US3803581A

US3803581A - Information storage and retrieval network

Info

Publication number: US3803581A
Application number: US00238042A
Authority: US
Inventors: P Luger
Original assignee: Pioneer Educational Society
Current assignee: Pioneer Educational Society
Priority date: 1972-03-27
Filing date: 1972-03-27
Publication date: 1974-04-09
Anticipated expiration: 1991-04-09

Abstract

An electric network, representing fixed, determined information, and capable of specific information selection and read-out is described. Applications are made principally to mathematical operations: multiplication, division and the conversion of numbers from one base system to another. In general the system employs switches, lamps and solid state elements in an electric circuit but a wide variety of read-out techniques are indicated. Basically, switching provides multiple circuit paths. Each circuit path represents fixed information or significance; and direct current flow in each circuit path recalls that information or significance when current in the path energizes indicating hardward. Decimal multiplication is shown in detail where multiplicand and multiplier are set on switches and products are read-out as a light or a combination of lights. A system of information indexing and read-out is shown.

Description

[ INFORMATION STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL NETWORK Primary Examiner-Donald J. Yusko Assistant Examiner-Marshall M. Curtis [75] Inventor: Paul P. Luger, Seattle, Wash. [73] Assignee: The Pioneer Educational Society,

Portland, Oreg.

[22] Filed: Mar. 27, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 238,042

[52] US. Cl. 340/324 R, 35/31 C [51] Int. Cl. G09f 9/40 [58] Field of Search 340/365 S, 337, 324 R;

235/92 ME, 92 EA; 35/31 C; 307/30 [56] References Cited 1 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,970,386 2/1961 Knutson 35/31 C 3,623,066 11/1971 Norris 340/324 R 2,512,837 6/1950 Pescatori 35/31 C 2,805,286 9/1957 Baker 235/92 ME III III

[57] ABSTRACT An electric network, representing fixed, determined information, and capable of specific information selection and read-out is described. Applications are made principally to mathematical operations: multiplication, division and the conversion of numbers from one base system to another. In general the system employs switches, lamps and solid state elements in an electric circuit but a wide variety of read-out techniques are indicated. Basically, switching provides multiple circuit paths. Each circuit path represents fixed information or significance; and direct current flow in each circuit path recalls that information .or significance when current in the path energizes indicating hardward. Decimal multiplication is shown in detail where multiplicand and multiplier are set on switches and products are read-out as a light or a combination of lights. A system of information indexing and read-out is shown.

' "insist; Drawing an;

UUUEJUUUU PATENTEU APR 9 I974.

SHEET 1 [IF 6 o o Q 6 @UDHZU D UI H Instruments of this invention employ two or more basic switches by means of which input information may be selected. Thus a multiplicand and multiplier or a dividend and divisor may be designated. A suitable electric circuit and a read-out device is used to indicate output values, as, e.g., a product or quotient. The readout hardware may employ various known devices, such as electric lamps, nixie tubes, light emitting diodes, cathode glow tubes or magnetic tape device.

Any base system from binary on upwards may be employed. First is described a decimal multiplication system and a read-out in electric lamps where one lamp is selected for each digit of the base system in the usual fashion. Products will be described first for a decimal system encompassing integer values from O X up to 9 X 9 but also for a system of products up to 12 X 12, thus demonstrating a general system that may be extended.

To route electric current only to those read-out devices that represent a given product or quotient or a given desired output, diodes are employed. A minimal use of diodes is taught for any desired circuit arrangement. Each basic input switch may contain a number of input entries equal to the base of the system as, for example, in multiplication or division in a decimal or quartile system, or four input entries per switch may be employed. However, more entry numbers than the base of the system may be entered on each of a given pair of input switches, as will be shown.

The meaning of the word input, as used with the instruments of this invention, should be noted. Here the word input implies a selection of information from the total array of fixed information which the circuits and the switch positions are designed to represent or index. The word input, therefore, is not to be understood in the computer input sense.

The invention can be applied to the direct changing of decimal numbers to any other base system, as for example from decimal into binary numbers or vice versa. Operations may also be combined: for example, dividends and divisors may be inputted and quotients may be outputted in both decimal and binary or also in any other base system. The same is true for multiplication.

Thus, a system that inputs decimal numbers for multiplication and outputs products in binary becomes useful for multiplication in binary. Furthermore, by use of an instrument employing a base system for multiplication in which the operator is not skilled, checking of results and a facility in the system may be attained.

A specialized or generalsystem of indexing is indicated for this invention by which information in various categories may be selected and read-out.

The following drawings are useful in further describing the practice of this invention:

FIG. 1 shows a two-switch arrangement where the products of single digits are emphasized. v

FIG. 2 shows an electric circuit useful for multiplication of intigers from 0 X 0 up 9 X 9.

FIG. 3 shows an electric circuit that multiplies from 0 -0 up to 12X 12.

