* GB786029 (A)

Description: GB786029 (A) ? 1957-11-13

A magnetic data storage verifying means

Description of GB786029 (A)

PATENT SPECIFICATION 786029 Date of Application and filing Complete Specification: June 23, 1950. No 37210154. Application made in Germany on Oct 1, 1948. (Divided out of No 786,021) Complete Specification Published: Nov 13, 1957. Index at acceptance:-Class 106 ( 1), M( 1 C: i F: 1 G: 2 F: 4 A: 5 F: l IB: 22). International Classification:-GO 6 k. COMPLETE SPECIFICATION A Magnetic Data Storage Verifying Means I, GERHAR Dn DIR Ks, a German citizen, of Moerfelder Landstrasse 44, Frankfurt on Main, Germany, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to the verifying of signals stored on magnetisable signal carriers such as tapes, strips or the like, including larger elements such as invoices, ledger sheets and the like which latter, in addition to having the magnetisable storage areas, have also one or more other areas for the visual indication (e g printing) of the information recorded as stored signals. The invention provides a verifier having a magnetisable signal storage layer for signals representing numbers, words and the like and having transducing means for the sensing of two recordings of the information to be verified and comparing them digit by digit or letter by letter as the case may be. The invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig 1 is a front perspective view of a typewriter adapted for operation according to the invention; Pig 2 a

is a rear perspective view of a similar typewriter or bookkeeping machine, this machine being described in more detail in my co-pending Application for Patent No. 37218/54 (Serial No 786,037); Figs 2 b-2 p are diagrams illustrating various forms of signal which can be used in the carrying out of this invention; Fig 3 illustrates a length of magnetisable tape in which signals are recorded in horizontal rows and vertical columns, successive lengths or unities of such a tape corresponding to successive punched cards in a series, as explained more fully in my co-pending Application for Patent No 37212/54 (Serial No. 786,0311); Fig 4 is a diagram showing how a limited number of signal possibilities may be corn e, a ordinated to a much larger number of characters to be represented; Fig 5 is a perspective view illustrating one form of tape feeding and signal recording and sensing apparatus; Figs 6-9 are diagrams illustrating the selection of successive horizontal rows in the sensing and recording of signals, e g for a sequence of digits; Figs 10 a and 10 b, are side view and transverse section respectively of an alternative form of selector switch; and Fig 11 illustrates one arrangement of checking means for instance for checking the results of a computation. Referring to Fig '1 there is an electrically controlled typewriter with a keyboard 1, the printing mechanism 2, the platen roller 3 and magnetisable tapes 4 and 5 The printing mechanism can be either a type-character system or an electrically controlled dot or lineprinting system, for example as set forth in my co-pending Applications for Patent Nos. 37201/54 and 37203/54 (Serial No 786,022 and '786,024). Methods for combining, for special purposes, essentially different information in magnetic recordings are set forth in my co-pending Applications for Patent Nos 37211/54, 37218/54 and 37220/54 (Serial Nos 786,030, 786,037 and 786,039) In this present Application, two recordings of information are verified the one against the other for ascertaining whether equality or non-equality exists. The two tapes 4 and '5 can be used for checking tasks in such a way that two recordings are made First the signals for characters, digits or commands which will operate the machines, are recorded on e g tape 4 by for instance one person on such a typewriter with tapes (as shown) or in another device Then the signals for characters, etc are recorded a second time, either on tape 5 or at another part of tape 4, or on another machine, or they are sensed in a second operation, so that both tapes or recordings can be compared before the definite input control, either in the same machine during the second typing or in a separate checking or comparing device. In many cases, the recording on the tapes will be carried through as a

