US3264418A

US3264418A - Programmable switching assemblage

Info

Publication number: US3264418A
Application number: US362031A
Authority: US
Inventors: Arthur A Hagstrom
Original assignee: Teletype Corp
Current assignee: AT&T Teletype Corp
Priority date: 1964-04-23
Filing date: 1964-04-23
Publication date: 1966-08-02
Anticipated expiration: 1983-08-02

Description

1966 A. A. HAGSTROM I PROGRAMMABLE SWITCHING ASSEMBLAC'E Filed April 25, 1964 INVENTOR ARTHUR A. HAGSTLijQOM BY ATTORNEY United States Patent() 3,264,418 PROGRAMMABLE SWITCHING ASSEMBLAGE Arthur A. Hagstrom, Hoffman Estates, Roselle, Ill.,

assignor to Teletype Corporation, Skolrie, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 23, 1964, Ser. No. 362,031 Claims. (Cl. 200-1) This invention relates to electrical switching assemblages and more particularly to a switching assemblage which is manufactured in a common configuration and can be modified to perform different functions.

In a switching arrangement wherein a plurality of switch members, which serve as swingers of contact pairs, is arranged to extend perpendicular to a plurality of actuating members, it is often desirable to operate only selected ones of the contact pairs by any given mechanical actuator. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a common switch assemblage which may be custom modified or programmed to effect the operations which the switch assemblage is to perform.

In controlling the operation of an electromechanical machine in response to a plurality of mechanical actuators, it is common practice to use a plurality of switches each individual to an actuator and to connect these switches in series or in parallel. If such a machine is to be operated in different modes according to the different needs of different users of the machine, completely different connections between the switches are necessary and several otherwise identical devices require completely different wiring and switching arrangements; but when the actuators are located close to each other, it is possible to perform all of the different controlling operations of the machine with a common switch assemblage if the common switching arrangement can be modified or programmed to perform the several tasks required by the several users with this same common arrangement of switches and wiring.

It is also an object of this invention to simplify the construction of switches which selectively make and break a plurality of contacts from common actuators.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a multiple-contact electrical switch which may be readily arranged or programmed to operate its contacts in selected patterns.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, pairs of a plurality of terminals are bridged by associated conductive wires which are spring-urged onto the terminals. Uniform extensions from the ends of these wires are actuatable by any one of a plurality of mechanical actuating bars which extend perpendicular to the wires and their extensions. These extensions are then cut back to permit operation by any given mechanical actuator bar of only those wires having extensions which extend into the path of that bar. Thus, a common contact assemblage can be programmed by severing contact wire extensions to provide many different modes of switch operation.

A more complete understanding of the invention may be had by considering the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGS. 1 through 4 show switch assemblages, all made from the same basic assemblage which have had their extensions severed at selected places to provide different arrangements of the extensions of the wires to control different modes of operation of a controlled device;

FIG. 5 shows a circuit which may be operated by any one of the different arrangements shown in FIGS. 1 to 4.

In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate the same parts throughout the several views, particular reference being had to FIG. 1, there is shown a rotatable shaft 11 having a handle 12 whereby it may be manually rotated. A projection 24 on shaft 11 engages a notch 25 in a detent lever 20 which is urged downwardly about a pivot 21 by a spring 22. The notch 25 and projection 24 urge shaft 11 to return to a neutral position whenever shaft 11 is manually rotated away from the neutral position as shown in the drawing. A plurality of terminals 30 to 37, inclusive, are arranged on opposite sides of the shaft 11 for cooperation with conductive wires 38 to 41 which extend from terminals 30 through 33, and over terminals 34 to 37, respectively. Springs to 53, inclusive, urge the wires 38 to 41 to rotate about terminals 30 to 33 to make electrical contact with fixed terminals 34 to 37 forming a plurality of electrical switches.

