U.S. patent number 3,710,137 [Application Number 05/061,732] was granted by the patent office on 1973-01-09 for control system and method.
Invention is credited to Albert Lee Stephens, Jr..
United States Patent |
3,710,137 |
Stephens, Jr. |
January 9, 1973 |
CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD
Abstract
An electrical apparatus for making a plurality of electrical
contacts selectively in succession and momentarily or for
predetermined and lengthy time intervals is disclosed. The
apparatus is so arranged that these contacts may be made by a card
that can be punched or merely indented to select the time and
service desired.
Inventors: |
Stephens, Jr.; Albert Lee (Los
Angeles County, CA) |
Family
ID: |
22037759 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/061,732 |
Filed: |
August 6, 1970 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
|
534090 |
Mar 14, 1966 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
307/141; 307/115;
439/43; 968/596; 200/46; 361/166 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G04C
21/28 (20130101); G06K 7/06 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G06K
7/06 (20060101); G04C 21/28 (20060101); G04C
21/00 (20060101); H01h 043/08 () |
Field of
Search: |
;200/46 ;307/115,141
;317/139 ;339/17M,18C,18P |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Schaefer; Robert K.
Assistant Examiner: Smith; William J.
Parent Case Text
This application is a continuation-in-part of copending
application, Ser. No. 534,090, filed Mar. 14, 1966, by the inventor
hereof for Control System And Method. The benefit of the filing
date of said copending application is therefore hereby claimed for
this application as to subject matter common to both of said
applications.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. The method of making a card for actuating a control mechanism,
said method comprising the steps of: placing a card having
conductive strips over perforations onto a body having depressions
in registry with said perforations; and pressing the point of a
stylus through a perforation to place a portion of the strip
associated with said perforation into one of said depressions.
2. Control apparatus comprising: a clock motor; a wheel and a
commutator for each half-hour driven by said motor; a day clock
commutator driven by said half-hour commutator; a tuner drive
mechanism; a series of corresponding conductors connected to said
commutators and to said tuner drive mechanism; means for
interconnecting one of each of said series of conductors; a
solenoid connected to be energized momentarily when said wheel
rotates through one-half hour intervals; means including said day
clock commutator to keep said solenoid energized when a program has
been selected; and means to de-energize said solenoid when the
channel is selected.
3. Control apparatus comprising: a first grid of parallel
conductors; a second grid of parallel conductors extending
transversely across said first grid; and means to connect selected
ones of said first grid conductors to said second grid conductors,
said means including permanently formed indentations in said first
grid conductors, thereby establishing a fixed matrix of
predetermined interconnections.
4. Control apparatus for equipment having a tuner, comprising: a
clock motor; a wheel and a commutator for each half-hour driven by
said motor; a stepping motor energized in response to movement of
said half-hour commutator; a day clock commutator driven by said
stepping motor; tuner drive mechanism; a series of corresponding
conductors connected to said commutators and to said tuner drive
mechanism; means for interconnecting one of each of said series of
conductors; a solenoid connected to be energized momentarily when
said wheel rotates through one-half hour intervals; means including
said day clock commutator to keep said solenoid energized when a
program has been selected; and means to de-energize said solenoid
when the channel is selected.
5. Control apparatus comprising: a clock motor, a wheel and a
commutator for each of a plurality of first time periods driven by
said motor, a second commutator driven by said first time
commutator, said second commutator being driven such as to rotate
in a second period equal to the sum of said plurality of first
periods; a tuner drive mechanism; a series of corresponding
conductors connected to said commutators and to said tuner drive
mechanism; means for interconnecting one of each of said series of
conductors; a solenoid connected to be energized momentarily when
said wheel rotates through said first time period intervals; means
including said second commutator to keep said solenoid energized
when a program has been selected; and means to de-energize said
solenoid when the channel is selected.
6. Control apparatus for equipment having a tuner, comprising: a
clock motor; a wheel and a first commutator for each of a plurality
of first time periods driven by said motor; a stepping motor
energized in response to movement of said first commutator; a
second commutator driven by said stepping motor to rotate in a
second time period longer than said first time period; tuner drive
mechanism; a series of corresponding conductors connected to said
commutators and to said tuner drive mechanism; means for
interconnecting one of each of said series of conductors; a
solenoid connected to be energized momentarily when said wheel
rotates through said first time period; means including said second
commutator to keep said solenoid energized when a program has been
selected; and means to de-energize said solenoid when the channel
is selected.
Description
There is a great need for an automatic timing device that will
project the matter of timing as to future events, be they
television or radio, water sprinkling or opening and locking
buildings, and a great many other projections in the future, by a
simple automatic system in which the matters may be projected for a
future date and time at which the event is to occur.
