US3104587A - Apparatus for illumination and projection of data - Google Patents

Description

P 24, 1963 c. E. MEYERHOEFER 3,104,587

APPARATUS FOR ILLUMINATION AND PROJECTION OF DATA Filed Feb. 23, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I A; I

Q I L INVENTOR.

an :1 MIXER/90:7???

Se t. 24, 1963 c. E. MEYERHOEFER 3,104,587

APPARATUS F OR ILLUMINATIQN AND PROJECTION OF DATA Filed Feb. 23, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 4

INVENTOR (A/PL f. Marie/105m? BY 4 Jaw Maw United States Patent 3,104,587 APPARATUS FOR ILLUMENATION AND PROJECTEON OF DATA Carl E. Meyerhoefer, Little Neck, N.Y., assignor to Trans-Lux Corporation, New York, N.Y-, a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 23, 1962, Ser. No. 175,059 4 Claims. (Cl. 88-24) This invention relates to a novel method of reproducing data as well as apparatus of functionally and structurally improved type for practicing that method.

By means of the present teachings it is feasible to overcome the limitations present in display apparatus so that a large amount of indicia carried by a moving member will be visible to an observer without substantial enlargement of the overall dimensions of standard type apparatus. Moreover, by this invention it will be entirely practicable to provide for this result with minimum alterations of apparatus now on the market. Accordingly, a complete replacement of such apparatus with consequent high we penditures will not be necessary.

Further objects are those of providing a compact assembly capable of being headily installed by a Serviceman with minimum interruption in the operation of, or alterations in the structure of display apparatus as heretofore designed.

With these and other objects in mind, reference is had to the attached sheets of drawing illustrating practical embodiments of the invention and in which:

FIG. 1 is a somewhat schematic view of the main part of the data reproducing apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a sectional side view of the major components conveniently embodied in the apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a phantom view of the apparatus, showing the manner in which the light rays are directed; and

.FIG. 4 is similar to FIGS. 2 and 3, but illustrating a reflecting type of assembly. 1

While the present teachings may be employed in the reproduction of data appearing upon webs of various widths, and whether these webs are opaque or transparent, the present invention is directed primarily to the use of an indicia carrying web or member in the form of a tape, preferably embodying a substantially transparent body. Such characteristics are present in tapes on which quotations emanating from a stock market ticker appear.

The invention has been primarily illustrated and described in this preferred connection. Such disclosure, however, is not to be taken in a limiting sense, in that the tape may embrace dimensions to present an indicia carrying member in the nature of a relatively broad Web. Also that member may be imprinted and moved by mechanisms different than those herein described. Also, its indicia may be displayed in a different manner.

Thus, referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the numeral 5 indicates an automatic imprinting mechanism of the stock market ticker type and 6, the tape discharged therefrom. Numeral 7 designates a base of any desired configuration disposed adjacent the imprinting mechanism and over which the tape passes. To eflect this movement, a pair of motor-driven rollers 8 are ordinarily provided on that side of the cabinet or structure which is opposite the imprinting mechanism 5. These rollers grip between them and feed the tape which is thus drawn across the cabinet or structure 7. To control the movements of the tape a pivotally mounted arm '9, may be supported to have its free end bearing in contact with the tape. Its opposite end is connected to a control such as a switch or resistance which governs the speed of the motor-driven rollers 8. This corresponds to more or less conventional structure ice (as heretofore employed. Obviously in lieu of a fixed drive, and as also heretofore employed, a friction clutch might be provided between the motor and drive a roll of the pair indicated at '8.

Within the space or structure indicated at 7 a lamp housing casing, 10 is conveniently disposed. 1A lamp 11 is operatively mounted within the casing and positioned adjacent a reflector 12 embracing a spherical radius to direct the light rays in desired directions. Those light rays will follow in certain manners as hereinafter described, definite paths and will escape through an aperture 13 formed in casing '10 to pass through an objective lens assembly 14 above that casing. Thence they will be projected against the surface of a reflecting mirror, 15, conveniently in a housing indicated at 16, disposed adjacent the upper end of the apparatus or assembly and connected to structure 7. The rays are reflected by mirror 15 and the surface of a mirror 17 also conveniently within housing 16, and then to the rear face of a translucent screen, 18, which is again preferably supported by housing 16. Screen 18 will face in the direction of an audience Wishing to observe the indicia symbols appearing upon the tape or member, as the latter is drawn across aperture 13.