FIG. 4 shows multiplication applied toa counting system of base four, showing also the use of more than two basic switches.

FIG. 5 shows how theinvention can be applied to the operation of changing decimal numbers into binary.

FIG. 6 shows a three-dimensional information storage and read-out system.

Table I shows an array of products. The products are formed and indexed by the numbers found in the column on the right of the array and the row beneath. All of these products may be arranged in a system employing two basic switches.

TABLE 1 27 36 45 54 63 72 81 24:32 40 48.56 64 72 21 2s 3s 42 49 56 63 1s 24 3o 36 42 4s 54 12 16 20 24 2s 32 36 9 12 15 1s 21 2427 6 s 10 12 1416 18 3 4 s 6 7 8 9 Turning first to FIG. 1, basic switches 1A and 1B are shown. Both switches may be selected to be of the rotary type. Switch 1A is a single pole 10 position switch and 1B is a 9 pole 10 position switch. Knobs are not shown in the diagram. The 10 stationary contacts of switch 1A and the stationary contacts of switch 18 are shown as rectangles in the diagram. The common, slide contacts are shown at C and are encircled. With rotation of switch 18 these movable contacts can be brought into contact with each of the 10 rectangular contacts in their respective rows, as shown. Also for switch 1A, its movable contact may be brought into electrical connection with each of the 10 rectangular contacts shown.

Referring to Table I and switch 1B, the array of 90 products of Table 1 are meant to correspond to the array of 90 rectangular contacts of switch 18. Inscribed in the rectangles of FIG. 1 are all products corresponding to the single digit products in the array of Table l. The two-digit products are not inscribed but should be understood to represent product values belonging to the respective rectangles in the array of switch 1B.

Also shown in FIG. 1 are 10 electric lamps designated from L 0 through L 9, with common terminal at 1000. These are shown in circuit with a battery or power source at B, a push button switch, PBS, a battery switch, BS, together with basic switches 1A and 1B.

Inspection of the stationary (gectangular) contacts of switch 1B shows that there are 9 zero product contacts, 1 unit product contact, 7 contacts for each of the 2, 3, 5 and 7 products, icontacts for the 4 and 9 products and 4 contacts for the 6 and 8 products. Contacts that have equal products are usually interconnected and these contact-terminal-unions or simply contact unions are connected each to 1ts own product-representinglamp as shown. Thus lamp L 0 is connected to the zero contact union, lamp L l to contact union 1, lamp L 8 to contact union 8, and so on. In general, a contact union is defined as a single stationary contact or a group of two or more interconnected contacts representing the same output value.

It is noted that rectangular contacts 1 through 9 of switch 1A are connected, as shown, to the movable contacts of switch 1B. Effectively then switch 1A selects a row of 1B and 1B in turn selects the column of that row corresponding to the 1B switch position. By engraving the dials of 1A and 18 with values corresponding to the bottom row and right column of Table I indication is made of the input multiplicand and multiplier.

Finally, contact of 1A is connected to contact union 0 of 18. It should be clear then, that the circuit of FIG. 1 will select all the products represented by the rectangular stationary contacts of FIG. 1 (corresponding to Table I) and will output these products by means of indicating lamps if the contact unions are properly connected to appropriate output indicating devices.

So far we have shown how to connect single digit contact unions to output indicating devices. This was done without the use of diodes. Now we turn to FIG. 2 to explain the use of diodes in the two digit products of switch 1B of FIG. 1 which values are shown in the array of Table I.

If we make a list of two digit products in Table I (represented by the corresponding rectangular boxes in the array of stationary contacts of switch 13 of FIG. 1),

k we will find that 3 products have four terminals, 2 products 3 terminals, 18 have 2 terminals and 4 products have only one terminal. Let these terminals representing equal products be interconnected. While others equal products are not shown connected in FIG. 1, they are represented as being interconnected in FIG. 2 by the contact unions. These interconnected terminals or contact unions are abreviated, in the Figures, by the letters CU. Thus in FIG. 2, contact union 12 is designated as CU12 and is enclosed in a rectangular box. And in like manner all the other contact unions are represented in FIG. 2. Note also that CU25, even though it results from only one contact of switch 1B of FIG. 1 is called a contact union and is represented by CU25 in a rectangular box.

Electric filament devices, or electric lamps, or even nixie or cathode glow tube devices are indicated at L 0 through L 9, of FIGS. 1 and 2, and, in addition in FIG. 2, at L 10 through L 80.

In regard to the use of diodes in FIG. 2, just as single digit products need not be connected to indicator devices or lamps by means of diodes (as in FIG. 1) so also, to each lamp or light L 10 through L 80 in FIG. 2, one contact union may be directly connected without use ofa diode. Thus FIG. 2 shows contact unions 0 through 9 connected directly to indicator lamps L 0 through L Note that many connections in the diagram of FIG.