A cam 42 formed on shaft 11 has two cam lobes 4'5 and 46 which are engageable with

wires

38 and 39, respectively. Cam lobe 45 is angularly so positioned on shaft 11 that in the neutral position of shaft 11, cam lobe 45 does not engage wire 38 and wire 38

bridges terminals

30 and 34 to form a normally closed switch. Lobe 46 of cam 42, however, is positioned to engage wire 39 in the neutral position of shaft 11 and to hold wire 39, against the urging of its spring 51, out of engage ment with terminal 35 to form a normally-open switch. Since cam 42 does not have any lobes on shaft 11 in the area of

wires

40 and 41, these wires with their associated terminals form normally closed switches. Wires 38 through 41 are all manufactured with extensions which project beyond their associated fixed terminals 34 through 37 and are engageable by

mechanical actuating bars

80 and 81. However, in the assemblage shown in FIG. 1, portions of these wires have been removed and are shown dotted. This provides a switching arrangement wherein movement of bar 81 in the direction of the arrows will open only the normally closed switch formed by wire 41 and the movement of bar 80 in the direction of the arrows will open the normally closed switch formed by wire 40 and prevent manual closure of the normally open switch formed by wire 39 upon manual counterclockwise rotation of shaft 11.

Such a switching arrangement is particularly useful in controlling a perforated tape transmitter of the type disclosed in Patent No. 3,150,234, granted to L. C. Anderson et al. on September 22, 1964, and having a switching arrangement like that disclosed in Patent No. 3,146,306,

granted to L C. Anderson et al. on August 25, 1964. The tape transmitted described in Patent No. 3,150,234, dated September 22, 1964, is operated upon the energization of a single distributor clutch trip magnet; FIG. 5 shows a control circuit for operating such a single magnet in vari ous modes according to this invention. A magnet 54 such as the distributor clutch trip magnet of Patent No. 3,150,234 dated September 22, 1964 is connected in a circuit consisting of a power source 61, magnet 54, the normally closed switch consisting of

terminals

32 and 36 bridged by wire 40 and normally open relay contacts 60. When relay contacts are operated, magnet 54 is energized until relay contacts 60 are again opened or wire 40 is moved away from terminal 36. Relay contacts 60 form part of a reader control relay and are operated when relay coil 62 is energized. Relay coil 62 is energized through a circuit consisting of power source 71; normallyclosed switch '70; the normally-closed switch of wire 38; either the normally-open switch 65, the normally-open switch of wire 39, or holding contacts 66; relay coil 62; and the normally-closed switch of wire 41 back to power source 71.

Relay coil 62 is energizable by closure of normally-open switch which completes a circuit from power source 71 through normally-closed switch 70, the normally-closed switch of wire 38, normally-open, now closed, switch 65, relay coil 62, and the normally-closed switch of wire 41 back to power source 71. When the armature associated Patented August 2, 1966 with relay coil 62 pulls up, holding contacts 66 are closed as well as relay contacts 60. Since holding contacts 66 are connected in parallel with normally-open switch 65, switch 65 need only be closed momentarily to energize relay 62.

The magnet :54 may also be energized by moving handle 12 of FIG. 1 to the left which rotates shaft 11 counterclockwise. Handle 12 and shaft 11 correspond to lever 144 and shaft 145 of the copending application of Anderson et al. Serial No. 231,199. Counterclockwise rotation of shaft 11 rotates cam lobe 46 downwardly permitting wire 39 to rotate about terminal 31 under the urging of its spring 51 and to make contact with terminal 35. This causes energization of relay coil 62 in FIG. 5 in the same way that the closure of normally-open switch 65 caused energization of the relay coil since switch 65 and the normally-open switch of wire 39 are connected in parallel. Again, immediately upon the energization of relay coil 62 and the consequent closure of holding contacts 66, relay 62 will lock operated as previously described although handle 12 is released to permit shaft 11 to rotate clockwise and return to its neutral position under the urging of spring 22 operating through detent lever 20 with notch 25 on projection 24 of the shaft 11.

