US3205765A

US3205765A - Schematic diagram composing

Info

Publication number: US3205765A
Application number: US104284A
Authority: US
Inventors: Zoltai John
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1961-04-20
Filing date: 1961-04-20
Publication date: 1965-09-14
Anticipated expiration: 1982-09-14

Description

Sept. 14, 1965 .1. ZOLTAl 3,205,765

SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM COMPOSING Filed April 20, 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 21 2. INVENTOR Jo/m Z o/ 729/ ATTORNEYS Sept. 14, 1965 J. ZOLTAI 3,205,765

scxmmmo DIAGRAM COMPOSING Filed April 20, 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 6291919191919. 192. '/l I W a Q D D 0 3 S o o 0 0 0 o O c c: Q o c O 0 D Q a o 0 Q INV EN TOR .7060 Zo/fa/ we a gig/M ATTORNEY! Sept. 14, 1965 J. ZOLTAl 3,205,765

SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM GOMPOSING Filed April 20, 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 c 2 V i 12/ an 220K OL 7'PUT 3 mum. 61/7: 0 3

C/ R5 500K L 4 MW 4 ,INVENTOR Jo/m Zo/fa/ BY :42 WM ATTORNEYS Sept. 14, 1965 J. ZOLTAE 3,205,765

SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM COMPOSING Filed April 20. 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR Job); Z 0/ 2 61 BY in, 4 Qdfew ATTORNEYS Sept. 14, 1965 J. ZOLTAI SCHEMATIG DIAGRAM COMPOSING 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed April 20. 1961 INVENTOR Job/7 Z 0/76/ ao'm ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,205,765 SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM COMPOSING John Zoltai, 100 Artist Road, Santa Fe, N. Mex. Filed Apr. 20, 1961, Ser. No. 104,284 13 Claims. (Cl. 88-24) This invention relates to composing and more particularly to a device and method of composing schematic diagrams to replace manual drafting of such diagrams.

A considerable effort has been made to standardize and simplify drafting procedure so as to reduce the time spent on the drafting board for design, layout and detail for a given product. Moreover, if the subject matter of the drafting is classified, the security risk is increased directly with the number of persons involved in developing the drawings. The basic objects of the present invention are directed toward these two problems.

The present invention is primarily concerned with composing electrical or electronic circuit diagrams and it is inventive in this specific application. However, the principles of the present invention can be adapted to the composing of other schematic diagrams making use of standardized interconnected symbols such as hydraulic, pneumatic, or fluid flow schematic diagrams and the broader scope of the invention covers the application of the principles of the invention to all schematic diagrams.

The invention achieves its objectives by projecting selected electrical symbols from a bank of projectors onto a screen. The image projected by each projector is selected from a large number of different circuit components and configurations of these components. By the proper selection of the image projected by each projector, substantially any desired circuit may be composed on the screen in the composite image projected by all the projectors. The composite image is then photographed to provide a permanent record of the composed circuit.

This system greatly reduces the time required to compose the circuit diagram and furthermore reduces the number of persons to whom the circuit must be disclosed. Furthermore, the system of the invention lends itself ideally to the transmission of circuit diagrams in code with maximum security. An entire circuit may be transmitted from one point to another in code. This is done by providing each of the possible images projected by the projectors in the system with a number and also providing each of the projectors with a number. Then by merely designating which image. number each projector is to project and transmitting this information, an entire circuit may be transmitted with complete security, even though the transmission may be via radio link.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent as the following detailed description of a specific preferred embodiment of the invention unfolds and when taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

FIGS. 1 and 2 schematically illustrate the system of the invention with FIG. 1 showing a top view of the system and FIG. 2 showing a side view of the system;

FIG. 3 is an illustration in perspective of the system and apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a circuit composed by the system of the invention as it appears on the screen projected by the system of the invention;

FIGS. 5-8 illustrate the film used in the projectors of the invention;

FIG. 9 illustrates a front view of one of the projecting units used in the system of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view along the lines 10-10 through the projecting unit shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view along the lines 11-11 through the projecting unit shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 illustrates the frame used in the system of the Patented Sept. 14, 1965 invention to mount a plurality of projecting units in bank; and