2 are only indicated, as is this diode terminal at T0 CU21, in order to make the circuit diagram more readable. In this mannenthen, all contact unions and their diodesare shown in FIG. 2. As in FIG. 2, So in FIG. 2 a battery B, a battery switch BS, and a push button switch PBS are shown.

Symbolic switch contacts are shown on the right in FIG. 2. These are symbolic contacts since, in reality,

each represents two contacts in series, one contact in switch 1A and one in switch 18 of FIG. 1. However, not all such symbolic switches are shown since it is understood that each contact union shown in FIG. 2 (with rectangular box) should be connected into the circuit with its own symbolic contacts representative of the real contacts provided by switch 1A and 1B of FIG. 1. By way of example, contact union, CU18 is thus shown connected by means of S18 in FIG. 2. Note also the dotted line to the right of CU21 (in rectangular box). It indicates contact union 21 is to be connected through a symbolic switch (not shown) to the common connector at 2010. In this manner all such dotted lines are to be interconnected.

It should be clear from the circuit of FIG. 2 that the diodes prevent current flow to the wrong indicator lamps. Suppose that in outputting product 12 current flowing from CU12 to L 2 and L 10 was not diode isolated. Then current would also flow to contact unions CU 4, CU 5, CU 6 and CU 8, thus turning onlamps L 4,L5,L6andL8.

TABLE 11 0 12 24 36 4s 60 72 a4 96 108 120 132 144 12 0 11 22 33 44 55 66 77 88 99 110 121 132 11 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 so 90 100 110 120 10 0 9 1s 27 36 45 54 63 72 81 90 99 I08 9 ;0 s 16 24 '32 40 4s 56 64 72 so as 96 s *0 7 14 21 2s 35 42 49 56 63 70 77 84 7 .0 6 12 1s 24 30 36 42 4s 54 60 66 72 6 o 3o so 5 0 4 s 12 16 20 24 2s 32 36 40 44 4s 4 ;0 3 6 9 12 15 1s 21 24 27 30 33 36 3 0 2 4 6 s 10 12 14 16 1s 20 22 24 2 012345678 910 .11 12 1 0l23456789l0ll l2 m T5515 11153421516 BE like resin "EuTe'itende d'. It

contains an array of products from O X 0 through 12 X 12. The system needs to use only two basic switches like to 1A and 1B of FIG. 1, except that switch 1A would have a single movable contact with l3 stationary contacts and switch 18 would have 12 moving contacts each with 13 stationary contacts.

Inspection of Table II reveals that two products have six terminals, one product five terminals, eight with four, one with three, 31 with two and seven with only one contact resulting in a total of 50 contact unions.

FIG. 3 shows the circuit for such a system, involving two basic switches and products through 12 X 12. The two basic switch contacts are symbolized by the switch contacts on the right and designated by an S together with the particular contact union number. As in FIG. 2, many of these contacts are not shown but they should be understood to interconnect each contact union through push button switch, PBS to the power source at B.

In this diagram diodes are not shown but they are understood to be present in the same fashion asin FIG. 2. To read this circuit diagram of FIG. 3 one understands that one diode is connected between L 100 and each of the following contact unions: CU 108, CU l 10, CU 120, CU 121, CU 132 and CU 144. Also a diode connects L to CU 96 and another diode to CU 99. Again two diodes are connected to L9, one of which terminates at CU 49, the other at CU 99; three diodes interconnect L 80, one to CU 81, one to CU 84 and one to CU 88, and soon. In this way, in a manner similar to FIG. 2, one should understand diodes to be connected to the contact unions.

Finally, there are five diodes that are interconnected between contact unions themselves, one between CU and CU 120, one between CU 10 and CU 110 and so on also for the connections shown in FIG..3 at CU 121, CU 132, and CU 144.

It should also be stated that all the contact unions in rectangular boxes in FIG. 3 should be connected through symbolic switches to the power source B. Thus CU 100 and'CU 108 both shown in rectangular boxes should be connected through symbolic contacts S 100 and S 108 (not shown) in order to complete the circuit. Symbolic contacts on the right of FIG. 3 are only shown for 26 unions. Thirty-five unions are not shown connected so as not to clutte'r the diagram.

Let us now define in a more general manner a contact terminal union or simply, a contact union. A contact union is a single contact, or two or more contacts that function for equal output values. These contacts, since they function for the same numerical or alphameric output are interconnected and for this reason are called unions. Furthermore, since contact unions may represent any type of output they are designated with CU numbers or letters. Thus, CU 12, CU 10.5, CU-777, CU 110010, CU 10 +130, etc. are possible output designations. They indicate output contact unions representing information as products, quotients, binary or complex numbers or any other such type of alphanumeric significance that is to be outputted by suitable indicator devices.