separate operation In their simplest form these recording mechanisms contain a keyboard, a recording head system and a feeding arrangement for the tape It is possible to combine such mechanisms with other e g mechanically0 operating recording devices such as timerecorders, cash registers and the likie. Instead of magnetic storing on a tape, the recording can be effected also on other objects or on different material, as long as these are provided with a magnetic layer permitting recording and re-sensing of signals by a magnet Thus typing-, duplicating-, accountpaper and the like may for instance be provided with a magnetic substance, either embodied in the paper or applied on to it, as a result of which it is able to store certain sorting concepts or complete bookkeeping texts inclusive of figures, or even the whole contents of a document or the like. Fig 2 a shows a view from the rear of such a machine There are to be seen again the tapes 4 and 5 and a part of the keyboard 1. Special reels are provided, to enable a simple handling of the magnetic tape Thus tape 4, during its operation, is unwounfd from reel 6 and rewound on reel 7, whereas tape 5 is unwound from reel 8 and rewound on reel 9. The sensing, erasing and recording of the tapes is effected by means of the group of signal heads 10 which operate as well for the upper tape 4 as for the lower tape 5. The feeding of both tapes is effected by the stepwisely operating control-transport system 11 described later with reference to Fig 5. The rear part of the machine, referring to Fig 2, is furthermore provided with a feeding box or input box 12 for ledger-account sheets or the like having magnetisable signal-carrying areas, from whence ledger accounts are led one by one, from the bottom to the printing device 13 The movement of the sheets is effected by the roll system 14 these rolls being driven by motor 15, shaft 16 and gears 17 Furthermore there is shown the output box 20 for the printed ledger accounts, and a paper sheet 21 for receiving printed or typed information, for instance journal entries The use of these parts of the machine is set forth more fully in my co-pending Application for Patent No. 37228/54 (Serial No 786,046). The signals can be arranged on the magnetic tapes in different ways The signals themselves are either single magnetic signals of a certain direction and amplitude or are a certain sequence of frequencies or interruptions of a basic frequency, whereby either the presence or the absence of a frequency determines the meaning of a signal Such signals can also consist of phase-shifting signals, by certain phases or frequencies altering by certain degrees In any case all these signals

are preferably of the so-called "yes-or-no" signals system, or "black-and-white" signals system. Figs 2 b-2 p illustrate various forms of signals recorded on the record carrier, the 70 resultant shapes being modified in accordance with the various alternative recording arrangements which may be used in the carrying out of the invention These different types of signal are explained in my co-pending Appli 75 cation for Patent No 15773/50, with reference to Figs 4 f to 4 t of the drawings filed in that Application. Referring to Fig 3 there is shown such a magnetisable tape with an arrangement of 80 signals which are recorded within horizontal rows and vertical columns The illustrated dividing lines between the rows and columns are, of course, purely imaginary The tape contains holes for definite feeding purposes, 85 e.g hole 22 known from optical films In the case shown this magnetisable layer must be thought of as subdivided into horizontal rows 23 for digit value signals and 23 ' for additional signals for combinations, commands 90 etc, and into vertical columns 24 " This subdivision is only an imaginary one, effected by the relative movement and/or relative positions of the recording-, sensing and erasing heads 25 e-3,O-9, which are, in the technical 95 design, combined into a multi-signal-head system The vertical columns 24 '" have the meaning of denominations (digit rows) of digits, columns or spelling positions of characters and commands If, e g the 100 characters and digits " Radio 1950 " are to be symbolised according to this transforming scheme, the first vertical column 241 of the magnetic tape, which has to represent the capital character R " contains magnetic 105 signals within the cross-points of rows " 7 " and "c" ( 23 ' and 23 c) within the vertical column 241 The next character " a " is symbolised within the next vertical column 242 by the basic symbol " O " and the additional 110 symbols "b and e" (comp Fig 4, field 26). The subdivision of the vertical column 241 ' can be effected differently according to the different tasks of printing, computing, storing and other organisational processes to be 115 effected, comparable in its use to the vertical columns (denominations) of punched cards It is evident that instead of parallel signal tracks, the arrangement of the signals may be otherwise disposed, and the signal heads corres 120 pondingly arranged, for example by being moved transversely when sensing, recording or erasing. Fig 4 shows as a diagram the co-ordination of signal combinations to characters, digit 125 values or commands The horizontal rows 23 ea O-9 have the meaning of the comparable horizontal rows in Fig 3, and the vertical columns of this diagram (Fig 4) show the different meanings of combinations between 130 786,029 gripping into one perforation