FIG. 13 illustrates a source of light used in the project ing unit illustrated in FIGS. 9-11.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the system of the present invention comprises a large number of projecting units 11 which are arranged in a bank of columns and rows. In the illustrative embodiment of the invention there are 108 of these projecting units 11 arranged in a rectangular array of nine rows and twelve columns. Each projecting unit contains three projectors, each of which projects through a different one of three lenses arranged in a row in front of the projecting unit. The projectors in the units 11 form images on a screen 17 and by selection of the image that is projected by each projector in the projecting units 11, different composite images may be composed on the screen 17. As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, all three projectors of each projecting unit 11 project on the same identical field on the screen 17, but each projecting unit 11 projects on a different field in the corresponding position on the screen 17 that such projecting unit 11 occupies in the rectangular array of projecting units. The adjacent fields which are projected upon by adjacent projecting units 11 are contiguous and overlap.

On the top of the bank of projecting units 11 is mounted another projector 19 which projects on a field covering the whole screen 17. The projector 19 projects a set of grid lines which are best illustrated in FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 4, the grid lines are horizontal and vertical. The horizontal grid lines are designated by numbers 1-9 and the vertical grid lines are designated by the letters A-L. The intersection of each pair of grid lines defines the center of a projection field for a different one of the projecting units 11. Hereinafter, whenever it is desired to refer to the projecting units 11 individually or to differentiate them, each projecting unit 11 shall be designated by the pair of grid lines which defines the center of the projection field for such projecting unit. Thus the corner projecting unit which has the projection field the center of which is defined by the intersection of the grid lines A and 1 is designated A-l. The boundary of each projection field is defined by the grid lines adjacent the two grid lines defining the center of such projection field. Thus the projection field with the center at the intersection of grid lines B and 3 has its boundaries defined by the grid lines A, C, 2 and 4. Film is fed to each of the projectors in the projecting units 11 in such a manner that the image projected by each projector may be individually selected from a large number of possible images. The center projector in each projecting unit 11 is capable of projecting images of electrical circuit components including conductors, contacts, resistors, capacitors, vacuum tubes, switches in various configurations and many other circuit components. These images are formed in such a manner as to be adapted to interconnect with the images on adjacent fields. Thus by properly selecting the image projected in each field a composite image may be formed of interconnected circuit components. In this manner substantially any circuit in many different configurations may be composed on the screen 17. Also mounted on the top of the bank of projecting units 11 next to the projector 19 is a camera 20. After the desired circuit has been composed in the circuit image on the screen, the camera 20 photographs the image to provide a permanent record of the composed circuit.

The two side projectors in each projecting unit 11 project images of reference symbols and values which are positioned alongside of the circuit components on the screen 17. These reference symbols and values may be selected at will in the same manner as the circuit components. The image of the reference symbol and value projected through the side projectors of each projecting unit will be positioned in the lower right hand corner of the projection field for that projecting unit. The value image will always be positioned below the reference symbol image.

The film used in the projectors has an opaque background with the circuit components, the values and the reference symbols being defined by light-transmitting configurations in the film. Likewise the grid lines projected by the projector 19 are produced by a light-transmitting configuration on an opaque background in the film used in the projector 19.

The film fed to each of the projectors in the projecting units 11 is in the form of a web comprising a plurality of frames attached end to end similar to motion picture film. FIGS. 5 and 6 show portions of the film web fed to the center projector of each of the projecting units 11 whereas FIG. 7 shows a portion of the film web fed to the projector on the right side of each of the projecting units 11 and FIG. 8 shows a portion of the film web fed to the projector on the left side of each of the projecting units 11. As shown in FIGS. 5 through 8 the film webs are provided with sprocket holes 22 by means of which the film webs may be controlled. Each of the center projectors in the projecting units 11 will have an identical film web fed thereto containing all of the different circuit components and all of the different configurations of these components. Similarly the projectors on the right side in each of the projecting units 11 will have an identical film web containing all of the possible different symbols. Likewise the projectors on the left side in each of the projecting units 11 will have identical film webs containing all of the possible values. Means are provided to selectively operate the projectors so that the image projected by each projector in each of the projecting units 11 may be individually selected from the large number of frames in the film web fed to such projector. Thus each of the center projectors can be selectively operated to project an image of the circuit component depicted in any selected one of the frames of the film web partially illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. Likewise the projector on the right side in each of the projecting units 11 can be electively operated to project an image of the symbol depicted in any selected one of the frames of the film web partially illustrated in FIG. 7 and the projector on the left side in each of the projecting units 11 can be selectively operated to project an image of the value depicted in any selected one of the frames of the film web partially illustrated in FIG. 8.