According to the present teachings an optical system different from that heretofore employed in apparatus of the present type will be utilized. That system is illustrated to the best advantage in FIG. 3. It includes in addition to the reflector 12, a condenser lens 19 of plano convex type, disposed a proper distance from the source of illumination 11, .and in a direction opposite the reflector 12. As a consequence, the rays of light emanating from source 11 move along substantially parallel paths after passing through lens 19. They strike against a cylindrical convex mirror 29, inclined with respect to these rays and of a length related to the characteristics of lens '19. Accordingly, the beams are reflected to a cylindrical concave mirror 21, properly related to mirror 20 so as to receive the diverging beams or rays reflected by the latter.

The rays reflected by mirror 21 will provide a converging beam due to the concavity of the latter, and will impinge upon a reflecting mirror 22, which similar to mirrors 15 and 17, will be substantially flat. Mirror 22 will be preferably disposed within the cabinet or housing structure 7, which at this point is furnished with aperture 13. The latter is defined by a framing member 23, which may form a part of a guide structure for confining the movements of tape 6 across the deck of the base 7. At

least mirrors 20 and '21 as well as reflector 1-2 should be of the front surface type. As before brought out rays reflected by mirror 21 converge upon mirror 22.

Since mirrors 20 and21 are cylindn'cally convex and concave respectively, the light beams are diverging and/ or converging in one direction only. .At an angle of to this direction, the beams remain substantially parallel. Reflected by mirror 22 they will pass through the aperture of framing or track-member 23, as well as any indicia displayed within this aperture and continue to converge in an upward direction. Objective lens =14 which will involve :a double convex assembly having wide angle characteristics, is disposed at proper distance from the preceding components of the optical system so that the rays at the point of this assembly will present a minimum field.

It is found, as a consequence, that a greater length of indicia-carrying member or tape will be embraced within the aperture of member 23, or its equivalent, and accordingly, a greater number of indicia characters may be displayed upon the screen 1 8. This display will be. free of aberations or other distortions. Also, the illumination throughout the entire length of the aperture will be sulficiently constant so that no difiiculty will be experienced Patented Sept. 24, 1963 in reading the indicia even it the latter quickly traverses screen 18. In fact, to the casual eye, substantially uniform contrast exists throughout the entire field, such that no fall-out in definition appears adjacent the front and rear ends of screen 18, in comparison with the central area thereof.

Referring to FIG. 4 a layout has been illustrated in which light is reflected from the surfiace of an indiciacarrying member, which may be opaque. This is in distinction of tape 6 which is transparent. The same reference numerals are used as heretofore employed to designate similar parts. However, a guide 24 not apertured to provide for the passage of light says is employed to support an indicia carrying strip, 25. That strip may be opaque and guide 24 is substituted for mirror 22. Light rays are reflected from the surface of web 25 directly to lens assembly 14.

Also, in this View only a single reflecting mirror is provided adjacent screen 18. Such an arrangement could be employed to dispense with one of the mirrors, 15'17 if a sufficiently long throw is available. The apparatus of FIG. 4 will function in a manner similar to that of FIGS. 1 and 3 as aforedescribed, except for the fact that light rays are directed against the surface of web 25 and reflected to the lens assembly 14.

In the system as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and with spacings such as hereinafter indicated being employed, the cylindrical convex mirror 20 may involve a 6%" radius with a /2" chord. The cylindrical concave mirror 21 will prefenably embrace under these circumstances, a 7 radius and ran 11" chord. Reflector 12 will involve a 2%" spherical radius spacing from light source 11. Condenser lens 19 will be of the plano-convex type and have a 4 /2" focal length with, for example, a 5 /2" diameter. It will be correspondingly spaced from the light source. Approximately 2 of space will intervene this lens and mirror 20. Mirror '21 will be spaced 4% from mirror 20, and 3% from mirror 22. The latter may be disposed approximately 4 below the web or tape '6. With the objective lens assembly 14 having a 6 focal length, involving a 2 /2" diameter and a 1:11 ratio embracing wide angle characteristics, it will be spaced 2. corresponding distance from the tape or element 6. A throw, involving total distance to the screen 18 and reflection between mirrors 15 and 17 of 68 wil be involved. The screen may involve operative dimensions embracing a width or height of 8" and be 90 long. The foregoing presents one operative arrangement and characteristics of the elements embodied in the assembly. Obviously, the

foregoing measurements will be qualified according to varying conditions. They may also be somewhat dependent upon the contour and structures of the lens elements involving condenser and objective lenses.

It a large enough condenser were employed, the convex mirror 2% might in certain instances be dispensed with. Normally, however, this would involve a relatively expensive condenser lens. Considering the workings of the apparatus in the light of present day practice, it has customary with a conventional imprinting mechanism 5 operating at a maximum speed of 600 characters per minute, to feed the tape or web across the aperture or support which would involve a 5 /2" field. However, with the new high-speed imprinter, characters at the rate of 900 per minute are impressed on the tape or web. With the latter moving at a correspondingly high speed, itis found that the eye of the ordinary observer is unable to 4 concentrate on the indicia symbols as they appears upon the screen for more than a brief instance.