Whenever contacts 66 are operated, shunting normallyopen switch 65 and the normally-open switch of the wire 39, relay contacts 60 are operated, switches of

wires

38 and 41 and switch 70 having been closed. With relay contacts 60 operated and the normally-closed switch of wire 40 not operated, power source 61 energizes magnet 54. The energization of magnet 54 then starts operation of the transmitter disclosed in Patent No. 3,150,234 dated September 22, 1964.

Patent No. 3,150,234 dated September 22, 1964 also shows a tight-tape arm 180 which moves upwardly indicating a tight-tape condition whenever the supply of tape to the transmitter is not free. The transmitter must then stop until there is an adequate supply of tape provided. Actuator arm 80 of FIG. 1 corresponds to the tight-tape arm 180 of Patent No. 3,150,234 dated September 22, 1964. When actuator arm 80 moves upwardly in the direction of the arrows, it opens the normally-closed switch of wire 40 which opens the energizing circuit of magnet 54 in FIG. 5. Wires 38 to 41 of FIGS. 1 to 4 correspond to wires 171, 172, and 173 of Patent No. 3,150,234, dated September 22, 1964, with a fourth identical Wire. When magnet 54 is deenergized, the transmitter stops; and when an adequate tape supply is available to the tape transmitter, actuator arm 80 moves downwardly permitting wire 40 to rotate under the urging of its spring 52 around terminal 32 and make contact with terminal 36. Magnet 54 is thus reenergized and remains energized so long as relay contact 60 is operated and the switch of wire 40 is closed.

The transmitter disclosed in Patent No. 3,150,234 dated September 22, 1964, also has a tape-out arm 181 which moves upwardly when there is no longer any tape in the transmitter. Actuator arm 81 of FIG. 1 corresponds to that tape-out arm 181; and when actuator arm 81 moves upwardly, it raises wire 41 against its spring 53 away from fixed'terminal 37. This opens the energizing circuit for relay coil 62 in FIG. 5. When relay coil 62 is deenergized, relay contacts 60 and relay holding contacts 66 will be opened. The opening of relay contacts 60 deenergizes magnet 54, stopping the transmitter. When holdting contacts 66 are opened, relay coil 62 no longer has an energizing path even after the switch of wire 41 has been closed by inserting more tape in the transmitter and lowering actuator arm 81. Normally-open switch 65 or the normally-open switch of Wire 39 must be closed, at least momentarily, in order to reenergize the magnet 54.

Magnet 54 can be manually deenergized by moving handle 12 in FIG. 1 to the right which rotates shaft 11 clockwise raising cam lobe 45 sufficiently to lift wire 38 against the urging of its spring 50 off of terminal 34.

This opens the normally-closed switch of wire 38 in FIG. 5 breaking the energizing circuit for relay coil 62 in the same way as opening the normally closed switch of wire 41.

When actuator arm is raised, it prevents closure of the switch of wire 39 even though cam lobe 46 moves downwardly thus preventing a manual start of the transmitter. In addition, actuator arm 80 will also open the switch of wire 40 preventing the closure of relay contacts 60 from energizing the magnet 54. When actuator arm 81 is raised, it opens the switch of wire 41 which prevents passage of any energizing current to relay coil 62.

The arrangement of severed wires shown in FIG. 1 temporarily stops the transmitter upon a tight-tape condition with the transmitter restarting immediately upon relieving that condition and permanently stops the transmitter upon a tape-out condition with the transmitter remaining stopped until the condition is relieved and either switch 65 or the switch of wire 39 is closed. To obtain different modes of operation of this transmitter, wires 38 through 41 can be severed or programmed in different arrangements as shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4.

In FIG. 2 an assemblage is shown wherein some of the wires 38 to 41 have been severed or programmed to provide for only temporary stopping of transmission from the transmitter upon a tape-out condition, 'but a permanent stopping of transmission upon a tight-tape condition. This is the reverse of the program performed by the arrangement shown in FIG. 1 since wire 41 has been shortened whereas

wires

38, 39, and 40 are longer. Raising the tight-tape actuator arm 80 opens the switches of

wires

38 and 40 but does not effect the switch of wire 39 since wire 39 is normally held open by cam lobe 46. When the switch of wire 38 opens, it breaks the energization circuit of relay coil 62. However, the raising of tape-out actuator arm 81 opens only the normally-closed switch of wire 40 which only temporarily stops transmission until the tape-out condition has been rectified and tape-out actuator arm 81 has been lowered completing the energizing circuit for magnet 54 through the normally closed switch of wire 40.

