US3252392A

US3252392A - Apparatus for character recording

Info

Publication number: US3252392A
Application number: US294651A
Authority: US
Inventors: William A Ward
Original assignee: United States Scientific Instruments Inc
Current assignee: PerkinElmer Inc
Priority date: 1963-07-12
Filing date: 1963-07-12
Publication date: 1966-05-24
Anticipated expiration: 1983-05-24

Description

May 24, 1966 I w. A. WARD 3,252,392

APPARATUS FOR CHARACTER RECORDING Filed July 12. 1963 TRIGGER CIRCUITS F|G.4 (9/ FIG. 5

WILLIAM A.WARD

ATTORNEYS I NVENTOR.

- line.

United States Patent F 1 3,252,392 APPARATUS FOR CHARACTER RECORDING William A. Ward, Norwood, Mass., assignor to United States Scientific Instruments, Inc., Watertown, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed July 12, 1963, Ser. No. 294,651 .14 Claims. (Cl. 95-45) The present invention relates to methods of and apparatus for character recording; and, more particularly, to recording or printing systems that do not require reciprocating printers and the like.

The speed with which characters, including numerals, may be recorded in accordance with many prior art techniques, has been limited by the necessity for having the recording device, such as a printer hammer, reciprocate back and forth. Proposals have been made to record photographically, but these have not been-well-suited to problems such as the recording of high-speed electrical counter displays and the like. It is to the solution of the problem of providing a high-speed recording system of this character that the present invention is primarily,

though not exclusively, directed; it being understood that while the invention is to be described in connection with the preferred application to this particular problem, the method underlying the same and the apparatus are of 1 broader utility and may be used wherever the improved and will be more particularly pointed out in connection with the appended claims.

In summary, from one of its broad points of view, the present invention is directed to recording upon a movable medium a pluarlity of laterally displaced characters, such as successive numerals of a counter, for example, presented, as by being illuminated at successively different instants of time, upon the reaching of a predetermined Normally the arrayof such characters would be recorded out-of-line upon the medium. In accordance with the invention, the presentation or illumination of the successive characters is timed to occur at successive positions longitudinally staggered with respect to the said line to provide a predetermined slip rate between the in stants of presentation of the first and last characters. Longitudinal movement of the recording medium past the illuminated or otherwise-presented characters at a rate adjusted to correspond substantially synchronously with the said predetermined slip rate, thus enables recording upon the medium at extremely high speeds in an in-line manner. Preferred constructional details are hereinafter set forth.

The invention will now be described in connection with the accompanying drawing:

FIG. 1 of which is a perspective schematic view and combined block diagram of the invention as applied to the illustrated problem of recording the display produced by a counter; in this case, of a preferred stroboscopic flashilluminated type;

FIG. 2 is a timing and position diagram of the distribution of characters and of the flashing or timing sequence employed in the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a similar diagram illustrating the positional display for recording; and

3,252,392 Patented May 24, 1966 FIGS. 4 and 5 are schematic side elevations of modifications for confining the recording to a single in-line limited area.

Referring to FIG. 1, the invention is illustrated in connection with a preferred flash-illuminable character display system operable with logic circuits, such as counters, as described, for example, in my copending application Serial No. 205,763, filed June 27, 1962, for Method of and System for Electrical Impulse Counting for Use in Digital Voltmeters, Counters and the Like, and elsewhere. Clearly, however, the invention may be employed with other conventional logic circuits and other displays that cause different rows of characters, such as numerals, to be illuminated or presented at a predetermined line or region. The counter or other logic circuit is shown at 11 controlling a plurality of flash lamps 13 disposed within a drum D is rotated about the flash lamps to enable illu-' mination of transparent numerals carried upon the surface of the drum D longitudinally past a viewing region 15. The numerals are disposed in horizontal lines or rows of similar numbers successively positioned about the drum D, such as a complete horizontal line or row of 9s, a next horizontal line of 8s, a next line of 7s, and so on,

forming laterally successive

circular columns

9, 8, 7, etc.

About the periphery of the drum D at one end thereof, a plurality of magnetic slugs or other timing devices 17 is disposed, one corresponding to each row of similar numbers, as at 9', 8', 7', etc. When the successive slugs rotate past a corresponding magnetic or other pickup member 19, successive impulses will be produced that may be fed along conductor 19' to a trigger circuit 12 of any conventional type to cause the logic circuit 11 to flash the appropriate flash tube 13 and thereby illuminate the appropriate numeral as it passes the region 15, as is well known in stroboscopic display devices of this and similar character. If, for example, the logic circuit 11 dictates the flashing of a 9 in the left-most column, as shown at .9, the lamp 13 behind the left-most column may be flashed when the drum'D has rotated longitudinally to align the row of 9s with the predetermined line L at the region 15, as controlled by the timing impulse produced during the passage of the magnetic device 9' past the pickup member 19. If, in the next column from the left, an 8 is to be flashed, the passage of the magnetic device 8 past the pickup 19 will cause the trigger circuit 12 to trigger the counter circuit 11 and illuminate the flash tube 13 behind the said next column when the row of 8s becomes aligned with the line L; and so on for other numerals of the various columns.