Following the present teachings, it is feasible to display 8 /2 of tape within the projection field and to correspondingly increase the illuminated area of the screen. this additional length, the average person has no difficulty in following the symbols as'they pass along the screen and in properly identifying the information which is being transmitted.

Thus, among others, the several objects of the invention as specifically aforementioned areachieved. Obviously numerous changes in construction and arrangements of the parts may be resorted to and the steps of the method or optical system may be varied without de- 1 to said support structure, an optical system correlatedto said source and support structure, said system comprising spaced relatively elongated cylindrical convex and concave mirrors, a condenser lens interposed between said source and said convex mirror. to project substantially parallel light beams against the latter and cause those beams to be reflected therefrom in diverging directions to said concave mirror to thereupon follow converging paths directed to the indicia carried by said member to thereby evenly illuminate an elongated section of the indicia carrying member supported by the support structure, said illumination source, condenser lens and convex and concave mirrors being optically disposed on one side of said support surface, an objective lens disposed optically on the other side of said support surface beyond said member so as to face towards said elongated illuminated section, said lens being positioned to receive light from the indicia. carrying member positioned at said support surface :and transmit an image to an image receiving and viewing means, and means for cooperating to viewv the transmitted image of substantially uniform contrast. 2. In an apparatus as defined in claim :1, and a further mirror interposed between said concave mirror and memher to reflect light rays from the former to the latter.

3. In an apparatus as defined in claim 1, a reflector disposed adjacent said light source at a point opposite said condenser and said reflector embracing a spherical radius.

4. In an apparatus as defined in claim l, a screen mounted beyond said objective lens and a further mirror disposed in the path of the light rays emanating from said objective lens and reflecting such rays towards said screen.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Yorke et 211. July 21, 1936 2,248,052 Au-chincloss et 'al. July 8, 1941 2,292,979 Wald Aug. 11, 1942 2,614,460 Miller Oct. 21, 1952 With

Claims (1)

1. DATA REPRODUCING APPARATUS CAPABLE OF PROJECTING FOR VIEWING A RELATIVELY LONG SECTION OF AN INDICIA CARRYING MEMBER AND RELATIVELY LARGE NUMBER OF INDICIA CHARACTERS COMPRISING IN COMBINATION AN ELONGATED SUPPORT STRUCTURE PROVIDING A SURFACE FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE INDICIA CARRYING MEMBER, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID MEMBER OVER SAID SUPPORT STRUCTURE, A SOURCE OF ILLUMINATION ADJACENT TO SAID SUPPORT STRUCTURE, AN OPTICAL SYSTEM CORRELATED TO SAID SOURCE AND SUPPORT STRUCTURE, SAID SYSTEM COMPRISING SPACED RELATIVELY ELONGATED CYLINDRICAL CONVEX AND CONCAVE MIRRORS, A CONDENSER LENS INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID SOURCE AND SAID CONVEX MIRROR TO PROJECT SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL LIGHT BEAMS AGAINST THE LATTER AND CAUSE THOSE BEAMS TO BE REFLECTED THEREFROM IN DIVERGING DIRECTIONS TO SAID CONCAVE MIRROR TO THEREUPON FOLLOW CONVERGING PATHS DIRECTED TO THE INDICIA CARRIED BY SAID MEMBER TO THEREBY EVENLY ILLUMINATE AN ELONGATED SECTION OF THE INDICIA CARRYING MEMBER SUPPORTED BY THE SUPPORT STRUCTURE, SAID ILLUMINATION SOURCE, CONDENSER LENS AND CONVEX AND CONCAVE MIRRORS BEING OPTICALLY DISPOSED ON ONE SIDE OF SAID SUPPORT SURFACE, AN OBJECTIVE LENS DISPOSED OPTICALLY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID SUPPORT SURFACE BEYOND SAID MEMBER SO AS TO FACE TOWARDS SAID ELONGATED ILLUMINATED SECTION, SAID LENS BEING POSITIONED TO RECEIVE LIGHT FROM THE INDICIA CARRYING MEMBER POSITIONED AT SAID SUPPORT SURFACE AND TRANSMIT AN IMAGE TO AN IMAGE RECEIVING AND VIEWING MEANS, AND MEANS FOR COOPERATING TO VIEW THE TRANSMITTED IMAGE OF SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM CONTRAST.

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