US2337553A - Device for operating machines from control tapes - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 28, 1943. R. HOFGAARD DEVICE FOR OPERATING MACHINES FROM CONTROL TAPES Original Filed April 5, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 [WW w .EoZf

Dec. 28, 1943. HOFGAARD 2,337,553

DEVICEFOR OPERATING MACHINES FROM CONTROL TAPES Original Filed April 5, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 J2 (3'? J13 J06 21 .96 8& v

Dec. 28, 1943. HOFGAARD 2,337,553

DEVICE FOR OPERATING MACHINES FROM CONTROL TAPES Original Filed April 5, 1940 s Sheets-Sheet s Patented Dec. 28, 1943 DEVICE FOR OPERATING MACHINES FROM CONTROL TAPES Rolf Hofgaard, Nordstrandshogda, prdOslo, Norway; vested in the Alien Property Custodian Original application April 5, 1940, Serial No. 328.090. Divided and this application May 14, 1941, Serial No. 393,492. In Norway April 24,

I 9 Claims.

This application is a division of application Serial Number 328,090, filed April 5, 1940.

This invention relates to a device for operating a machine from a control tape.

The present invention mainly has for its object a type for typewriting, perforating or printing, by means of which it is made possible to produce characters which are particularly adapted for accurate mechanical interpretation. for instance by means of photocells or contact springsi In order to obtain this the types are so formed as to produce by their engagement with the writin surface a picture composed of a number of fields following after each other in the direction of reading, each field comprising transversely to the direction of reading a transparent or translucent, or light reflecting part and an opaque or non-light-reflecting. part.

Each character will accordingly comprise a rectangular surface, consisting of two adjacent strips lying in the direction of reading, said strips being divided in the direction of reading into dark or light fields in such a manner that a dark field in one strip will always correspond to a light field in the other strip and vice versa.

The number of characters which may be produced by means of types of the above mentioned form as it will be understood are 2" where n is the number of the double fields comprising a light and a dark section following each other in the direction of reading.

For recording the letters of an ordinary alphabet accordingly a character composed of five double fields following each other in the direction of reading will be sufficient.

The types according to the present invention may be printing types by means of which the dark fields are produced by blackening, or perforating types, by means of which the light fields are produced by perforation.

In both cases the mechanical interpretation of the writing produced by means of the type may be carried out by means of two cooperating photocells to which light is supplied by means of a suitable optical system from a source of light under which the characters are moved in the direction of reading so that when one of the transverse double fields is exposed to light from the source of light, light will pass through the translucent or transparent part of the double field'to one of the photocells, whereas the other photocell is not being illuminated.

By using two cooperating photocells in this manner errors in interpretation are avoided, the

photocells being so connected that they transmit an electrical impulse only in case one of the cells is illuminated and the other not.

Instead of using photocells for producing electrical impulses by means of the double fields of the characters, it is also possible when the characters are produced by perforation to use a pair of cooperating contact springs which act in thesame manner.

When a character produced by means of a type of the above mentioned kind passes below the interpretation device consisting of two cooperating photocells or contact springs, there will be transmitted by means of one of the photocells or one of the contact springs a number of impulses, each character corresponding to a certain characteristic sequence of impulses.

In order to cause this sequence of impulses to actuate a certain recording member (for instance the type arm of a typewriting machine, a linotype-machine or the like) the impulse transmitting photocells or contacts cooperate with a controller, the movement of which is synchronized in such a manner with the relative movement between the system of photocells and characters that it transmits each of the sequence of impulses to different sta es of an automatic selector of a conventional type;

In this manner each sequence of impu ses transmitted through the interpretation system is caused to close the current circuit selected by means of said sequence of impulses, said current circuit serving to actuate the recording member for the character corresponding to the sequence of impulses.

It is preferred to use two controllers of the kind specified, adapted to be cut in alternately so that one controller efiects the transmission of the sequence of impulses corresponding to one particular character during which time the other returns to its starting position.