To meet this need, the inventor has invented an electrical
apparatus coordinated, if desired, with a card-punching system that
can project timely events in the future, specifically over periods
of weeks or months or days, hours and minutes. More particularly,
this invention relates to a method and device for making a
plurality of electric contacts selectively in succession and
momentarily or for predetermined and lengthy time intervals,
depending on the purpose, and arranging that these contacts may be
made by a card that can be punched or merely indented to select the
time and service desired.
Thus, this invention will enable a person to select television or
radio programs at the beginning of the week, leaving to the
mechanism the matter of station selection and turning the
television or radio on and off at the time scheduled. It would also
enable turning tape recorders on and off to record such programs at
specific times and to turn video tape recordings on and off to
record and copy the programs for an entire day, month or year, and
to set any copying device for the same period. It would also
provide a timing device for cameras for taking pictures. It could
have many military uses which would suggest themselves to persons
concerned with such matters.
As a further and advantageous use of the subject invention, the
viewing of television programs can be monitored relatively simply
and inexpensively for "rating" purposes. That is, through the
practice of this invention, the channels viewed and the time of
viewing, both as to day and hour and length of time viewed, can be
readily determined for a selected set or sets of viewers, and the
results collated to provide the statistical rating for programs,
channels and networks, as desired.
As an illustration of a still further practical utilization of the
present invention, many types of electrical equipment can be easily
and quickly tested to determine if properly wired. For example,
certain kinds of electrical circuit apparatus include a large
number of interconnected parts, and conventional manufacturing
testing techniques are relatively difficult and time consuming for
such apparatus. The present invention, however, offers a means for
determining the correctness of electrical wiring and
interconnections of even relatively complex equipment, and which
means is readily modifiable to permit testing of equipment of
radically different circuit form.
Although the system of the present invention will have applications
other than those disclosed herein and should not therefore be
limited to those so disclosed, the invention has been found to
possess exceptional utility in the automatic tuning of a television
receiver.
In application to a television receiver, it will function to turn
the receiver on and to select the desired channel at the appointed
time and turn the receiver off at the conclusion of the selected
program. The programs may be selected for a week or longer in
advance and the device then locked. If the channel selector of the
television set is electrically operated, the act of locking the
device described may also disconnect the power supply to any manual
electrically operated channel selector. Or the channel selector may
be located next to the device described and under the lid. This
makes it possible to pre-select programs suitable for children and
impossible for the child to change the selection or enlarge the
time during which television programs may be watched.
If not locked, programs may be manually changed or selected at all
times when the automatic mechanism is not momentarily in actual
operation. The selection of programs need not be in any time
sequence. The first schedules in time may be the last to be
indicated on the selector mechanism. The selections may be made in
any order without affecting the proper sequence of their
presentation to the viewer.
Prior art automatic devices for tuning radio and television sets
are relatively difficult to operate and complicated in
construction. Further, they provide no easily actuable device to
control a receiver for an entire day or for an entire week
according to a preselected program sequence.
In accordance with the device of the present invention, the above
described and other disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by
providing an electric motor having an output shaft fixed to a
tuner. A plurality of switches with a detector for opening and
closing selective ones of the switches responsive to perforations
or indentations in a card are provided. A plurality of input
conductors are connected to corresponding ones of the switches.
Clock means are provided to supply an actuating voltage to each of
the input conductors in succession. A plurality of output
conductors are connected from corresponding ones of the switches. A
motor control device for energizing the motor is also provided so
that the motor is energized in such a manner to tune the receiver
to a single radio frequency corresponding to the one of the said
output conductors to which the actuating voltage is applied.
According to another feature of the invention, a selector mechanism
is provided including a housing having a plurality of conductive
strips in a predetermined position thereacross. A lid to place a
card against the conductors is also provided. A card fits on top of
the conductors beneath the lid. The card is composed of a top
non-conductive layer to which is affixed a plurality of conductive
strips over which is affixed a non-conductive layer containing
perforations spaced along the lines of and directly over the
conductive strips. The card and a conductive strip are deformed
through the sheet perforations at a plurality of positions along at
least one conductive strip.
According to another outstanding feature of the present invention,
a clock motor is provided with a wheel. A projection is provided on
the wheel also. A solenoid having a spring biased projection at one
end of its armature is provided. This projection is referred to
herein as a leaf spring for convenience and ease in understanding
the operation of the invention. A pair of normally open contacts
are carried by the leaf spring. The contacts referred to should be
designed to have a snap closed and open action such as is provided
by a micro switch. Means are then provided to energize the solenoid
to withdraw the leaf spring from the projection when the contacts
are closed by the projection. According to this feature of the
present invention, a day clock commutator is provided with a
one-half hour commutator. The tuner drive has a mechanism. A series
of corresponding conductors are connected to the commutators and to
the tuner drive mechanism. Means are then provided to interconnect
one of each series of conductors. The solenoid is used as before to
energize momentarily when the wheel rotates through an interval
equal to one-half hour. Means are also provided to keep the
solenoid energized when a program has been selected. Further means
are provided to de-energize the solenoid when a selected television
receiver channel is tuned in.