Circuit components and configurations depicted in the frames of the film web partially illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 are constructed and arranged to be interconnected when projected on adjacent field of projection by having each of their terminations always at one of five places in the frame. These five places are at the center, the middle of the top, the middl-e of the bottom and the middle of the two sides of the frame. Consequently, when the images of the various circuit components and configurations are projected on the screen 17, the terminations of the circuit components will be at the intersections of the grid lines because the center of the frame projected from one of the projecting units 11 will project at the center of the projection field for such projecting unit and the centers of the top, bottom and sides of the frame will project at the adjacent intersections of grid line pairs.

The circuit illustrated on the screen in FIG. 4 is an example of what can be composed with the system of the present invention. The particular circuit can be composed entirely from the frames illustrated in FIGS. 5-8, plus one additional frame in each film web. Each of the film webs will have one frame which is entirely opaque so that when this frame is selected for a projector, that projector will not project any image. With these additional opaque or blank frames the circuit shown on the screen in FIG. 4 can be composed.

4 The frames in FIGS. 5 and 6 have been numbered 31-48. The table below gives the frame number that each of the center projectors of each projecting unit must project in order to provide the circuit shown on the screen in FIG. 4.

TABLE A B C D E F G II I .T K L As seen above the table is arranged in columns and rows and the columns are designated A-L and the rows 1-9. The number of the frame to be projected from any given center projector can be found by selecting the column and row in the table designated respectively by the letter and number by which the projecting unit housing the given center projector is designated. The number found in the table at the intersection of the selected column and row will be the number of the frame which is to be projected by the given projector. Thus the table indicates that the center projector in the projecting unit E-2 is to project the frame 37. When the opaque frame is to be selected for a given center projector, this selection is indicated in the table by a blank space in the table reserved for this given projector. The selection of the frames for the two side projectors in each projecting unit so that they project the symbols and values shown on the screen in FIG. 4 is obvious and need not be described in detail.

FIGS. 9-11 show the details of one of the projecting units 11, which are all structurally the same. As shown in FIGS. 9-11 the projecting units 11 each comprise a housing 51 in which there are mounted the three film webs 53 through 55. One end of the film web 54, which is partially illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, rolls up on a reel 57 and the other end of the film web rolls up on a reel 59. When the film web 54 is being rolled up on reel 59 it unrolls from reel 57 and vice versa. When the film is being unrolled from reel 57 and rolled up on reel 59, the film passes from the reel 57, through a pair of guide rollers 61 mounted in the casing 51 near the reel 57, over a pair of sprocket wheels 63 and 65 mounted in the front end of the casing 51, back through a pair of guide rollers 67 mounted in the casing 51 near the reel 59, and from the guide rollers 67 to the reel 59. -The sprockets on the sprocket wheels 63 and 65 positively hold the film web 54 by passing through the sprocket holes 22 in the film web 54. The film webs 53 and 55 are mounted in the casing 51 on each side of the film web 54 and they are each mounted on an assembly of two reels, two sets of guide rollers, and two sprocket wheels in the same manner that the film web 54 is mounted on the reels 57 and 59, guide rollers 61 and 67 and sprocket wheels 63 and 65. Only the lower reel and the pair of guide rollers which are mounted near the reel 62 and through which the film web passes are designated by the reference number 64.

Between the sprocket wheels 63 and 65 the film web 54 passes through a. slot 71 defined in a baffle 73. An opening is also defined through the baffle 73 communicating with the slot 71. The direction through the opening 75 is perpendicular to the direction through the slot 71. When a frame of the film Web 54 is in the slot across the opening 75, it is in position to be projected by the center projector of the projecting unit. The slot 71 functions to guide the film web 54 to the correct position with respect to the opening 75, through which the projection is made. In a similar manner the film web 53 is guided across an opening 76 through the bafile 73 by means of a slot 77 in the baflle 73 on one side of the opening 75 and the film web 55 is guided across an opening 79 in the bafile 73 by means of a slot 81 through the baflle 73 on the other side of the opening 75. Thus the two side projectors in the projecting unit project through the openings 76 and 79.