In FIG. 3, the wires have been programmed to provide for only temporary stopping of transmission upon occurrence of either a tape-out or a tight-tape condition. It will be noted that the only difference between FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 is that wire 38 is shorter, eliminating the permanent stopping of transmission upon a tight-tape condition.

FIG. 4 shows the same wires but programmed to provide for permanently stopping transmission upon either a tight-tape or a tape-out condition since :wire 38 has been left at its full length and opens the energizing circuit for relay coil 62 upon the raising of either the tape-out actuator arm 81 or the tight-tape actuator arm 80.

It can be seen that to obtain a control circuit which permits these widely divergent modes of operation with the present invention, all of the parts can be mass produced on a single assembly line and a stock maintained of only a single type of unit, thus reducing the number and diversity of warehoused stock. The specific mode of operation desired by an individual customer is then programmed into his units from the common production model at any time before installation with consequent savings in time, cost, investment capital, and production fixtures.

Although only four of the many possible programs have been shown in the drawings and described in the foregoing specification, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described, but is capable of modification and rearrangement and substitution of parts and elements without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A switching assemblage comprising:

a plurality of movable contact wires including at least one of a different length than at least one other,

a pair of fixed terminals individual to each contact wire to be bridged and electrically interconnected by the wire,

means for biasing each contact wire for engagement with its associated pair of fixed terminals, and

an actuator extending transversely of the contact wires and disposed beyond the end of a shorter one of the wires for disengaging only a longer one of the contact wires from at least one of the terminals of its associated pair.

2. A switching assemblage comprising:

means for biasing each contact wire for engagement with its associated pair 0t fixed terminals, and

at least two individually operable actuators, each disposed in operative relation to at least one of said contact Wires at a point thereof outside the portion bridging its associated pair of fixed terminals, for disengaging at least said one of the contact wires from at least one of the terminals of its associated pair.

3. A switching assemblage comprising:

at least two individually operable actuators extending transversely of the contact wires at points thereof outside the portions bridging their associated pairs of fixed terminals in a coordinate pattern of selective crosspoint engagement of actuators with contact wires for interrupting the electrical interconnections between fixed terminals of the pairs.

4. A switching assemblage comprising:

at least two individually operable actuators extending transversely of the contact wires and disposed beyond the end of a shorter one of the wires but in operative relation to a longer one of the contact wires for disengaging only the longer wire from at least one of the contacts of its associated pair.

5. A switching assemblage comprising:

a plurality of movable contact wires including at least one of each of three different lengths,

means for biasing each contact wire into engagement with its associated pair of fixed terminals,

a first actuator extending transversely of the contact wires and disposed beyond the end of the shortest of the wires for disengaging from at least one of the terminals of their respective pairs each of two other contact wires differing in length from each other and from the shortest contact wire, and

a second actuator disposed beyond the first actuator relative to the end of the shortest contact wire for disengaging from one of the terminals of its associated pair the longer of the contact wires operable by the first actuator.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS ROBERT K. SOHAEFER, Primary Examiner.

KATHLEEN H. CLAFFY, Examiner.

M. GINSBURG, Assistant Examiner,

Claims

1. A SWITCHING ASSEMBLAGE COMPRISING: A PLURALITY OF MOVABLE CONTACT WIRES INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE OF A DIFFERENT LENGTH THAN AT LEAST ONE OTHER, A PAIR OF FIXED TERMINALS INDIVIDUAL TO EACH CONTACT WIRE TO BE BRIDGED AND ELECTRICALLY INTERCONNECTED BY THE WIRE, MEANS FOR BIASING EACH CONTACT WIRE FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH ITS ASSOCIATED PAIR OF FIXED TERMINALS, AND