According to another feature of the present invention, an actuating
card is made by placing a card having conductive strips over
perforations over a body having depressions at the perforations.
The point of a stylus is then pressed through a perforation to
place a portion of a strip through a corresponding perforation and
into one of the depressions.
Along this same line, the control card may have a plurality of
conductive strips fixed to a sheet having perforations therein so
that the strips overlie rows of corresponding perforations or holes
in the sheet.
The above-described and other advantages of the present invention
will be better understood from the following description when
considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.
In the drawings, where are to be regarded as merely
illustrative:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a control arrangement constructed
in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of a card employed with the
arrangement shown in FIG. 1 showing perforations;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a portion of a laminated card taken
on the line 3--3 shown in FIG. 2; arrows indicate direction of
view;
FIG. 4 is another sectional view through the card and certain
apparatus shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the arrangement shown in FIG. 1
with the lid of the box open;
FIG. 6 is a diagramatic view of the control system of the present
invention;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the
invention;
FIG. 8 is a top plan view of one of a series of three pins which
are employed with the embodiment shown in FIG. 7;
FIG. 9 is a longitudinal view of the pin taken on the line 9--9
shown in FIG. 8;
FIG. 10 is an enlarged sectional view of the embodiment shown in
FIG. 7 with one pin inserted therein;
FIGS. 11, 12 and 13 are diagramatic views of alternative
embodiments of the present invention;
FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a control card employed with
another embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a control housing for use with the
card of FIG. 14;
FIG. 16 is a sectional view of the card shown in FIG. 14;
FIG. 17 is a sectional view of the card of FIG. 14 demonstrating
how it is used; and
FIG. 18 is a sectional view of a card which may be used in lieu of
the card of FIG. 14.
An arrangement 10 is shown in FIG. 1 having a lead-in cable 11 to a
box or housing 12. Housing 12 has a lid 13 which has slight
depressions 14, therein. It is covered by a perforate template 13'.
Lid 13 may be locked at 13". Template 13' has holes 14' which are
in registry with depressions 14.
A card 15 is shown in FIG. 2. Depressions in card 15 are made as
indicated in FIG. 4, causing a metallic strip in the card to be
deformed to protrude through perforations in the card. The card is
then used between box lid 13 and box 12 to contact certain
conductive strips to be described.
Although card 15 may be made solely of two layers, it is shown
having three layers in FIGS. 3 and 4. Card 15 has an upper layer
which may be used for advertising matter.
Card 15 as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 is a laminated affair having
an upper non-conductive layer 18, an intermediate layer of spaced
conductive strips 19 and a lower non-conductive layer 20 which has
perforations 21 therein. The spaced conductive strips in the card
and the spaced conductive strips shown in FIG. 7 as 105 may both be
referred to as the top grid.
As shown in FIG. 4, conductive strip 19 is bent out of shape and
protrudes at 22 through a hole in non-conductive sheet 20. The
protrusion is produced by the use of a stylus 17.
Template 13' has holes in registry with depressions 14 in lid 13.
Template 13' therefore guides stylus 17 through layer 18 and a
conductive strip 19, and through a perforation 21 into a
corresponding depression 14.
No indentation is shown in any strip 19 in FIG. 3. In other words,
FIG. 3 is a showing prior to the time indentations are made in
strip 19 as in FIG. 4.
According to the specific embodiment selected, three such
protrusions 22 must be provided on the same strip in the card
15.
As shown in FIG. 5, housing 12 has a series of conductive strips 23
which are connected to a mechanism inside housing 12, as will be
explained. If desired, a sufficient number of strips 24 may be
provided for each day of the week or for a longer period of time,
as will be explained. A second set of strips 25 may be provided to
indicate which channel on a television receiver could be selected.
For this reason, if desired, the number of strips 25 may be equal
to the number of television channels available for reception. The
remainder of the strips 26 on the exterior of housing 12 may be
equal in number to 48 to correspond to the forty-eight one-half
hours in each day. Alternatively, the number of strips 26 may be
sufficient only for the hour and one-half hours between 8:00
o'clock in the morning and 11:00 o'clock at night, if desired. They
may be divided, as shown, to provide for an on the hour group and
an on the half hour group selection, one group above the other. The
conductive strips 24, 25 and 26 may be referred to as the lower
grid.