hole. The signal-head-system, which moves to and fro in arrow-direction 18 and 19 within the sliding-head '10 comprises two sets of e g 15 parallel arranged signal-heads 36115 and 371-15 70 with their slots 38 I-15 and coils 401-15 and 4115 of which each coil is co-ordinated to one of the rows 230-%a (see Figs 3 and 4). On the movement of the sliding-signal-head system 10 to the left hand side, in arrow 75 direction 18, the magnetic signals within the different rows 239-,a can be completely or selectively sensed and transferred via an amplifying system to other operating means. The stepwise movement and the sensing and 80 recording of signals on the stationary tape enables the use of all the many control possibilities which a stepwise feeding of punched card allows, without complicated intermediate storing systems 85 Instead of the sensing and recording being done by the moving of signal heads over a stationary tape the reverse arrangement may be adopted, which has other advantages, including the advantage that the stationary signal 90 heads give greater simplicity of construction. Fig 6-9 show a tape recording mechanism adapted to be controlled by the keyboard " 1 " of the typewriting machine in Fig 1, provided with a digit-sequence transposing mechanism, 95 having means for the recording of synchronizing signals and adapted for-stepwise tape feeding by the feeding-system 11 of Fig 5 The parallel operating signal heads of Fig 6 ( 369-0 e) of the signal head system 10 are 100 moved to and fro in arrow-direction 18 and 19 below the tape 4, which is held in a fixed position during the signal-head movement in arrow-direction 18 by means of feeding holes 22 and mechanical registering teeth ( 30 of Fig 105 5) The coils 409- a-& of the signal heads are connected at their one end 42 in parallel with the negative pole 43. The other ends of such coils are connected each to one of the contacts 459-'a actuated 110 directly or indirectly as relay contacts by the key's of keyboard 1 Fig 1 according to the coding scheme of for instance Fig 4. Figs 6 and 7 show, for a better understanding of the principle, a simplified arrangement 115 in which signals for characters or digit values are recorded successively in the sequence of the transverse columns 241 8, beginning at vertical columns 241 and ending at vertical column 2480 (Fig 3), comparable to the successive 120 punching of the columns of punched cards. The control circuit is provided with a selecting switch, shown in Fig 7, comprising the rotatable disc 47 on shaft 46 and with tooth 48, one pair of primary/secondary coils 49 and 125 on their iron core 51, and with a discharge tube 52 and a one-rotation-relay 53/54, allowing an

effectiveness only for one rotation. The core 51 of the pair of coils 49 and 50 is closed at its upper end and open at the lower 130 digit value horizontal rows 23 -9 and supplementary signals in the upper rows 23 a'b,,'de. In any one vertical column, a signal merely in a horizontal row 23 has the meaning of the corresponding digit 0-9, and a signal merely in a horizontal row 23 a 3 has the meaning of the corresponding alphabetic character a-e However, when there is in the same vertical column a signal both in a row 2309 and a row 23 ', the combination of signals has a definite meaning, the addition of signals in rows 23 a changing the normal meaning of signals in the rows 23 9 in the manner shown in the various columns in Fig. 4. Fig 5 shows details of the signal-head system 10 and the tape feeding system 11 for the tapes 4 and 5. The sliding-band system 10 moves in each cycle of the operating means, for instance during each rotation of a multi-denomination magnetic disc computer (see my co-pending Application for Patent No 15773/50) (Serial No '786,021), first from right to left in arrowdirection 18 and then back in arrow direction 19 to the extent of say 80 denomination 281 O (this extent of movement being the width of one unity " 32 of the tape, each unity being equivalent to one punched card) The tape 4 is stationary during the movement of the sliding signal head system 10 from right to left in arrow direction 18, and moves by one " unity " to the right on the backward movement of the sliding signal-head system 10 in arrow direction 19 The movement of the tape by one cc unity" 32 in arrow direction 19 is controlled by the upper part of the feed control head 11 which moves likewise as the sliding signal-head system 10 to and fro by one "unity" first from right to left and then backward to right corresponding to a certain number of perforations '22 Beginning with the reversing point of the movement of the signal head and feeding-systems '10 and 11 in arrowdirection 18, and with the backward movement in arrow-direction 19, the lever 29 enters into the feed holes of the tape, for 'instance hole 22, the tape meanwhile being in a fixed position, locked by the registering teeth 30 The magnet-coil 31 effects that this stepwise feed of the tape is controllable The stepwise feed of tape 4 is eliminated if the magnet-coil 31 moves the lever 29 downwards by an exciting of its windings, and lever 29 cannot then grip into the feed hole 22 of the tape 4 This selective operation of the movement means for tape 4 is explained below. The feed of tape 5 with its " unities " 331 fn is controlled by the lower part of the control mechanism (feeding control mechanism) 11 It consists, comparable to its upper part, of the lever 34 and the