Th types in accordance with the present invention may be combined with types for ordinary invention for each character which it is desired to reproduce, the types in accordance with the invention. may also be formed by the necessary number of type sections, arranged one after the other in the direction of reading, said sections being adapted to be adjusted transversely to the direction of reading in order to produce the dark or light field in one or the other of the two positions necessary to form the impulse combinations.

The relative displacements of said type sections may then be caused by means of an ordinary key-board, the keys for each of the ordinary characters being adapted to actuate one or more 1 levers causing the displacement of the separate sections of the special type.

In the following, some forms of the invention will be described with reference to the diagrammatical drawings.

Fig. 1 is a picture of the printing surface of types in accordance with the invention corresponding to the characters usually found in an ordinary typewriting machine.

- Fig. 2 is a perspective view of part oi a machine type which is provided besides the ordinary characters with the new characters in accordance with the invention located above the ordinary characters.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of part of a machine type provided with ordinary characters and perforating types.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatical cross section of an interpretation device with two photocells.

Fig. 5 is a dia rammatic pers ective view of a synchronizing device for two controllers.

Fig. 6 is a circuit diagram for an interpretation device with two photocells and two controllers.

Fig. '7 is a diagrammatic side-view of the adjusting device for the separate sections of a composite special type.

When typewriting is carried out with the new types the new characters ada ted for automatic interpretation will be located in the spaces between the lines on which the ordinary characters are found.

In the machine type illustrated in perspective view on an enlarged scale on Fig. 3 perforation types in accordance with the invention are so placed that they cover the normal letters a and A, and when this kind of types are used there will be produced a perforated writing in accordance with the new type system on the same line as the ordinary characters.

Referring to Fig. 4, is a source of light, 2 a conventional optical system and 3 a translucent or transparent disk over which a strip provided with writing produced by the new types is moved in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the surface of the drawings.

4 is a system of prisms by means of which rays of light passing through the transparent or translucent parts of the characters are directed either against the photocell 5 or the photocell 5 according to whether one part or the other is adapted to let the light come through.

In accordance with the principle of interpretation by means of photocells 5 and 6 it is necessary that one or the other of said cells should always be in operation.

In case both photocells should simultaneously be in or out of operation, this means that an error has been made. Photocell 5 acts to operate relay HI whereas photocell 6 acts to operate relay l I. See Fig. 6.

spring l2 will connect the plus terminal of the battery through line 8 with line l3. Contact spring |4 remaining in its position of rest con- 'nects line l3 with controller arm i5, which is connected in its starting position through line It with relay l1 and further with line 9 and the minus terminal of the battery. Relay l1 acts to operate two contacts one of which, l8, closes a self-closing circuit for relay l1 from the plus terminal of battery over contacts I8 and I9 associated with contact wheel 20, so that line 8 is connected with line 2| over said contacts l8, I3 so as to close the circuit as specifiedto the minus terminal of battery.

In case relay ID for photocell 5 is deenergized so that contact spring |2 interrupts the current circuit over relay I 1, said relay will still be under current over the self-closing circuit specified until contact wheel 20 interrupts the said circuit by actuating contact spring l9.

In case relay I0 is not energized and current is supplied-to relay II, a current circuit will be closed in the same manner from the plus terminal of battery over lin 8 which is now connected by means of contact spring l2 with line 22 and from then over contact spring 23, which is then in its closed position connected with line 24 and controller 25. "The latter in its starting position as illustrated closes the circuit through line 26 to relay 21 and from then to the minus terminal of battery. Said relay 21 by means of contact spring 28 closes the same selfclosing circuit as previously specified for relay l1.

Supposing that the contact arms l5 and 25 have moved one step in a counterclockwise direction it will be seen from the drawings that one of two current circuits must be closed, that is either the circuit for relay 29 or the circuit for relay 30. If arms I5 and 25 are in their third position, one of the corresponding relays 3i or 32 will be energized. In the fourth position one of the relays 33 or 34 and in their fifth position one of the relays 35 or 36 will be energized in the same manner.