As stated previously, a card 15 to be used must have three
conductive projections such as projection 22 for a single strip to
energize the control system for one television program at one
particular time of the day, at one particular time during the week,
and on one particular channel.
As shown in FIG. 6, a conductive strip 27 is provided to
demonstrate how the system operates. Only one conductive strip 27
is shown in FIG. 6. However, note will be taken that a conductive
strip 27 must be provided for each program selected. Conductive
strip strip 27 is formed as one of several conductive strips which
may be formed in card 15. It has depressions 22', 22" and 22'".
A television tuner is indicated at 28. Tuner 28 is driven by a
tuner drive mechanism 29. The television set has a bipolar relay
switch 30 which has two input leads 31 and 32. When input lead 31
receives a signal, the television set is turned on. When the switch
30 receives a signal on lead 32, the television receiver is turned
off.
The system has a clock 33 which makes one rotation every 24 hours.
It is called a one-half hour clock both to distinguish it from what
is called the day clock, to be described later, and because it
changes certain electrical contacts each one-half hour of the day.
This clock is driven by a synchronous motor 34. Motor 34 drives a
wheel 35 which has projections 36 and 37 thereon. The system has a
solenoid 38 with an armature 39 and a coil 40. Armature 39 has a
leaf spring 41 at the end thereof to be engaged by projections 36
and 37 on wheel 35. It is the engagement of one of the projections
36 and 37 on wheel 35 with leaf spring 41 which, in fact, initiates
a television program or turns the set off through switch 30. When
projection 37 moves leaf spring 41, contact 42 engages a conductive
arm 44 which is connected to a power supply via lead 45. When
contact 42 engages arm 44, solenoid 38 is immediately energized and
draws a pole 46, which is connected to a power supply via lead 45
against a contact 47. Solenoid 38 is energized from a circuit
through the power supply via arm 44 through contact 42 which leads
to one side of the winding of solenoid 38, the other end of winding
40 being connected to common power supply lead 46.
Energization of solenoid 38 retracts armature 39 so that leaf
spring 41 likewise is drawn downwardly as viewed in FIG. 6. This
pulls leaf spring 41 away from projection 37 and causes it to snap
back behind it. In this case, contacts 42 and 43 are broken.
Although one side of solenoid winding 40 no longer receives power
through contact 42 solenoid 38 is continued to be energized through
a normally open contact 48 which is engaged by a pole 49 of a relay
50. One side of the winding of relay 50 is connected to the common
power supply lead 46 at 51. The other side of the winding of relay
50 is connected to a brush contact 52 via a lead 53.
Part of the tuner drive mechanism 54 has an inner conductive disc
55 and an outer conductive ring 56 which are spaced by an
insulating ring 57. Rings 55, 56 and 57 are joined together to form
a unitary structure and as such are driven together by motor 29.
Disc 56 has a notch 58. Motor 29 drives discs 55 and 56 until any
one of a plurality of contacts 59 reside in notch 58 and lead 53 is
not connected through ring 56 with a conductive power carrying
brush contact 59. Brush contacts 59 are flexible so that the ones
not carrying power can go into notch 58 and out again until notch
58 picks out the power carrying contact 59.
As shown in FIG. 6, a contact corresponding to metal strip
depression 22"' is the only contact which receives electrical
power. Motor 29 will then not drive discs 55 and 56 and they will
remain stationary and solenoid 38 and relay 50 will both be
de-energized instantaneously. Motor 29 may be driven continuously
or may be a stepping switch or stepping motor of the type described
in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,501,950 and 2,932,812. Should notch 58 be in a
different position from that shown in FIG. 6, motor 29 will drive
discs 55 and 56 until contact 59 becomes in alignment with notch
58. When no such alignment exists, relay 50 is energized and
contact 48 thereof is closed to pole 49. This keeps solenoid 38
energized through contact 48, arm 49 and through a day clock
60.
Arm 49 of relay 50 receives power incoming from power supply lead
45 through day clock 60. The appropriate brush 59 receives power
from power line lead 45 through a metal strip depression 22". This
power is transmitted through contact 47 through a lead 61 through a
wiper 62 on a one-half hour clock 63.
As stated previously, wheel 35 and one-half hour clock are driven
synchronously by clock motor 34. Day clock 60 is driven in a step
fashion by a stepping motor 64 every 24 hours.
To operate day clock 60, a solenoid 65 similar to solenoid 38 is
employed. It has an armature 66 and a winding 67.