It is also noted that contact unions, when they represent products may be referred to as product-representing-terminals .or product-representing-contacts. Finally, since contact unions represent output information they might be referred to as output-representingcontact-terminals or simply output-terminals or outputcontacts.

So far we have described the operation of multiplication. It is equally possible, one can see, that output may be made for the operation of division, (see Table IV),

the operation of changeof base applied to a number set or even for the representing of complex numbers at their operations.

We will refer to this general output as output and understand that it might represent the end result of any methematical operator. Included in such operations are those of finding derivatives and antideviatives and in general, the representing of classes of tensor operators. All such outputs, over a given range of input variables, might be memorized for output by an electrical circuit of this invention. More generally, such circuits are capable of representing and holding in memory any given information which may then be outputted to various types of display or transmitted to various stations.

Inspection of Tables I and II shows that there are three kinds of contact unions: There are contact unions that represent one digit products, contact unions that represent two digit products and contact unions that represent three digit products. Of course, by an extension of Table II to higher products, contact unions may represent products of a greater number of digits.

In the electric circuit, contact unions are connected to some type of indicator, say the filament of an indicating device. In general, each filament or lamp or indicator, whatever is used, may be connected to one contact union without an intervening diode. However, if additional contact unions are connected to an indicator filament an isolation diode is required and one diode, in general, will be required for each additional contact union connected thereto after the first.

Hence a system of output indicators for contact unions that represent a single digit will not require diode isolation when the digit indicator is connected to only one contact union. Contact unions that represent two digits will require, in general, two diodes intermediary between themselves and their filament indicators; and contact unions that represent three digits will require in general, three diodes intermediary between themselves and their lamps or the devices indicating these digits. But to this general rule there are two exceptions:

First, to each indicating lamp or device one contact union may be directly connected without an intermediary isolation diode.

Secondly, a saving may be attained when contact unions representing three (or more) digits are to be connected to two indicating devices (as glow tubes, filaments or lamps) already isolated by the use of two diodes. Then a saving of one diode may be effected by connecting one only diode in series between the three digit contact union and the contact union representative of the two digit product already diode connected to its appropriate indicators.

For example, in FIG. 3, CU 121 need not employ three diodes but only two. One diode for connection between CU 121 and lamp L and another diode for connection between CU 121 and CU 21 already connected to L 20 and L l.

Thus it turns out that isolation diodes between contact unions themselves represent savings in diodes whenever two or more digits in a product are duplicates of products represented by another contact union. We call this diode saving by diode isolation between contact unions in contradistinction to diode saving between a contact union and an indicator clue to the rule of permitting one diode free connection to each indicator device for one contact union.

From these concepts of diode minimization one can calculate the minimum number of diodes D, required for any situation. Referring to the system of Table l and FIG. 2, the minimum number of diodes, D, is equal to two times the number of contact unions representing two digits minus the number of indicators used to represent the second digit. Thus, H

1) 2 x C0 of 2 digi'ifi- [No. of 2nd digit tors] For the system of table II and FIG. 3, formula (1) requires another term to take account of the number of three digit products. Note the third term on the right in the following equation:

D [2 X (CU of 2 digits)] [No. of second digit indicators] {[3 X (CU of 2 digits)] [No. of third digit indicators] [No. of diodes connected between contact unions]} It should be clear how the system may be extended to products of any numbers of digits. As one goes to indicasystem containing products of four or more digits more terms are added to equation (2).

Turning now to FIG. 4, multiplication is shown where more than two basic switches are in use and in a counting system of base four. It is seen that the stationary contacts of

switch

48, 4D and 4F provide product- 'representing-terminals, which for equal products are to be interconnected, and are then to be diode connected, where necessary into digit indicating devices shown from L through L 1000. The bracket and arrows at 4000 shown directed to the current isolation devices (diodes) at 4100 indicate the selective connections between the contact unions and the diodes similar to the system described for FIGS. 1, 2, and 3. Brackets and dotted lines at 4200 from 4100 represent, symbolically, the circuit connections to the indicating devices. Bracket 4300 indicates the possibility of increasing the number of indication lamps for an expanded system.

Further, the stationary contacts of switch 1A will represent all the multipliers shown in the row, 0 to 1001, directly below the product array of Table III and the column to the right of the array of Table 111 from 1 to 001 will then represent the multipliers of these multiplicands.

It turns out that the same rules for diode utilization and savings comes into play and that the number of diodes required for use with Table III is the same as described for Table 1.

It should be evident then that FIG. 2, mutatis mutandis, also represents the general plan of circuit connections for the binary multiplication of Table III. In binary multiplication, the contact union values are the product numbers shown in Table 111. Furthermore, the output indicators L 0 to L 9 and L 10 to L 80 of FIG. 2 will be replaced with seven binary indicating lamps, L1 through L 10 (such as are also shown in FIG. 5).