magnet-coil 35 It can only feed the tape 5 from left to right in arrowdirection '19 by one " unity " 33, if the magnetcoil 35 does not prevent the lever 34 from 786,029 end The tooth 48, for one timing instant during one rotation of disc 47, closes the magnetic way from the primary to the secondary coil If during this rotation the primary coil 49 is generally excited by DC, from the positive pole 44 via the closed switch 54 of the relay 53, a resistance 27, and the primary winding 49 to the negative pole 43, a voltage surge is induced within the secondary coil 50 at this instant and the discharge tube 52 is ignited If the signals are recorded as amplitude signals and the to-and-fro movement of the signal head system 10 is synchronized with the rotation of disc 47, in that during the movement of the signal head in arrow-direction 18 the said disc turns once, then the ignition of the discharge tube 52 effects a recording of such signals in a definite timing instant, i e. within a definite transverse column of tape 4 and within that horizontal row of tape 4 the signal head of which is switched on. The ignition of the discharge tube 52 effects furthermore that the relay 53 opens the switch 54, thereby preventing further excitation of the primary winding 49. If the coil 50/51 is moved stepwisely or the like rotation by rotation, a relative stepping-on of the recording, sensing and/or erasing of signals can be effective similarly to the manner set forth in my co-pending Application Nos. 37214/54 and 37215/54 (Serial Nos 786,033 and 786,034). Figs 8-10 b show a different arrangement of the selecting switch described with reference to Figs 6 and 7 It comprises the disc 47 with tooth 48 and, for instance, eighty pairs of primary and secondary coils 491-SO and 501. This arrangement differs from the selecting switch already shown in Fig 7, only in so far as, instead of one pair of primary and secondary coils 49 and 50, there are eighty pairs of such primary and secondary coils, 491-80 and 501-80, disposed in a circle around disc 47. Likewise as in the means shown in Fig 6, the arrangement of Fig 8 comprises the shaft 46 which, by means of gears 42, 55 with a ratio 2 x 1, drives the reciprocating signal head system 10 and the tape feeding system 11 (see Fig 5). The shaft 46 is driven by a motor 56 On the shaft 46 is also mounted a second disc 57 which has at its circumference 80 teeth 581 8 with an angular displacement against the tooth 48 of the disc 47 of for instance 3 degrees, if the angular distance between the tooth 58 of disc 57 is 3 6 degrees The tooth 58 generates in the secondary coil 60 of the pair of coils 59 and 60 a surge which ignites the discharge tube 62 (Fig 11) if the discharge tube 61 has been ignited previously,

since the primary coil 59 is connected into the discharge circuit of discharge tube 61 Both discharge tubes 61, 62 are shown in Fig 11. Furthermore the switch 63 is operated by tooth 48 once within each rotation of disc 47 to control the one-revolution-clutch, which has a control magnet system 65 (Fig 8) Such clutch is driven by the motor 56 and allows one revolution of shaft 46 with gear 42 and discs 47 and 57 for each excitation of the 7 control magnet 65. Fig 9 represents a single pair of coils 49 and 50 with its iron core 51, on an enlarged scale. Figs 10 a and '10 b give a schematical survey 7 ' of the two discs 47, 57 on shaft 46: disc 47 with one tooth 48 and disc 57 with eighty teeth 581 8, of which only teeth 581 are represented Fig 10 b shows a cross section through the two discs, along line A-B of Fig 8 ( a with primary coils 49 and 59 and secondary coils 501 and 60 There is to be seen in each of the pairs of coils the co-ordinated core, for instance core 51, which is closed at the upper end and open at the lower end 8 i Checking or verifying of the information is effected by a second recording of signals being made by a second person or at a different time, in different tracks of a tape, which may be displaced e g by one track laterally Both the 9 C recorded signals are then compared automatically by comparing means according to Fig 11. The checking of recorded signals or effected operations guarantees great security. If results which have been achieved by 9 ' computing are obtained twice, by repeated computing, eventually even over separate electronic means, verifying of the computations with a highest degree of security can be achieved by an automatic comparing of the 101 resulting signals in a device according to Fig. 11 In telecomputing, telewriting etc the same procedure of a second transfer and a comparison of the resulting signals within a device corresponding to the group control mechanism 10 f of Fig 11 guarantees highest reliability Thus the great reliability of electronic computing can be increased to a degree far above mechanical possibilities. The checking device, illustrated in Fig 11 11 ( compares the simplest way by means of two sensing heads 141 and 144, of which signal head 141 senses the original signals and signal head 144 senses the checking signals of the checking track The two sensed signals are 115 amplified respectively by pentodes 145 and 146 which operate according to the push-pull principle via push-pull transformer 147 with a common secondary winding 148 If signal head 141 as well as signal head 144 senses 12 C signals to be compared no voltage will be induced in the secondary winding 148 Therefore the gas discharge tube 149 is not excited. If on the contrary there is a signal only in one of the sensing heads