One-half hour clock 63 has an arm 68 which closes a contact 69 to a
pole 70. Solenoid 65 is then energized and the momentary contact of
contact 69 with arm 70 advances day clock 60 one day. The contact
is only momentary because solenoid 65 pulls a leaf spring 71 away
from projection 68 and leaf spring 71 snaps back to the open
position between contact 69 and arm 70. Day clock 60 has a wiper 72
that engages contact 73. Like brush contacts 74 are provided to
contact a projection 75 on disc 55. Brush contacts 74 do not
contact ring 56. Wiper 76 contacts disc 55 but does not contact
ring 56.
Tuner drive motor 29 is connected to power supply common lead 46 by
a connection 77. A relay 78 connects drive motor 29 to power supply
lead 45 through a conductor 79. Conductor 79 is connected to a pole
80 which engages a contact 81 connected to motor 29. Note will be
taken that one side of the relay winding 78 is connected to the
common power supply lead 46 through a connection 83. Relays 78 and
50 are thus connected in parallel and are energized
simultaneously.
One-half hour clock 63 with wiper 62 connects one of a plurality of
contacts 82 corresponding to each one-half hour during the day.
Note will be taken that at the end of each one-half hour, the
television set is turned off because contact 42' which is attached
to armature 39 is normally in contact with 43 and is not drawn away
from contact by retraction of armature 39 until after a signal has
been transmitted to switch 30 on line 32. Contact 43 is connected
to switch 30 via lead 32. Contact between 42' and 43 is broken
before contact is made between 46 and 47. Switch 30 is turned on
whenever one of the brushes 74 engages projection 75 on disc
55.
One of the strips shown as 24 must be contacted by a depression in
27, such as 22', to select the day. One of the strips shown as 26
must be contacted by a depression in 27, such as 22", to select the
time of day. One of the strips shown as 25 must be contacted by a
depression in 27, such as 22'", to select the channel. Note will be
taken that so long as three depressions, such as 22', 22" and 22'",
are not made in one of connecting strips 27 as shown in FIG. 6, or
in one of strips 19 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, to contact one of
each of said strips 24, 25 and 26, tuner 28 will not be driven by
motor 29. This is true because solenoid 38 self-locks through
contact 48 and arm 49 of relay 50 through day clock 60. If no
depression 22' is made, solenoid 38 simply will be energized each
one-half hour and will then be immediately de-energized. Similarly,
if no depression 22 is made to contact one of strips 26, no power
from power supply lead 45 will be provided to either day clock
contact 73 or to drive motor 29. The reason for this is that
neither day clock contact 73 nor motor 29 will receive power
because wiper 62 will be engaged with contacts 82 which are
de-energized.
Again, if no indentation 22'" is made in strip 27, motor 29 cannot
receive power to turn it because motor 29 receives power through
brush contact 52, and ring 56 will receive no power through any one
of the brushes 59, etc.
In the operation of the system of the present invention, if any one
of the indentations 22', 22" and 22'" is not made, switch 30 will
always be turned off by the momentary energization of solenoid
38.
There are only two other possibilities of operation. One is that
tuner 28 is already positioned at the correct channel. This happens
when the indentations 22', 22" and 22'" are made as shown in the
drawing. In this case, solenoid 38 will be energized. Power will be
supplied to strip 27 through lead 61, wiper 62 and a corresponding
metal strip 26. Even though day clock wiper 72 is positioned at an
appropriate contact 73 connected to a corresponding metal strip 24,
solenoid 38 cannot self-lock because relay 50 will not be
energized. This is due to the fact that brush 59 extends in notch
58 of ring 56 and is not therefore connected thereto. Nevertheless,
switch 30 will be turned on. This is true because the brush contact
74 corresponding to brush 59 will engage projection 75 on disc 55
and brush 76 will be connected through lead 31 to the on connection
of switch 30.
In the operation of the system of the present invention, when notch
58 is located at some position straddling brushes other than brush
59, ring 56 will receive a signal causing relays 50 and 78 to
energize. Solenoid 38 will then self-lock through contact 48 and
arm 49 of relay 50 until notch 58 straddles the brush corresponding
to metal strip 25 where an indentation of strip 27 comes into
contact with it. As soon as this happens, both relays 50 and 78
will de-energize. The self-locking contact 48 with pole 49 will
then open and de-energize solenoid 38.
Note will be taken that a principal current path from lead 45 is
through contacts 47 and 42 through half hour clock 63. The current
path then divides at indentation 22" and goes to both indentations
22' and 22'". From indentation 22' the current path is through day
clock 60, through contacts 49 and 48 and through relay winding 40
to power supply lead 46.
From indentation 22'", the current takes two paths. One is through
a brush contact 59 to ring 56 and thence to power supply lead 46
through relays 50 and 78. The other path is through a corresponding
brush 74, through disc 55, and through brush 76 to switch 30.
An auxiliary path from lead 45 is through contacts 69 and 70 and
through solenoid winding 67 to power supply lead 46.