TABLE III The basic sw itches sii6vfiii'' 4';&{4c and-4F 1655 a circuit for converting nuiriii ifeni deci an additional stationary contact at X, so that electric power from source B, may be connected into higher basic switches of the circuit as shown. For example, if it is desired to multiply 6 X 7 in base four, switch 4C and 4D will be activated when switch 4A is turned to its X position. Then the multiplicand l2 and multiplier 13 are turned to select CU 222 from which contact union, current will flow to indicator lamps L 200, L 20 and L 2. Note that multiplicands and multipliers are shown in parentheses for decimal notation but without parentheses for base four notation.

The column and row representing the multiplicand and multiplier shown to the right and below switch 48 may be used conveniently for the dial position designations of basic switches 4A and 48; so also in the case of row and column shown for switch 4D, these may be used to designate dial positions for basic switches 4C and 4D.

It is readily seen that all contacts of switch 4D could have been provided on an expanded switch 48 and switch 4A could contain switch 4C. However this circuit is presented to exemplify the method for interconnecting any number of these basic switches.

Table III shows how FIG. 1 may be adapted to binary multiplication. This Table shows binary products from 0 X 0 to 1001 X 1001, or, in decimal notation, to 9 X 9. Columns to the right and below the array of products in Table III contain both decimal and binary values of multiplicand and multiplier. It should be understood, then, that the 9 X 10 number array of Table III is to be referred to the 9 X 10 array of stationary contacts of switch 18 of FIG. 1, just as was done for Table I.

mal to binary. The circuit is somewhat similar to that of FIG. 1. Switch 58 is shown as a 10 position 11 section device containing 1 10 stationary contacts.

The stationary contacts of basic switchSA, shown with decimal values inscribed and the switch positions of 5B shown below the switch also in decimal notation may be inscribed, conveniently, upon the respective switch dials.

It may be observed that the stationary contacts of 58 represent all binary numbers corresponding to all the decimal integers from zero to 110. It should also be noted that the decimal number which is the sum of the dial positions of 5A and 58 corresponds to the binary number inscribed in 58 and indexed by 5A and 5B positions. Hence to operate the instrument one must add the dial position numbers of the basic switches.

Binary indicator devices, seven in number, shown from L 1 through L 10 (L 1000000) suffice to represent all binary numbers shown in switch 5B. At 5000 in FIG. 5, dotted lines and bracket together with arrow and broken line at 5001 serve to indicate connections between the stationary contacts of switch 58 and appropriate indicator lamps. The required isolation diodes, as previously taught, may represent a substantial diode saving. It will be noted that none of the stationary contacts of 5B are duplicated, hence they are not interconnected. However, we will continue to call these stationary contacts contact unions.

The diode savings in this arrangement is accom plished by connecting the diodes between the contact unions themselves. This is a significant diode saving since we find a large number of duplicated digits among the 110 binary numbers.

An example will suffice to show the scheme. CU l is directly connected to L 1. Then CU 11, CU 101, CU 111, CU1001, CU 1111, CU 10101, CU 11001, CU 110001 and CU 1001, 1010001 are connected through one diode each to L 1. But after this CU 111111 may be connected through a diode to CU 111, CU 11011 and CU 100011 may be connected each through a diode to CU 11, and finally CU 101101 may be connected through a diode to CU 101. This is one of various possible patterns of connecting the circuit to lamp L 1.

As in previously described circuits, power source B, power switch BS, and push button switch PBS are shown; likewise electrical connections between the stationary contacts of A and the movable contacts of 5B are employed as shown.

FIG. 6 shows how the method of this invention may be extended into a general system of memory, i.e., information storage with read-out capability that may be varied almost indefinitely. One may note that the array of stationary contacts on switch 58 of FIG. 5, represents information storage, as it were, for l 10 different pieces of information. One might view this as a twodimensional array of memory.

In FIG. 6 we have extended the method to what might be described as a three-dimensional memory array.

It will be noted in FIG. 6 that basic switches 6A, 6B, and'6C1 up to 6CN are shown as having indefinite size. Thus basic switch 6A is shown with 3 dots between the second and last stationary contacts as having an indefinite number of stationary contacts. This is also indicated for the other basic switches. Furthermore basic switch 6B is shown with 3 dots between the second and last movable contact as having an indefinite number of movable contact rows. This is likewise indicated for the 6C1 to 6CN basic switches which basic switches by the same dot symbolism are indicated to be indefinite in number, the last of these basic switches being 6CN.

The interconnections between basic switches is merely symbolic in FIG. 6. Thus the brackets at 6000 interconnected by a dashed line indicate the same kind of a connection as shown in FIG. 1 between basic switches 1A and 1B.

In similarfashion the double brackets connected by dashed lines 6100 indicate connections between the stationary contacts of basic switch 63 and the movable contacts of switches 6C1 through 6CN, as shown.