If the arms I 5 and 25 continue their simultaneous stepwise movement from the sixth to the tenth .position it will be seen that current circuits will be closed in the same manner either over contact arm l5 to relays 31, 39, 4|, 43 and 45 or over arm 25 to relays 38, 40, 42, 44 and 46. Relays ll, 21, 29,, 30, 3|, 32, 33,34, 35 and 36 all have the same self-closing circuit closed over contact spring l9 and contacts I8, 28 as above specified as well as by further contacts 41, 48, 49, 50, 5|, 52, 53, 54 as will be seen on the diagram.

In the same manner self-closing circuits are energized for relays 3146 from the plus terminal of battery over line 8 and contact spring 55 to line 55 and over contact springs 51--66 for the respective relays 31-46.

By this stepwise displacement of the selector arms I5 and 25, relays H or 21, 29 or 30, 3| or 32, 33 or 34, 35 or 38 will be energized when the selector arms have passed the five first steps depending on whether one or the other of relays l0 and II receives current by means of photocells 5 and 6.

By the further displacement of arms l5 and 25 the next five steps will close current circuits either to relay 31 or 38, 39 or 40, 4| or 42, 43 or 44, 45 or 46.

If it is now presumed that either line 61 or line 58 is connected to the plus terminal of the bat- Supposing relay ill to be energized contact tery, it will be seen that a current circuit is closed over one of the two sets of relays on magnets 69-400.

Presuming that in the first set of relays, relays II, 29, 32, 34 and 35 receive current from line 2 I over contacts I8, 41, 50, 52 and 53 the contact springs of which are in the closed .position, line 61 will be connected with the following lines: 6'I-IOI-I02I03-I04--I65I06-I01- I08I09 to line I I which is the 26th line counting from the right, leaving relay 36 and joining cable III, the lines of which lead in the same numerical order to each of the 32 relays 69-400, counting from the right.

Thus relay 94 will be energized, this being the 26th relay counting from the right. In case the relays of the other set, that is 31, 39, M, 43 and 45 are under current, line 68 leading to the contact sets corresponding to relays 3'I46, will also be connected with line I I0 which also leads to relay 94 through cable I I I.

The said magnets 69-I00 in a known manner may be connected with a typewriting machine for releasing or operating the type arms of said machine.

Presuming photocell to be operating in the upper part of a light ray and the photocell 6 in the lower part of the same light ray for recording characters, photocell 5, in order that the said relays, such as H, 29, 32, 34 and 35 shall receive current, will be twice activated when photocell 6 is neutral, whereupon photocell 6 is activated twice when photocell 5 is neutral, whereupon photocell 5 is again activated whereas 6 remains neutral.

The five impulses thus interpreted will correspond to the type character S on Fig. 1. In case photocell 5 is activated in the same manner during the two first or five impulses whereby magnets I1 and 29 will receive current, whereupon the third impulse step activates photocell 6 so as to supply current to relay 32, line 61 will be connected with lines IOI, I02,I03, I04, I05 and I06.

In case photocell 5 is now activated in the fourth impulse step, line I06 will not be connected with line I01 but with I I2, which is again connected with line H3, and in case photocell 5 now activated at the fifth impulse step line I I3 will be connected with line I I4 over relay 35 which is connected over relay 36 with line I I5. Line I I5 is connected through cable II I with relay 96.

On Fig. 1 the said sequence of impulses is illustrated by means of the type indicated with the word switch. Relay 96 consequently is not connected with any particular type arm but releases and operates acontact set for cable III, whereby the lines, after the operation of said relay, are disconnected from the coils of magnets 69-I00 and connected with other magnets. This may be up to 3I for the operation or releasing of other type arms or functions of a typewriting machine in case the 32 types illustrated on Fig. 1 should also be used for other type arms or functions of the typewriting machine.