In the middle of the projecting unit is a light chamber 82 which is defined by the side walls of the casing 51, by

. top and bottom walls 83 and 85 respectively, and by front and rear walls 87 and 89, respectively. The reels on which the film webs 53 through 55 are rolled are positioned behind the light chamber 82 and the film webs pass around the light chamber 82 guided by the guide rollers and the sprocket wheels, as described above. A light source 91 is mounted centrally in the light chamber 82. Light from the light source 91 is directed through the opening 75 by means of lenses 93 and 95. The lenses 93 and 95 are mounted coaxially in a tube 97 which extends back from the baffie 73 at the opening 75 through the wall 87 into the light chamber 82. The end of the tube 97 in the light chamber 82 is closed by means of a transparent heat sink 99, which shields the lenses 93 and 95 and the film web 54 from the heat generated by the light source 91. Light from the source 91 is also reflected from a mirror 101 mounted in the chamber 82 on one side of the light source 91. The mirror 101 is positioned to reflect the light from the source 91 toward the opening 76. The light that is reflected from the mirror 101 is directed through the opening 76 by means of a pair of lenses103 and 105 coaxially mounted in a tube 107, which extends back from a baflle 73 at the opening 76 through the wall 87 into the chamber 82. The end of the tube 107 in the chamber 82 is closed off by transparent heat sink 109 which protects the lenses 103 and 105 and the film web 53. A mirror 111 is mounted in the chamber 82 on the other side of the source 91 from the mirror 101 and is positioned to reflect light from the source 91 towards the opening 79. The light reflected from the mirror 111 is directed toward the opening 79 by means of lenses 113 and 114 which are mounted coaxially in a tube 115. The tube 115 extends back from the baffle 73 at the opening 79 through the wall 87 into the light chamber 82. The end of the tube 115 in the chamber 82 is closed by means of a transparent heat sink 117 which protects the lenses 113 and 114 and the film web 55. Vent holes 119 are provided through the side walls of the casing 51 into the light chamber 82 to cool the chamber 82.

The light from the source 91 passing through the opening 75 will project the image depicted on the frame of the film web 54 positioned in the slot 71 across the opening 75. This projected image is focused by means of lenses 121 and 123 on the screen 17, as described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. The lenses 121 and 123 are mounted coaxially in a tube 125 extending forwardly from the bafile 73 at the 'opening 75 and from the casing 51. Similarly the light passing through the opening 76 will project the image depicted on the frame of the film web 53 positioned in the slot 77 across the opening 76. This projected image is focused by lenses 127 and 129 on the screen 17. The lenses 127 and 129 are mounted coaxially in a tube 131 which extends forwardly from the bafile 73 at the opening 76 and from the casing 51. The light passing through the opening 79 will project the image depicted in the frame of the film web 55 positioned in the slot across the opening 79 and this projected image is focused on the screen 17 by means of lenses 133 and 135. The lenses 133 and 135 are mounted coaxially in a tube 137 extend ing forwardlyfrom the baflle 73 at the opening 79 and from the casing 51. The reels 57 and 59 are rotatably mounted on shafts 139 and 141 respectively. A friction brake 143 is mounted on the shaft 139 to resist the rotation of the reel 57. Similarly a friction brake (not shown) is mounted on the shaft 141 to resist the rotation of the reel 59. The lower reels 58 and 62 as well as the upper reels on which the film webs 53 and 55 are rolled are also rotatably mounted on shafts and are provided with friction brakes to resist their rotation. Only the friction brakes resisting the rotation of the lower reels 58 and 62 are shown in the drawings, and they are designated respectively by the

reference numbers

145 and 146.

Each of the reels in the projecting unit has a rubber O-ring mounted around its periphery on one side. Thus as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, O-

rings

147, 149, 151 and 153 are mounted on reels 57, 59, 58 and 62 respectively. O-rings are mounted on the reels which are not shown in the same manner.