It will be seen, then, that basic switch 68 is a selector switch, as is 6A and that the series of switches 6C1 through 6CN are information storage switches. Thus each stationary contact of each of 6C1 through 6CN is available for representing information which may be numeric, alphabetic or alphanumeric.

Bracket 6500 indicates connections from the information representing contacts of switches 6C 1 through 6CN into unit 6700 which is representative of the current isolation devices required so that the information indicating devices at 6800 may be fiducially operated. Battery or power, source at B, power switch PB, and push button switch PBS (if desired) are connected between the moving contact of basic switch 6A and the information indicating devices at 6800.

It is evident that the system so far described might be extended to a larger number of basic switches that are purely selective, which in turn would extend the number of basic switches with terminals available for information storage. These latter switches might be termed information-storage switches in counter distinction to selector switches which are purely selective as switch 6A and 6B in FIG. 6.

Thus, it comes about that the information-storage switches are indexed by the selector switches together with the position of an information-storage switch itself.

This invention, therefore, makes it possible both to store and to index information. One may look upon the stationary contacts of the storage switches as containing information-stored-for-output since these terminals are wired to display that information; or, one may consider the electric paths of these multiple circuit systems as memorizing or representing fixed, determined information which may, then, be recalled for display through the variety of indicating devices which have been described. 1

Having presented my invention, what I claim is:

1. In an electric product indicating network for obtaining products of multiplicands and multipliers, comprising:

a. a first basic switch member having one movable contact and several stationary contacts,

b. a second basic switch member having several movable contacts each connected to one of the stationary contacts of said first basic switch member,

c. said second basicswitch member having one or more stationary contacts for each of its said moving contacts, these said stationary contacts of each said moving contact being product-representingterminals for the two positions of the said first and said second basic switch members.

(1. a source of electric power,

e. product indicating devices forrepresenting numerical digits each having two electric connections,

f. electric current isolation devices;

g. said product representing terminals that represent the same product being interconnected to form contact unions, said product-representing terminals that represent unique products also being called contact unions,

" h. one said'current isolation device being interconnected between each said product indicating device and each saidcontact union,

. permitting, however, one such said connection to each of all said product indicating devices to be directly connected without an intervening said current isolation device,

3'. said source of electric power being connected to said single moving contact of said first basic switch member and to the second of the two said electric connections of each of said'product indicating devices.

2. In an electric network according tov claim 1,

a. said electric current isolation devices being diodes,

sented by positions of said first and said second basic switch members.

3. In an electric product indicating network according to claim 1,

a. said product indicating devices being electric lamp devices,

b. said electric current isolation devices being electric diodes,

c. said electric power being a direct current source,

(1. said lamp devices being sufficient to represent all digits in all the products corresponding to all the positions of said basic switch members,

e. one of said diodes being connected, as has been said, for each said digit of the product represented by each said contact union between that contact unit and the said electric lamp device,

1. permitting, however, as said, one connection to each of all electric lamp devices to be directly connected without an intervening diode device,

2-. and permitting also in the case of more than a first connected Contact union to a pair of indicating lamps, one said diode only in the same fashion of (2) above 3. and permitting also, in the case of more than one contact union representing the same three digits the use of one only diode in the same fashion of (2) above and so on in the case of contact unions that represent the same four digits or higher number of identical digits.

4. In a mathematical operation indicating network,

a. basic switch members,

b. a first basic switch member having one movable contact and a number of stationary contacts equal to the base of the number system in which outputs are represented,

c. a second basic switch member having a number of movable contacts equal to the base of the number systems in which outputs are represented, and each said movable contact of said second basic switch member having a set of stationary contacts,

d. said stationarycontacts of said first basic switch member being connected to the movable contacts of said second basic switch member,

e. a source of electric power with two power terminals,

ri aiiifiidvaai"ebmacfirfiit'fiasi switch member being connected to one of two said power terminals of said source of electric power,

g. said stationary contacts of said second basic switch being output-representing-contact-terminals,

h. said output-representing-contact-terminals that represent equal outputs being interconnected one to another to form contact unions,

i. positions of said basic switches being input factors for said mathematical operation indication network, I

j. output indicating devices capable of indicating all possible digits in said number system, and alphamerics for all outputs represented by said contact unions,

k. said output-representing-contact terminals that represent unique output also being called contact unions,

1. diode devices,

' m. one said diode device being interconnected between each said output indicating device and said contact union,

n. permitting, however, one such said connectionto each of all said output indicating devices to be directly connected without an intervening said diode,

0. said output indicating devices being connected to said second power terminal of said source of electric power.

5. In a mathematical operation indicating network as described in claim 4,

a. said first basic switch member having a number of stationary contacts in excess of the number required to represent the base system employed,

b. said second basic switch member having a number of movable contacts equal to the number of stationary contacts of said first basic switch member, and interconnected to said stationary contacts of said first basic switch member,

c. each said movable contact of said second basic switch member having a number of stationary contacts equal to the number of outputs to be represented by said movable contact of said second basic switch member.