In accordance with the embodiment forming the basis for circuit diagram on 6, the interpretation of the type characters is supposed to be transmitted to the type arms of an ordinary typewriting machine. The operation of any particular type arm also causes a stepwise movement of a contact wheel whereby contacts such as I9 and 55 as well as III and H3 are actuated.

The depression of any particular type key as well as the space key (the bar in front of the keyboard) as it is known releases the progression device of the typewriting machine whereby the carriage of the machine is moved one step when the key actuated is released and the type arm returns to its original position.

It will be immediately understood that besides this releasing device other movements may also be performed by the depression of a key. Thus one or more ratchet pawls may in a known manner engage the teeth of their respective ratchet wheels whereby these are moved one step by the depression of the key.

By placing one or mor trailing arms in such a manner that their ends are in engagement with the disk associated with said ratchet pawls, they may be caused by means of notches or bosses on said disk to perform a movement, whereby contacts are closed or opened or in some cases remain uninfluenced during the stepwise progression.

On Fig. 6, I9, 55, III and H8 indicate such trailing arms actuated by means of disks 20, H9 and I20. During the stepwis progression con tact arm III will move from a notch to the top of a tooth. The contact point of the arm which on Fig. 6 engages contact spring I22 when wheel I I9 has moved one step, will engage contact spring I2I. The stepwise progression of contact wheel II9 accordingly will cause the plus terminal of battery to be connected at every second step with line 68 and at the intermediate steps with line 61.

Disk I20 in the same manner actuates the trailer arm II8 which is moved from notch to notch during the stepwise progression whereby contact arm I I8 performs a short contact closing, whereby a current circuit is closed from the plus line 8 through Contact trailer H8 and relay I23 the second coil terminal of which is connected with the minus terminal of battery. Rela I23 thus receives an impulse for each step of movement carried out by disk I20.

Disk 26 is like disk I20 provided with small teeth or bosses which when they pass trailing arms I9 or 55, lift these during their passage so that the corresponding contacts which are ordinarily closed, are interrupted for a short period during the movement. As .it appears from the figure. the teeth of disk 20 are placed at such distance from each other that the contacts are interrupted alternately. Thus when disk 20 moves clockwise, the first step will cause movement of contact arm 55 whereas contact arm I9 is moved during the next step. Accordingly the self-closing circuits for the two sets of relays are interrupted alternately. Before the sequence of operation is described the synchronizing device for the paper ribbon from which the photocells receive their impulses, will be described with reference to Fig. 5. By means of relay I23 the movement of the paper ribbon is made dependent on the speed of operation of th typewriting machine. Paper ribbon I24 is supposed to be moved in the direction of the arrow, movement taking place at uniform speed past the photocells for instance, by means of a spring motor. The movement of the paper ribbon is transmitted to drum I25 on shaft I26. The movement of shaft I26 is transformed as indicateddiagrammatically on Fig. 5

by means of gears I27, I28 to selector devices I5- and 25.

On sleeve I29 which is loosely mounted on shaft I26 is secured ratchet wheel I30 which is adapted to be released stepwise by means of magnet I23. Sleeve I29 is connected with shaft I26 by means of a spiral spring (not shown) which is wound by the rotation of shaft I23 when sleeve I23 is maintained in its position by means or pawl I3I.

When shaft I26 has performed a rotation cor responding to a movement of paper ribbon I24 caused by the impulse steps for up to two char- .acters, that is in the present case ten impulse pawl I3I, whereas shaft I28 is now free to rotate. The released spiral spring will again be Wound until the whole stops again and is held by pawl I3I unless magnet I23 receives an impulse during this period. In this case paper ribbon I24 is moved evenly and uniformly.

The sequence of operations during th interpretation process in connection with the embodiment illustrated by diagram on Fig. 6 shall now be described.