The back of the casing 51 is open to the reels in the casing. Through this open back a drive lever designated generally by the reference number 157 extends. The drive lever 157 comprises a frame 159 pivotally mounted about a shaft 161 which is positioned extending horizontally behind the casing 51. The shaft 161 is provided with .a keyword 163. A gear 165 rotatably mounted in the frame 159 is keyed in the keyway 163 so that when the shaft 161 rotates, it will drive the gear 165. The frame 159 is U-shaped and the arms of the U-shaped frame 159 extend into the open back of the casing 51. Between the ends of the arms of the frame 159 is mounted a shaft 167. A drive roller 169 having a rubber periphery is rotatably mounted on the shaft 167 between the arms of the frame 159. A gear 171 is also rotatably mounted on the shaft 167 between the arms of the frame 159 and is fixed to the drive roller 169. A chain 173 links the gears 165 and 171 so that when the shaft 161 is rotated, it will drive the gear 165, which in turn will drive the gear 171'by means of the chain 173 and the gear 171 will drive the drive roller 169. The frame 159 is provided with a rearwardly extending handle 175,

-by means of which the frame 159 may be pivoted about the shaft 161. By pivoting the frame 159 about the shaft 161 the drive roller 169 may be selectively brought into engagement with either of the O-

rings

147 and 149 and thus rotate either the reel 59 or the reel 57. The shaft 161 rotates counter-clockwise, as observed in FIG. 11, so that when the drive roller 169 is brought into contact with the O-ring 149 the reel 59.will be rotated clockwise, as observed in FIG. 11, and the film web 54 will be wound up on the reel 59. Likewise the reel 57 will be driven clockwise and the film web 54 will be wound up on the reel 57 when the roller 169 is brought into contact with the O-ring 147. Thus by simply pivoting the drive lever 157 the film web 54 may be advanced in either direction and the desired frame in the film web 54 may be quickly and easily brought into position in the slot 71 across the opening 75 where the image depicted on this frame may be projected.

The drive lever 157, in addition to being pivotal about the shaft 161, is also axially slidable along the shaft 161. By sliding the drive lever 157 axially along the shaft 161 it may be brought adjacent the O-ring 151 mounted on the lower reel 58 on which the film web 53 is rolled and adjacent the O-ring mounted on the upper reel on which this film web is rolled. After the drive lever 157 is slid into this position it may be pivoted to. selectively be engaged with either of these two O-rings and thus advance the film web 53 in either direction. In this manner any desired frame in the film web 53 may be quickly and easily brought into position in the slot 77 across the opening '76. In a like manner the drive lever 157 may be slid and pivoted into engagement with the O-ring 153 mounted on the lower reel on which the film web 55 is rolled or into engagement with the O-ring mounted on the upper reel on which the film web 55 is rolled so that the film web 55 may be quickly and easily advanced in either direction to bring any desired frame in the film web 55 into the slot '81 across the opening 79.

Threaded bolts 177 are provided on the bottom of the casing 51 for mounting the projecting unit in the frame which holds all of the projecting units 11 of the system in the bank of rows and columns. Two nuts are provided on each bolt 177 for adjustment of the alignment of the projecting unit when it is mounted in the frame.

As best illustrated in FIG. -12, the frame 181 in which the projection units 11 are mounted comprises a plurality of horizontal and vertical bars defining cubic spaces in which the projecting units 11 are positioned. The rear part of the frame 181 comprises a plurality of vertical beams 183 in which the shafts 161 are rotatably mounted. On these shafts 161 the drive levers 157 for each projecting unit 11 are pivotally mounted as described with respect to FIGS. 10 and 11. The drive levers 157 for all the projecting units mounted in .a row in the frame 181 are all mounted on the same horizontally extending shaft 161. Thus a shaft 161 is provided in the frame 181 for each row of projecting units 11. Fixed to one end of each of the shafts 161 is a pulley 185. A mot-or 187 is connected to directly drive the pulley 185 fixed to the shaft 161 in back of the bottom row of projecting units 11. The adjacent pulleys 185 are interlinked by belts 189 so that the shafts 161 are all driven in common by the motor 187.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention as shown in FIGS. l-3 a different drive lever 157 is provided for each of the projecting units 11. However since the drive levers 157 can be slid axially along the shaft 161, one drive lever 157 can be used to control .a plurality of progjecting units in the same row.