6. In a mathematical operation indicating network as described in claim 4,

a. a third basic switch member,

b. said first basic switch member having one additional stationary contact not connected to a movable contact of said second basic switch member,

c. said third basic switch member having one movable contact and a number of stationary contacts,

described in claim 4,

5. a third a nd a fourth basic switch member, 7'

b. said first basic switch member having one additional stationary contact,

c. said third basic switch member having one movable contact and a plurality of stationary contacts,

d. said plurality of stationary contacts of said third basic switch member being connected to movable contacts of said fourth basic switch member,

c. said movable contacts of said fourth basic switch member having stationary contacts each of which is an output-representing-contact terminal,

f. said movable contact of said third basic switch member being connected to said additional stationary contact of said first basic switch member.

7 8 In a mathematical operation indicating network as described in claim 4,

a. said output indicating devices being lamps representing a decimal point or other base system points. 9. In a mathematical operation indicating n etwork as described in claim 4,

a. a power switch in series with power source and said output indicating devices,

b. a push button switch in series with said power source and said output indicating devices.

10. In combination, in an information storage and read-out electrical network,

a. basic switch members,

b. output indicating devices,

c. electric current isolation devices,

d. a source of electric power,

e. a first basic switch member having one movable contact and a number of stationary contacts,

f. a second basic switch member having a number of movable contacts and these said movable contacts being each connected to a stationary contact of said first basic switch member and said movable contacts of said second basic switch member each having a set of stationary contacts,

g. a third basic switch member having a number of movable contacts and each having a set of stationary contacts and each said movable contact of third basic switch member being connected to a said set of stationary contacts of said second basic switch member,

h. a fourth and a higher number of basic switch members each having a number of movable contacts and each said movable contact having its own set of stationary contacts and each said movable 'adiiaei'arsaid foiiitfand said higher number of basic switch members being connected to a said set of stationary contacts of said second basic switch member,

. said higher number of basic switch members associated in said electric network being sufficient in number so that all said sets of said stationary contacts of said second basic switch member may be connected to a said higher basic switch member in the manner of said third basic switch member,

j said stationary contacts of said third and said higher said output contact terminals that represent unique storage information for output also being called contact unions,

0. one-said electric current isolation device being interconnected between each said output indicating device I p. permitting, however, one such said connection to each of all said output indicating devices to be directly connected without an intervening said electric current isolation device,

q. said source of electric power being interconnected between said movable contact of said first basic switch member and said output indicating devices.

11. In an information storage and read-out network as described in claim 10,

a. said output indicating devices being magnetic tapes. 7 12. In an information storage and read-out network as described in claim 10,

a. said output indicating devices being sound production devices.

i ll a:

Claims

1. In an electric product indicating network for obtaining products of multiplicands and multipliers, comprising: a. a first basic switch member having one movable contact and several stationary contacts, b. a second basic switch member having several movable contacts each connected to one of the stationary contacts of said first basic switch member, c. said second basic switch member having one or more stationary contacts for each of its said moving contacts, these said stationary contacts of each said moving contact being productrepresenting-terminals for the two positions of the said first and said second basic switch members. d. a source of electric power, e. product indicating devices for representing numerical digits each having two electric connections, f. electric current isolation devices;, g. said product representing terminals that represent the same product being interconnected to form contact unions, said product-representing terminals that represent unique products also being called contact unions, h. one said current isolation device being interconnected between each said product indicating device and each said contact union, i. permitting, however, one such said connection to each of all said product indicating devices to be directly connected without an intervening said current isolation device, j. said source of electric power being connected to said single moving contact of said first basic switch member and to the second of the two said electric and to the second of the two said electric connections of each of said product indicating devices.

2. In an electric network according to claim 1, a. said electric current isolation devices being diodes, b. said source of electric power being a direct current source, c. said product representing devices being electric lamps, there being one lamp for each said digit that can appear in said products of numbers represented by positions of said first and said second basic switch members.

2. and permitting also in the case of more than a first connected contact union to a pair of indicating lamps, one said diode only in the same fashion of (2) above

3. and permitting also, in the case of more than one contact union representing the same three digits the use of one only diode in the same fashion of (2) above and so on in the case of contact unions that represent the same four digits or higher number of identical digits.