In the drawing in FIG. 7, an alternative embodiment of the
invention is indicated at 100. It includes a housing 101 which has
a lid 102. Lid 102 is hinged to housing 101 by hinges 103 and 104.
Lid 102 carries the same number of conductive strips 105 that card
15 shown in FIG. 2 carries. When lid 102 is closed, it rests upon
stops 106 and 107 on housing 101.
Housing 101 carries conductive strips 108 that are arranged in the
same position as strips 24, 25 and 26, shown in FIG. 5. However,
strips 108 are provided with holes 109 therethrough. Housing 101
has a top 110 which has holes 111 that register with holes 109.
Stops 106 and 107 prevent strips 105 from contacting strips 108.
Three pins are provided to select a single program which makes
contacts corresponding to the contacts that depressions 22', 22"
and 22'" make as shown in FIG. 6. One such pin is indicated at 112
in FIG. 8. It is provided with a vertical shaft 113 out from which
a radial leaf type spring 114 extends. As shown in FIG. 9, spring
114 is similar to a Belleville spring. The manner in which pin 112
is assembled with housing 101 and lid 102 is shown in FIG. 10 to
make contact between a metal strip 105 and a metal strip 108. Any
other type of selector pin designed to effect contact between the
lower and the top grids of contact strips is an acceptable
substitute for the pin described.
Note will be taken that any means may be provided to make contact
between the top grid and conductors 24, 25 and 26. Printed
conductive ink on a card might serve the same purpose. The same may
be true of a punched card between the lid 102 and the housing 101,
which lid or housing would carry spring loaded metal projections to
effect contact between the top and bottom grids through holes
selectively punched in the card to effect the desired selection of
day, time and channel. Further, any conventional gate operated
mechanism may be employed to energize tuner motor 29. Other means
may be also provided to make a momentary contact as did the springs
71 and 41 on solenoid armatures 66 and 39, respectively.
It will also be apparent that the design of the card 15 and the
design of the conductive strips 24, 25 and 26 may be varied without
departing from the invention.
Note will be taken that the device of the present invention may be
employed to program any set of sequential operations such as
turning on lawn sprinklers or electrical lights. It will also be
apparent that the device of the present invention can be operated
to provide a program for both radio and television programs.
The device of the present invention thus presents a comprehensive
plan for programming. Such may be used in the programming of
magnetic tape recorders, electric stoves and washing machines. Lawn
sprinklers or electric lights which are controlled by bipolar relay
switches may be programmed in a variable preselected sequence to
turn on one at a time or in any combination. More than one unit may
be turned on at once by simply selecting more than one contact at
the channel strip portion of the lower grid in one of the ways
already described. Employment of this invention for such purpose
permits a simpler mechanism to be employed as indicated in FIG.
11.
A system for turning electric lamps or sprinkler valves on or off
is shown in FIG. 11. A strip of metal 115 is provided as before
with corresponding housing strips 116, 117 and 118. A connection is
made between strips 115, 116, 117 and 118 at indentations 119, 120
and 121 in strip 115. A day clock 122 is provided which may be
identical to day clock 60 shown in FIG. 6. Similarly, a half hour
clock 123 is provided which may employ a stepping motor as day
clock 122 does. Such a motor is indicated at 124.
Day clock 122 has contacts 125 against which a wiper 126 operates.
Wiper 126 is connected serially with a relay 127 having normally
open contacts 128 and 129.
A wheel 130 is provided having projections 131 and 132 thereon to
close normally open contacts 133 and 134. Wheel 130 is driven at a
constant speed as before. This energizes a relay 135 that pulls
portion 136 of armature 137 away from projection 131 and allows
contacts 133 and 134 to open. Contacts 138 and 139 are normally
closed and are opened upon energization of relay 135.
A bipolar relay switch 140 is provided to energize each electric
lamp or each sprinkler head valve.
Power is supplied to the system of FIG. 11 by leads 141 and 142.
Strips 116 are connected to corresponding contacts 125 on day clock
122 by leads 143. As before, half hour clock 123 has contacts 144
engaged by a wiper 145. Strips 117 are connected to contacts 144 by
corresponding leads 146.
Strip 118 is connected to the "on" side of bipolar relay switch 140
by a lead 147. A common lead for bipolar relay switch 140 is
provided at 148 from relay contacts 128. Contact 138 is connected
to the "off" side of bipolar relay switch 140 by a lead 149.
Relay 127 has a winding 150 which is connected to power supply lead
142. Power supply lead 141 is connected to contact 134. Relay 135
has a winding 151 which is connected from power supply lead 142 to
contacts 139 and 133. Stepping motor 124 is connected in parallel
with relay winding 151. Wiper 145 of half hour clock 123 is
connected at 152 to contact 133.
