pickup device constructed and arranged to respond to each beat of a timepiece unit; an indicator; an electric circuit interconnecting thesaid electrical pickup device and the said indicator andincluding two interacting electron tubesleach having a filament, a grid and a plate, both of the said electron tubes being interconnected by the said electric circuit to interact each one upon the other and to be each activated independently of the other directly by the said pickup device; and capacitance-means connected in the said electric circuit and constructed and arranged therein to alternately act in conjunction with each of the said tubes to cause the conductive condition of either one of the said tubes to automatically render the other nonconductive to thereby substantially. suppress selected beats of the timepiece unit picked up by the said electrical pickup device and to transmit to the said indicator lremaining beats of the said timepieceunit.

12. An apparatus for timing impulses, including in combination: a microphone constructed and arranged to respond to each beat of a timepiece unit; an oscillograph; an electric circuit interconnecting the said microphone and the said oscillograph and including two interacting electron tubes each having a filament, a grid and a plate, the two said tubes being interconnected by the said electric circuit to interact each one upon the other and to be each activated independently ofthe other directly by the said microphone; and capacitance-means connected in said circuitiand constructed' and arranged therein to alternately act in conjunction with each of the said tubes to cause the conductive condition of either one of the said tubes to automatically render the other nonconductive to thereby substantially suppress selected beats of the timepiece unit picked up by the said microphone to transmit to the said oscillograph remaining beats of the said timepiece unit.

13. An apparatus for timing impulses, including in combination: an electrical pickup device constructed and arranged to respond to each beat of a timepiece unit; an oscillograph; a frequency-standard control apparatus electrically connected to the said oscillograph to provide an oscillating light-line thereon of predetermined frequency; an electric circuit interconnecting the said electrical pickup device and the said oscillograph and including two interacting electron tubes each having a illament, a grid and a plate,

the two said electron tubes being interconnected bythe said electric circuit to interact each one upon the other and to be each. activated independently of the other directly by the said pickup device and capacitance-means connected in the said circuit and constructed and arl ranged therein to alternately act in conjunction with each of the said electron tubes to cause the conductive condition oi either one of the said tubes to automatically render the other nonconductive to thereby substantially suppress selected beats of the timepiece unit picked up by the said electrical pickup device and to transmit to the said oscillograph remaining beats of the said timepiece unit to periodically deflect the oscillating light-line appearing on said oscillograph under the control of the said frequency-standard control. Y

14. An apparatus for timing impulses, including in combination: a microphone constructed and arranged to respond to the sound produced by each beat of a'time-piece unit; an oscillograph; a frequency-standard control electrically connected to the said oscillograph and producing therein a visual oscillating light-line of predetermined frequency; an electric circuit interconnecting the said microphone and the said oscillograph and including two interacting electron tubes each having a lament, a grid and a plate, the two said electron tubes being connected by the said electric circuit to interact each one upon the other and vto be each activated independently of the other directly by the said microphone; and capacitance-means connected y in the said circuit and constructed and arranged line appearing on said oscillograph under theV therein to alternately act in conjunction with" each of the said electron tubes to cause the conductive conditionof either one of the said tubes to automatically render the other nonconductive tothereby substantially suppress selected beats of the timepiece unit picked up bythe said microphone and to transmit to thel said oscillograph remaining beatsof the said time-piece unit to periodically deflect the oscillating lightcontro1 of the said frequency-standard control.

15. An apparatus for timingimpulses including in combination: an electrical pickup device constructed and arranged to respond to each 'beat of a timepiece unit; impulse-receiving means an electric circuit interconnecting the said electrical pickup device and the said impulse receiving-means and including two prim-ary interacting electron tubes each having a filament,

' a grid and a plate,.both of the `said primary electron tubes being interconnected by the said electric circuit to interact each one upon the other and to be each activated independently of the other directly by the said pickup device, and capacitance-means connected in the said electric circuit and constructed and arranged to alternately act in conjunction with each of the said primary tubes to .cause an increase of current through either of the said primary tubes to decrease the current through the other thereof and to thereby cause each of the said primary tubes to respond only to alternate beats of the timepiece unit; and a secondary tube electrically connected to one of the two said primary tubes; and second circuit-means electrically connecting the said secondary tube to the said impulse-receiving means to transmit to the latter impulses passing the one of the said primary tubes to which the said secondary tube is connected.

WALTER KOHLHAGEN.

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