If a recording medium such as, for example, a photographic film 12, disposed in .a light-shielded housing represented at 18, were being drawn longitudinally past the drum region of presentation L, as by a drive mechanism schematically represented by the arrow 16", the

illuminated numerals

9, 8, 7, e-tc., would normally not produce an in-line image on the film, but Wouldbe out-of-line in view of the fact that the laterally displaced numerals are illuminated or presented at line L at successively different instants of time.

In accordance with the present invention, onthe other hand, the timing of the display or presentation of numerals is adjusted so that'a slip rate is introduced between the instants of presentation of the first and last characters or numeral of the plurality of columns thereof. When an "8 is to be illuminated, as, for example, in the second column from the left, .as shown as 8 in FIG. 1, instead of flash-illuminating the numeral 8 as it passes line L, it is flashed when the roW of 8s reaches a short distance longitudinally spaced above the line L; and so, also, with the flash-illuminating of a "7 at a time when that row reaches a distance further spaced above the line L, and

cessive position longitudinally above the line L is made to correspond to the rate of movement of the film 12 by the drive 16", as later explained. Such synchronism be tween the slip rate and the longitudinal film advancement will cause the

numerals

9, 8, 7, etc. to be recorded on the film in-line, instead of ou-t-o-f-line. This technique, of course, may be applied to other types of laterally displaced characters-to-be-presented and recorded in an in-line manner, the term in'-line being intended to embrace a predetermined line or contour.

In view of the diificulty of illustrating the slip rate, reference is made to FIG. 2, the left-most column of which represents, in linear form, the positioned sequence of the timing magnetic devices 17, illustrated at 9', 8, 7, etc., relative to the drum-surface rows of

numerals

9, 8, 7, etc., illustrated in planar form. The rows of

numerals

9, 8, 7, etc. are successively longitudinally (vertically) staggered with respect to the solid horizontal line positions of the magnetic devices 9', 8', 7', etc. The row of 8s is shown a tenth of a position L longitudinally above the relative position of the row of 9s with respect to its magnetic timing member 8. The row of 7s is staggered two tenths of a position L above the line or position of its timing element 7; and so forth down to the number 0, For these purposes the successive displacements or staggering L L L L increase in substantially equal increments, though this is not always essential.

If, for purposes of illustration, it be assumed that the numbers to be illuminated are consecutive from 9 to 0, from the left-most to the right-most column, as when the count is of value 9876543210, this staggering will produce the display shown at FIG. 3 in the viewing region '15. The full-line numerals of FIG. 3 represent the staggered positions (or instants) of illumination, each successively displaced equal intervals above the reference line L. Since the rate of the longitudinal movement of the recording medium 12 past the region 15 is, as before stated, adjusted to correspond to the slip rate effected between the time between the presentation of the 9 and 0, the respective first and last characters of this particular lateral display, as by a ten-to-one reducing gearing mechanism 16 coupled between the drum drive apparatus 16' and the filmadvancing drive 16", in the above illustration, there will be impressed in-line upon the recording medium 12, the

characters

9, 8, 7, etc. as shown in FIG. 1, the numerals being inverted in this particular system by the single focusing lens 14.

It is to be understood that only for purposes of explanation has it been assumed that each successive laterally displaced region, from left to right, is to display a differant consecutive number. This is only by way of illustration in order conveniently to explain the staggering; it being clear that whatever count actually occurs will, in similar manner, be presented in-line upon the medium 12, which would not otherwise be feasible if all the characters were illuminated when presented at the line L.

The dotted numerals of FIG. 3 indicate the next numerals in the columns of the drum D. It will be observed that within the region or window 15 there will also be recorded some of the dotted-line characters. If this is undesirable, it may readily be dispensed with by placing circumferentially about the drum D a further drum D, FIG. 4, constituted of successive opaque Sections and transparent apertures or windows corresponding in dimensions to the size of the numerals of the rows of numerals on the drum D. The numerals presented in the viewing region 15 will automatically be limited to just the solidline row of illuminated numerals if the drum D is rotated in synchronism with the movement of the film 12, corres-ponding, in turn, to the slip rate, as before explained. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 5, the film 12 itself may be fronted by a masking series of opaque and transparent apertures 12 moved with the film 12 at the same rate thereofto effect a similar result.