In the operation of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG.
11, bipolar relay switch 140 is maintained off normally by normally
closed contacts 138 and 139. When proper indentations are made in
strip 115, relay 135 is energized through contacts 133 and 134.
Contacts 138 and 139 break prior to the time that contacts 133 and
134 break.
In the operation of the invention of FIG. 11, contacts 133 and 134
are made by projection 131 or projection 132. If day clock 122 is
in the correct position, contacts 128 and 129 close. This permits
bipolar relay switch 140 to be turned on through clock 123.
Otherwise, bipolar relay switch 140 is turned off by closure of
contacts 138 and 139.
Lawn sprinklers, electric lights, or other devices requiring that
current be maintained, may be programmed in a variable pre-selected
sequence, individually or in any combination in the manner
indicated above. Employing this invention for such purpose permits
the use of an even simpler mechanism as indicated in FIG. 12.
An alternative embodiment of the invention to turn lamps or
sprinkler heads on is shown in FIG. 12. The system is the same as
that shown in FIG. 11 including the use of strip 115' and strips
116', 117' and 118'. Bipolar relay switch 140 is not used. Day
clock 122', identical to day clock 122, is used. Similarly, a half
hour clock 123' identical to half hour clock 123 is employed. A
solenoid drive for clock 123' is provided at 124'. Day clock 122'
has contacts 125' and a wiper 126' which is connected to a winding
150' of a relay 127'. Relay 127' has contacts 153 and 154 which are
connected from a power supply lead 155 to a wiper 145' on clock
123'. Winding 150' of relay 127' is connected to a power supply
lead 156. A synchronous hour clock 130' is provided having
projections 131' and 132'. A relay 157 is provided with a pair of
contacts 158 and 159 which actuate it. Relay 157 also has a pair of
contacts 160 and 161 which actuate solenoid drive 124'.
In the operation of the invention shown in FIG. 12, projection 131'
or 132' closes contacts 158 and 159. This supplies current to clock
123' and to relay 127' through clock 122'. Contacts 153 and 154
therefore close. Each appropriate light or sprinkler selected is
then maintained energized for one-half hour through contacts 153
and 154. Contacts 160 and 161 advance clock 123' through solenoid
drive 124'.
It is contemplated that low voltage current would be preferred for
most of the uses above-mentioned in the interests of safety, but
where this is not a governing factor, higher voltages may be used
with appropriate provision against arcing and by employment of
sufficiently rugged equipment.
Note will be taken that the present invention may be designed to
control the closure of electrical contacts at pre-selected times on
an annual basis. This can be accomplished by converting the day
clock 60 in FIG. 6 from a seven day clock to a 366 day clock and
providing 24 connecting strips, such as 24 on the lower grid in
FIG. 5. The first four of such strips from left to right would
represent hundreds of days, the next 10 would represent tens of
days and the next ten would represent individual days.
Each of the contact strips mentioned above would represent a
number. The first group would represent 0, 1, 2 and 3. The second
and third groups, numbers 1 to 9, inclusive, respectively, each
plus 0. This arrangement permits the designation of a particular
day of the year by choosing a number from each of the groups as
necessary.
The choice of the appropriate day would be programmed by making
depressions as necessary in card 15 at points which would form
contacts with the indicated strip or strips as already
described.
The clock would advance in steps, one step each day. The clock's
hand would be equipped with three separate brushes insulated from
one another. Each day the said brushes would make contact with
three contact points on the face of the clock, such as 73. As the
clock advanced one step to the next day, the brushes would be
brought in contact with another set of three contact points just as
clock hand 72 makes brush contact with a succession of contact
points 73 as it is advanced from day to day.
The three contact points would be appropriately wired to the lower
grid strips in combination so that the three contact points on the
clock face at a given position would numerically represent a
particular day of the year. The next succeeding group of contact
points constituting the next step of the clock would be wired to a
numerical combination representing the next succeeding day.
Each of the brushes on clock hand 72 would be connected to an
electrical relay which normally would be open but would close when
the current flowed between a grid strip and the relay by way of a
contact point on the clock face and a brush on the clock arm. The
relay contacts of the three relays closed in the manner described
would be wired in series between 45 and 49. Only when all three of
the relays closed would they permit current to pass from the power
source 45 to 49. The device would otherwise operate as already
described.
If the day to be selected is prior to the hundredth day, the
selection of number 0 of the first four numerals marking hundreds
of days must be made. If the day selected is less than the 10 th
day, number 0 from the first four numbers and number 0 from the
next ten numbers must be selected in addition to the day itself.
For example, to program the seventh day of the year, a selection of
numbers reading 007 must be made.