As shown in FIG. 13, the light source 91 which is provided in each of the projecting units 11 is an incandescent bulb having two filaments 191 and 193, one of which is a relatively high power filament and the other of which is a relatively low power filament. The low power filament should preferably be in the range of approximately 25 to 40 watts and the high power filament should preferably be in the range of approximately 150 to 200 watts. Means are provided to selectively energize the two filaments 191 and 193. Only the low power filament wi l be energized when the circuit is being composed upon the screen 17, and the high power filament will only be energized when a photograph is to be taken of the circuit after the circuit has been composed upon the screen 17. The reason different energies are used for the light source for composing the circuit and for photographing it is that in order to provide a high quality photograph of a circuit, a high power light source should be used. However, if such a high power light source were energized for more than a short period of time it would cause the film web to curl, even with the heat sinks provided to protect the film. Accordingly a low energy light source is used in composing the circuit as such a light source will not cause the film to curl and still will provide sufiicient light to compose the circuit on the screen.

In the above preferred embodiment of the invention the film has been described as having an opaque background with the images defined as light-transmitting areas on the film. Conversely the images could be defined as opaque portions on a light-transmitting background. Such a system would have an advantage in that it would permit one projector to project more than one frame by having the frames superimposed. However, it would have the disadvantage of the projected composite image having less contrast because the image projected from any given projecting unit would have its contrast reduced by the light projected from the adjacent projecting units due to the overlap of the areas of projection. This modification and many others may be made to the above described specific embodiment of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

' What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for composing electrical circuit diagrams comprising a plurality of projectors mounted in bank and positioned to project upon different fields, a set of tfilm frames for each of said projectors adapted to be projected by such projector, each film frame depicting one of a plurality of circuit components and different configurations of said components, the terminations of said components depicted on said frames having the same relative position in a plurality of said frames so that the images of said components will interconnect, and means for each of said projectors to select one frame from the set of film frames for such projector and to position such frame in such projector for projection thereof.

2. An apparatus for composing schematic diagrams of interconnected symbols comprising a plurality of projectors mounted in bank and positioned to project on different fields, a set of film frames for each of said projectors adapted to be projected by such projector, each film frame depicting one of a plurality of schematic diagram components and different configurations of said components, said components comprising schematic diagram symbols and interconnections for said symbols, the terminations of said components depicted in said frames having the same relative position in the plurality of said frames so that the images of said components will interconnect, and means for each of said projectors to select one frame from the set of film frames for such projector and to position such frame in such projector for projection thereof.

3. An apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein a plurality of terminations of said components depicted in said frames are positioned in the geometric center of said frames and a plurality of the terminations of said components depicted in said frames are positioned in the same off-center position in said frames.

4. An apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein a plurality of the terminations of said components depicted in said frames are positioned in the center of the top, in the center of the bottom and in the center of the sides of said frames.

=5. An apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein said plurality of film frames comprises a different set of film frames for each of said projectors in the form of a Web with the frames connected end to end.

6. A system for composing schematic diagrams of interconnected symbols comprising a screen, a plurality of projecting means each selectively operable to project any one of a plurality of images of different schematic diagram components and configurations of said components onto said screen, said components comprising schematic diagram symbols and interconnections for said symbols, said images being constructed and arranged in such a manner that the composite of all said images may be composed into various schematic diagrams of interconnected symbols by proper selection of the image projected by each of said projecting means with each of said images project-able from each of said projecting means being capable of being composed into a plurality of different diagrams.

7. A system for composing electrical circuit diagrams comprising a screen, a plurality of projecting means each selectively operable to project any one of a plurality of images of different electrical circuit components and configurations of said components onto said screen, said images being constructed and arranged in such a manner that the composite of all said images may be composed into various electrical circuit diagrams by proper selection of the'image projected by each of said projecting means with each of said images projectable from each of said projecting means being capable of being composed into a plurality of different diagrams.

-8. An apparatus as recited in claim 6 including a camera positioned to photograph the composite image on said screen.

9. An apparatus as recited in claim 6 wherein there is provided means to project symbol-s and values onto said screen simultaneously with the projection of said components.