The very high-speed recording achievable with the aid of the present invention is evident from the following illustration which assumes characters that are, say, a tenth of an inch high and of the precise numerical information type discussed in connection with the illustrated embodiment of the invention. With a peripheral velocity of the drum D that would allow printing of one line of information per inch of travel, a thousand feet per second recording or printing rate is attained with only 3,600 revolutions per minute for a five-inch diameter d-rum D.

As before stated, the presentation of the numerals or other characters need not be effected through flash illumination, but merely through being carried relatively with respect to the film past the predetermined viewing region. Clearly, other recording media than photographic film, including other light-sensitive surfaces and other similar recording media, may be employed.

Further modifications will also occur to those skilled in the art and all such are considered to fall Within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the ap-' pended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Recording apparatus having, in combination, an array of laterally displaced columns of characters, means for moving the successive laterally displaced columns of characters of the array past a predetermined line, a plurality of timing means corresponding to the array of successive columns of characters and moved therewith past a predetermined region during the moving of the array past the said predetermined line, pick-up means disposed at said predetermined region for responding to the movement thereby of the successive timing means in order to generate corresponding triggering impulses, a plurality of character-illuminating means responsive to the triggering impulses for selectively illuminating characters of the corresponding columns of characters, the timing means being successively positioned to provide a predetermined slip rate in the position of illumination of selected characters of the successive columns of chara'c-- with respect to the illuminated characters, and means forsynchronizing the rate of longitudinal movement of the medium substantially with the said predetermined slip rate.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and in which the longitudinal staggering of the successive laterally dissaid array is in drum form and means is provided for rotating the drum to effect the said moving of the flashilluminated characters. I

7. Apparatus is claimed in claim 6 and in which the said characters comprise successive numerals.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 and in which the said recording medium comprises afilm upon which the flash-illuminated characters are recorded.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 and in which there are further provided an impulse counter for monitoring impulses, and means responsive to the said signals for controlling the said character flash-illuminating means in accordance with the count of the said impulse counter.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 and in which the said characters are disposed in parallel rows of multiple similar characters, successively displaced about the circumference of the drum.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 and in which the said characters are transparent and the said flashilluminating means are disposed within the drum to illuminate the characters.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 and in which there are provided an apertured member having aperture means of cross dimension corresponding substantially to the height of the characters, and means for longitudinally moving the said member between the recording medium 14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 and in Which the said apertured member is positioned adjacent and rotated relative to the drum.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,736,770 2/1956 McNaney 178-15 2,739,304 3/1956 J-ohn 340-318 2,786,400 3/1957 Peery 95-4.5

JOHN M. HORAN, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. RECORDING APPARATUS HAVING, IN COMBINATION, AN ARRAY OF LATERALLY DISPLACED COLUMNS OF CHARACTERS, MEANS FOR MOVING THE SUCCESSIVE LATERALLY DISPLACED COLUMNS OF CHARACTERS OF THE ARRAY PAST A PREDETERMINED LINE, A PLURALITY OF TIMING MEANS CORRESPONDING TO THE ARRAY OF SUCCESSIVE COLUMNS OF CHARACTERS AND MOVED THEREWITH PAST A PREDETERMINED REGION DURING THE MOVING OF THE ARRAY PAST THE SAID PREDETERMINED LINE, PICK-UP MEAND DISPOSED AT SAID PREDETERMINED REGION FOR CORRESPONDING TO THE MOVEMENT THEREBY OF THE SUCCESSIVE TIMING MEANS IN ORDER TO GENERATE CORRESPONDING TRIGGERING IMPULSES, A PLURALITY OF CHARACTER-ILLUMINATING MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE TRIGGERING IMPULSES FOR SELECTIVELY ILLUMINATING CHARACTERS OF THE CORRESPONDING COLUMNS OF CHARACTERS, THE TIMING MEANS BEING SUCCESSIVELY POSITIONED TO PROVIDE A PREDETERMINED SLIP RATE IN THE POSITION OF ILLUMINATION OF SELECTED CHARACTERS OF THE SUCCESSIVE COLUMNS OF CHARACTTERS THAT CAUSES THE FIRST AND LAST CHARACTERS OF A PLURALITY OF THE LATERALLY DISPLACED COLUMNS OF CHARACTERS TO BE ILLUMINATED AT LONGITUDINALLY STAGGERED POSITIONS RELATIVE TO BE SAID PREDETERMINED LINE, A RECORDING MEDIUM, MEANS FOR MOVING THE RECORDING MEDIUM LONGITUDINALLY WITH RESPECT TO THE ILLUMINATED CHARACTERS, AND MEANS FOR SYNCHRONIZING THE RATE OF LONGITUDINALLY MOVEMENT OF THE MEDIUM SUBSTANTIALLY WITH THE SAID PREDETERMINED SLIP RATE.