The foregoing description of a means for extending the programming
time of this invention from seven days to a year or more made
reference to contact points being positioned on the face of a clock
to be contacted by brushes on the clock hand as the most readily
understood explanation of the principle because of the convenience
of reference to FIG. 6. It will be readily understood that any
other form of step mechanism suitably combined with contact strips
which permit program selecting in the manner described in this
invention daily, weekly, monthly, or annually, or in other time
combinations, is equally suitable and the invention should not be
limited by the foregoing description which was for illustration
only.
A device to be used in lieu of day clock 60 in FIG. 6 is shown in
FIG. 13. A day clock 162 is provided having sets of contacts 163,
164 and 165. A strip 166 is provided as before. A set of four
strips is provided at 167. A set of ten strips is provided at 168.
A set of ten strips is also provided at 169. One of the strips 167
is connected to a series of contacts 163. Each one of the strips
168 is connected to a series of contacts 164. Each one of the
strips 169 is connected to one of the contacts 165. Day clock 162
has a wiper 170 that contains three brushes, one for each set of
contacts 163, 164 and 165. Wiper 170 also has slip rings which are
connected to three corresponding pairs of relays 171, 172 and 173
having normally open contacts 174, 175 and 176, respectively,
connected serially with input power supply lead 46.
One of the four strips 167 is selected corresponding to hundreds of
days. A strip 168 is elected depending upon the number of tens of
days. A strip 169 is selected depending upon the number of units of
days.
An alternative card 200 is shown in FIG. 14. Card 200 incorporates
both upper and lower grids. Card 200, other than the conductors
therein, may be made of three layers 201, 202 and 203 of any
convenient insulating material such as paperboard or paper. Layers
201 and 203 are solid. Layer 202 has holes 204 therethrough. Layer
201 has the lower grid cemented thereto including conductive strips
205. Layer 203 has the upper grid cemented thereon including
conductive strips 206. Strips 205 and 206 are also cemented to
layer 202. Strips 205 and 206 may be made from aluminum foil or
thin sheet material of, for example, copper.
A control housing 207 is shown in FIG. 15. As before, housing 207
has a lid 208 hinged thereto and a template 209 hinged to lid 208.
Housing 207 also has conical pins 201 projecting upwardly from the
upper surface thereof. Pins 210 are connected, for example, to the
leads from strips 24, 25 and 26 shown in FIG. 6.
As shown in FIG. 16, a strip 205 overlies each transverse row of
holes 204 in layer 202. A strip 206 underlies each longitudinal row
of holes 204.
As shown in FIG. 17, lid 208 has recesses 211, as before. Template
209 also has holes 212.
In preparing card 200 to control the apparatus, card 200 is placed
between template 209 and lid 208 as shown in FIG. 17. Holes 204 in
layer 202 are thus aligned with holes 212 in template 209. Card
200, template 209 and lid 208 may all have the same length and
width so that when the edges of all three are flush, holes 204 lie
in alignment with holes 212. A stylus 213 is then pressed through a
hole 212 to deform a strip 205 into contact with a strip 206.
When card 200 has been set up completely by the use of stylus 213,
it is removed from the space between template 209 and lid 208. It
is then placed between lid 208 and housing 207. Layer 201 is then
pressed, at its edges, onto pins 210 so that pins 210 puncture
layer 201 and lie in contact with corresponding strips 205.
However, pins 210 will not contact strips 216.
Layers 201 and 203 may be eliminated and strips 205 and 206
cemented to layer 202 in FIG. 14, if such layer 202 is rigid.
An alternative construction for the two grids 214 is shown in FIG.
18. Part 214 has transverse conductive strips 215 and longitudinal
conductive strips 216, all of which may be embedded in plastic at
217, as shown, taking the place of the construction shown in FIG.
10. Strips 215 are electrically connected to strips 216 by tapered
pins 218 which in this embodiment take the place of pin 212 as
shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. Pins 218 fit in corresponding tapered
holes 219 through strips 215 and 216 and through plastic 217. Pins
218 may fit snugly in holes 219.
Strips 215 form the lower grid and are connected, for example, to
the leads from strips 24, 25 and 26 as shown in FIG. 6.
The present invention may be constructed of relatively simple and
uncomplicated parts and will operate easily. Further, the cards 15
may be provided with advertising or with magazine premiums and the
system may be used for setting out radio or television programs
each week or month so that thereafter one need not pay any
attention to the selection of a program.
Although only a few specific embodiments of the present invention
have been described and illustrated herein, many changes therein
and modifications thereof will of course suggest themselves to
those skilled in the art. These few embodiments have been selected
for this disclosure for the purpose of illustration only. The
present invention should therefore not be limited to the
embodiments so selected, the true scope of the invention being
defined only in the appended claims.
* * * * *