It is presumed that ribbon I24 has been placed in front of the photocells so that the interpretation impulse of the first type is situated under the photocell combination, whereas at the same time the selector arms I and 25 are in their initial position. I

Pawl I3I keeps the whole system locked. The carriage of the typewriting machine is now adjusted to one step in front of the place where the first type is to be printed. The battery which is adapted so as to be easily connected and disconnected is now supposed to be, connected. A pressure on the space key (the bar) places the typewriting machine in operative position, whereas at the same time disks 20, H9 and I are moved one step. Disk I20 thereby transmits an impulse to relay I23 and paper ribbon I24 starts its uniform movement, the photocells receivin the five first writing impulses for the first type.

These writing impulses a described above are transmitted to the first set of relays, comprising relays I'I, 2'I-30. Neither more nor less than live relays in the above mentioned set must be closed and these will remain closed, being maintained by means of the self-closing circuit over line 2I. As contact arm II 1 is now connected with spring I2 I, the current circuit will be closed from the plus terminal of battery over line 61 to cable III and one of relays 69-I00 for printing of the type corresponding to the character interpreted. I

The paper ribbon I24 continues its uniform movement as the spiral spring between sleeve I29 and ratchet wheel I30 permits a movement of up to 10 type impulses before it is completely wound. Consequently the selector arms continue their movement from the sixth to the tenth step, current circuits over the relays in set 3'I46 corresponding to the next character being closed.

During this continued interpretation one of the magnets under the typewriting machine is actuated whereby the type first interpreted is printed and the disks 20, H9 and I20 are moved one step. Magnet I 23 receives an impulse by means of which the spiral spring between sleeve. I29 and ratchet wheel I30 is again released so that the paper ribbon I24 may continue its uniform movement. v

' Simultaneously with the impulse to locking magnet I23 contactarm I9 is moved, whereby the relays in line H of the first contact set are cut out and all closed magnets are demagnetlzed. Further contact arm III is moved from contact spring IN to contact spring I22, whereby as soon as five of the magnets 31-46 in the second contact set have received current, the corresponding magnet in set Bil-I00 is energized in order to actuate the corresponding type of the typewriting machine.

The contact wheels are hereby moved another step whereby the magnets in the second contact set are cut out whereas the current circuit of the contacts in the first contact set will be closed as soon as five magnets in this set have again received current, etc. In this manner the time necessary for moving a type against the cylinder of the typewriting machine as well as for moving the carriage one step to interpret the impulses produced by the next type is utilized.

The process of interpretation in accordance with the above mentioned process will take place with high velocity. In the case of an error in interpretation, for instance by the simultaneous illumination or non-illumination of both photocells, the five relays for the corresponding contact set will not be closed and no current circuit will be closed to one of magnets Ila-I00, whereby the interpretation process is interrupted.

Fig. '7 illustrates the manner in which a composite special type may be adjusted in connection with the keyboard of a typewriting machine.

The special type is here composed of five pivoted displaceable type arms one of which is shown and indicated with I32. Each of the typearms I32 is provided with an element for perforation or blackening so that they are adapted by adjustment transversely to the direction of reading to form a complete type of the kind illustrated on Fig. 1.

The levers I32 are pivoted on trunnions I33 on levers I34 adapted to pivot about stationary trunnions I35. A spring I36 maintains the type arms I32 in their left hand position against a stationary stop I31.

Levers I34 are connected by means of links I38 with levers I39, pivoted on stationary trunnions I40. Levers I39 are arranged in pairs, one pair for each of levers I34 being located on each side of the keyboard, and the free ends of these pairs are interconnected by means of cross bars I4I so as to form a number of U-shaped hoops which are all pivoted on the. stationary trunnion I40. The cross bars I4I for each of the U-shaped hoops corresponding to the several levers I34 and I32, are provided with notches so as to be actuated by the depression of the several keys I42 in case there is no notch in the cross bar I4I directly below said key.