10. A system for composing schematic diagrams of interconnected symbols comprising a screen, a plurality of projecting means each selectively operable to project any one of a plurality of images of different schematic diagram components and configurations of said components onto different fields on said screen, said components comprising schematic diagram symbols and interconnections for said symbols the adjacent ones of said fields being contiguous, said images being constructed and arranged in such a manner that the composite of all of said images may be composed into various schematic diagrams of interconnected symbols by proper selection of the image projected by each of said projecting means with each of said images projectable from each of said projecting means being capable of being composed into a plurality of different diagrams.

11. A system for composing schematic diagrams of interconnected symbols comprising a screen, means defining a plurality of horizontal grid lines on said screen and a plurality of vertical grid lines on said screen intersecting said horizontal grid lines, a plurality of projecting means each selectively operable to project any one of a plurality of images of different schematic diagram components and configurations onto different fields on said screen, said components comprising schematic diagram symbols and interconnections for said symbols each of said fields having as its geometric center a different intersection of a pair of horizontal and vertical grid lines and extending at least as far as the adjacent intersections of horizontal and vertical grid lines, the terminations of said images coinciding with a pair of intersecting horizontal and vertical grid lines so that the images of said components will interconnect.

12. A system for composing schematic diagrams of interconnected symbols comprising a screen, a plurality of projecting means each selectively operable to project any one of a plurality of images of ditferent schematic diagram components and configurations of said components onto different fields of said screen, said components comprising schematic diagram symbols and interconnections for said symbols, the adjacent ones of said fields being overlapping, said images being constructed and arranged in such a manner that the composite of all of said images may be composed into various schematic diagrams of interconnected symbols by proper selection of the image projected by each of said projecting means with each of said images projectable from each of said projecting means being capable of being composed into a plurality of different diagrams.

13. A system for composing schema-tic diagrams of interconnected symbols comprising a screen, a plurality of projecting means each selectively operable to project any one of a plurality of images of difl erent schematic diagram components and configurations thereof onto said screen, said components comprising schematic diagram symbols and interconnections for said symbols, the terminations of the images projecta'ble from each of said projecting means coinciding with the terminations of a plurality of images projectable by each of a plurality of other of said projecting means so that said images will interconnect.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,801,656 4/3-1 Burkhardt 352-240 1,919,922 7/33 Baker, et al. 8824 2,470,592 5/49 Waller et a1. 352-236 2,591,428 4/52 Harris et al. 8816 X 2,600,261 6/52 Pennington 8824 2,682,117 6/54 Wales. 2,816,477 12/57 Waller 88-24 2,917,834 -12/59 Butler et a1. 35-19 X 2,942,973 6/ Patrick 8824 3,016,791 '1/ 62 Inwagen 8824 FOREIGN PATENTS 921,507 5/47 France.

858,075 '12/ 52 Germ-any.

691,898 5/53 Great Britain.

NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner.

WILLIAM MISIEK, EMIL G. ANDERSON, Examiners.

Claims

10. A SYSTEM FOR COMPOSING SCHEMATIC DIAGRAMS OF INTERCONNECTED SYMBOLS COMPRISING A SCREEN, A PLURALITY OF PROJECTING MEANS EACH SELECTIVELY OPERABLE TO PROJECT ANY ONE OF A PLURALITY OF IMAGES OF DIFFERENT SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM COMPONENTS AND CONFIGURATIONS OD SAID COMPONENTS ONTO DIFFERENT FIELDS ON SAID SCREEN, SAID COMPONENTS COMPRISING SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM SYMBOLS AND INTERCONNECTIONS FOR SAID SYMBOLS THE ADJACENT ONES OF SAID FIELDS BEING CONTIGUOUS, SAID IMAGES BEING CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED IN SUCH A MANNER THAT THE COMPOSITE OF ALL OF SAID IMAGES MAY BE COMPOSED INTO VARIOUS SCHEMATICA DIAGRAMS OF INTERCONNECTED SYMBOLS BY PROPER SLECTION OF THE IMAGE PROJECTED BY EACH OF SAID PROJECTING MEANS WITH EACH OF SAID IMGES PROJECTABLE FROM OF SAID PROJECTING MEANS BEING CAPABLE OF BEING COMPOSED INTO A PLURALITY OF DIFFERENT DIAGRAMS.