3. In an electric product indicating network according to claim 1, a. said product indicating devices being electric lamp devices, b. said electric current isolation devices being electric diodes, c. said electric power being a direct current source, d. said lamp devices being sufficient to represent all digits in all the products corresponding to all the positions of said basic switch members, e. one of said diodes being connected, as has been said, for each said digit of the product represented by each said contact union between that contact unit and the said electric lamp device,

4. In a mathematical operation indicating network, a. basic switch members, b. a first basic switch member having one movable contact and a number of stationary contacts equal to the base of the number system in which outputs are represented, c. a second basic switch member having a number of movable contacts equal to the base of the number systems in which outputs are represented, and each said movable contact of said second basic switch member having a set of stationary contacts, d. said stationary contacts of said first basic switch member being connected to the movable contacts of said second basic switch member, e. a source of electric power with two power terminals, f. said movable contact of first basic switch member being connected to one of two said power terminals of said source of electric power, g. said stationary contacts of said second basic switch being output-representing-contact-terminals, h. said output-representing-contact-terminals that represent equal outputs being interconnected one to another to form contact unions, i. positions of said basic switches being input factors for said mathematical operation indication network, j. output indicating devices capable of indicating all possible digits in said number system, and alphamerics for all outputs represented by said contact unions, k. said output-representing-contact terminals that represent unique output also being called contact unions, l. diode devices, m. one said diode device being interconnected between each said output indicating device and said contact union, n. permitting, however, one such said connection to each of all said output indicating devices to be directly connected without an intervening said diode, o. said output indicating devices being connected to said second power terminal of said source of electric power.

5. In a mathematical operation iNdicating network as described in claim 4, a. said first basic switch member having a number of stationary contacts in excess of the number required to represent the base system employed, b. said second basic switch member having a number of movable contacts equal to the number of stationary contacts of said first basic switch member, and interconnected to said stationary contacts of said first basic switch member, c. each said movable contact of said second basic switch member having a number of stationary contacts equal to the number of outputs to be represented by said movable contact of said second basic switch member.

6. In a mathematical operation indicating network as described in claim 4, a. a third basic switch member, b. said first basic switch member having one additional stationary contact not connected to a movable contact of said second basic switch member, c. said third basic switch member having one movable contact and a number of stationary contacts, d. said stationary contacts of said third basic switch member being connected each to an additional movable contact on said second basic switch member, e. each said additional movable contact of said second basic switch member having stationary contacts which are output-representing-contact terminals, f. said movable contact of said third basic switch member being connected to said additional stationary contact of said first basic switch member.

7. In a mathematical operation, indicating network as described in claim 4, a. a third and a fourth basic switch member, b. said first basic switch member having one additional stationary contact, c. said third basic switch member having one movable contact and a plurality of stationary contacts, d. said plurality of stationary contacts of said third basic switch member being connected to movable contacts of said fourth basic switch member, e. said movable contacts of said fourth basic switch member having stationary contacts each of which is an output-representing-contact terminal, f. said movable contact of said third basic switch member being connected to said additional stationary contact of said first basic switch member.

8. In a mathematical operation indicating network as described in claim 4, a. said output indicating devices being lamps representing a decimal point or other base system points.

9. In a mathematical operation indicating network as described in claim 4, a. a power switch in series with power source and said output indicating devices, b. a push button switch in series with said power source and said output indicating devices.

10. In combination, in an information storage and read-out electrical network, a. basic switch members, b. output indicating devices, c. electric current isolation devices, d. a source of electric power, e. a first basic switch member having one movable contact and a number of stationary contacts, f. a second basic switch member having a number of movable contacts and these said movable contacts being each connected to a stationary contact of said first basic switch member and said movable contacts of said second basic switch member each having a set of stationary contacts, g. a third basic switch member having a number of movable contacts and each having a set of stationary contacts and each said movable contact of third basic switch member being connected to a said set of stationary contacts of said second basic switch member, h. a fourth and a higher number of basic switch members each having a number of movable contacts and each said movable contact having its own set of stationary contacts and each said movable contact of said fourth and said higher number of basic switch members being connected to a said set of stationary contacts of said second basic switch member, i. said higher number of basic switch members associated in said electric network being sufficient in nUmber so that all said sets of said stationary contacts of said second basic switch member may be connected to a said higher basic switch member in the manner of said third basic switch member, j. said stationary contacts of said third and said higher basic switch members being output contact terminals representing storage information for output, k. said output contact terminals representing storage information for output being interconnected to form contact unions whenever two or more such said contact terminals represent the same storage information, l. positions of said basic switches being index positions for retrieval and read-out of said storage information, m. said output indicating devices being capable of representing all possible alphanumerics and symbols required to represent all said storage information represented by said output contact terminals, n. said output contact terminals that represent unique storage information for output also being called contact unions, o. one said electric current isolation device being interconnected between each said output indicating device p. permitting, however, one such said connection to each of all said output indicating devices to be directly connected without an intervening said electric current isolation device, q. said source of electric power being interconnected between said movable contact of said first basic switch member and said output indicating devices.

11. In an information storage and read-out network as described in claim 10, a. said output indicating devices being magnetic tapes.

12. In an information storage and read-out network as described in claim 10, a. said output indicating devices being sound production devices.