The depression of a particular key will there.- fore move one or more of levers I34, I32 into the position indicated in dotted lines and contact or perforating members of said arm I32 will then be displaced to the lower part of the type character as illustrated on Fig. l.

The depression of one of the keys of the typewriting machine in this manner will cause the adjustment of the special type corresponding to the typ of the machine in such a manner that when the type arm I43 of the typewriting machine arrives in its striking position as illustrated in dotted lines, it will at the same time engage the special type composed by means of arms I32 with its striking surface I44 and the character of the special type will then be printed 1. In a device for the automatic interpretation of characters having two sets of light and dark fields, two photocells arranged to be respectively associated with the two sets of light and dark fields, means to cause relative movement between the photocells and the characters to be interpreted, means connecting said photocells to transmit an impulse when one only of said photocells is presented with a light field, a first selector having a plurality of stages and capable of stepwise movement from one stage to another, an automatic selector having individual selector stages each under the influence Of a respective stage of said first selector, means connecting said selectors electrically to receive impulses in response to the transmitting of the electrical 1mpulses by said photocells, and means synchronizing the stepwise movement of said first selector and the relative movement between said characters to be interpreted and said photocells whereby impulses are selectively transmitted to the successive stages of said automatic selector..

2. A device as described in claim 1 wherein said photocells control a pair of relays respectively, each of the relays having a normally closed switch unit and a normally opened switch unit which is closed by the energization of the relay when the respective photocell is presented with a light field, the normally closed switch unit of each of said relays being connected in series with the normally opened switch unit of the other relay whereby both circuits are opened when both photocells are presented with either a light or adark field.

3. In a device for the automatic interpretation or characters having two sets of light and dark fields, two photocells arranged to be respectively associated with the two sets of light and dark fields, means to cause relative movement between the photocells and the characters to' be interpreted, means connecting said photocells to transmit an impulse when one only of said photocells is presented with a light field, two sliding contact selectors'mechanically related to be moved together and capable of stepwise movement synchronized with the relative movement between the photocells and the characters to be interpreted, means alternately connecting said contact selectors to receive impulses upon the transmitting of impulses from said photocells, two

vidual selector stages, and circuit means electrically connecting each automatic selector to control a respective stage 01' one of said automatic selectors whereby impulses are selectively transmitted to the respective contact selectors and thence are transmitted to the successive stages of the automatic selectors.

4. A device as described in claim 3 wherein each of said contact selectors is formed by a swinging contact arm successively engaging a plurality of stationary contacts.

5. A device as described in claim 3 wherein said contact selectors are. formed by two assemblies mechanically connected to be operated together and each of which includes two separate arms.

6. A device as described in claim 3 wherein said contact selector cooperate in a cycle of operation to first set up an electric circuit in one of said automatic selector assemblies and then in the other of said automatic selector assemblies.

7. In a device for the automatic interpretation of characters having a plurality of rows 01 light and dark fields where a predetermined set comprises a character, a photocell assembly arranged to be associated with the light and dark fields including a photocell responsive to each 01' the rows, a primary selector assembly capable of stepwise movement, means to move synchronously said primary selector assembly and the characters whereby the fields are presented to the photocell assembly, a secondary selector assembly adapted to receive impulses and ,setup a selected circuit, said secondary selector assembly including a. plurality of selector units whereby the circuit corresponding to one character may be set up and maintained while the circuit corresponding to another character is being set up, and circuit means connectingsaid photocell assembly with said primary selector assembly and connecting said primary selector assembly with said secondary selector assembly.

8. A device as described in claim 7 wherein the means for synchronously moving the selectors and the characters includes a plurality of cyclic control units one of which determines which of said selector units is to be energized and another of which operates a circuit to start a new cycle of operations.

9. A device as described in claim 7 wherein a cyclic control means is provided to de-energize each of said selector units when the character automatic selector assemblies each having indihas been recorded.

ROLF HOFGAARD.

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