141 and 144 (bridge 125 circuits) a voltage will be induced within the secondary winding 148 and the discharge tube 149 is ignited, actuating the relay 150 which indicates, that there is a difference between original and checking signals 130 -4 786,029 786,029 5 The checking of electronic processes e g. electronic computing processes, can be effected likewise by an automatic comparing of intermediate or final result signals of a first operation with the same signals obtained 'in a second operation The high speed of electronic computing allows of a complete recomputing and checking by comparing The required checking and comparing devices correspond in principle to the devices of Fig. 11 In tele-computing i e in the telecontrol of computors, telewriting etc the same process may be effected by a comparison between signals received and recorded at a first transfer and such signals received and recorded at a second transfer The comparing and checking means are the same as described above The arrangement of Fig 11 is described in more detail in my co-pending Application No. 37215/54 (Serial No 786,034). The device shown in Fig 11 may be used not only as a mere comparing device but also as a group control whereby on the occurrence of a non-equality in one or more selecting columns in successive unities of a signal carrier signals may be released for the operation of devices handling groups, sub-groups, totals and the like, as is practised in the sensing of punched cards. In such a case the push-pull transformer 147 may be replaced by a 2-entry gate, for example by the use of compression windings. A group control device of this kind indicates in successive partial areas of the same signal carriers, at selected columns, whether the signals sensed in these columns in both partial areas are equal or not equal when compared and, at non-equality or equality, releases an indicating signal.

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* GB786030 (A)

Description: GB786030 (A) ? 1957-11-13

Improvements relating to the sorting of signals recorded on a magnetisablesignal carrier

Description of GB786030 (A)

PATENT SPECIFICATION Date of Application and filing Complete Specification: June 23, 1950. No 37211/54. Application made in Germany on Oct 1, 1948. (Divided out of No 786,021). Complete Specification Published: Nov 13, 1957. Index at acceptance:-Class 106 ( 1), S. International Classification:-GO 6 k. COMlPLETE SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to the Sorting of Signals Recorded on a Magnetisable Signal Carrier I, GEREARD Diaxs, a German citizen, of 44,Mc erfelder Landstrasse Frankfurt on Main, Germany, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to the sorting into classes information items which are recorded as signals on a magnetisable signal carrier. One object of the invention is to make possible the sorting of "unities" of a signal carrier, e g successive lengths of a magnetisable tape, comparable to the handling of punched cards, but with much more ease, at a much less cost and in a much smaller space. The invention provides an apparatus for sorting into classes information items which are recorded as signals in a first magnetisable track by the magnetic state thereof, each item comprising two or more characters and being represented by a group of such magnetically recorded signals, including a sensing means for sensing the said groups of signals in turn during one sensing cycle, a plurality of magnetic recording means co-operating with a like plurality of magnetisable recording tracks, each such recording track being allocated to recording items of a different one of said classes, and means operative in response to the sensing within each of such items of a character-representing signal designating the class to which the item belongs, to select the appropriate one of said recording means and to effect the transfer during said one sensing

cycle of the corresponding items to their appropriate recording tracks. The invention may be carried out in either of two ways In the one case only those signals are transferred to each recording track which represent the information appropriate to that track, whereas in the other case all the signals are transferred to each recording track and then all are erased from each tracks except those appropriate to that track. 786,030 In my co-pending Application for Patent No 37212/54 (Serial No 786,031), there is set forth a sorting apparatus in which only two magnetisable recording tracks are used. In the present Application, the term plurality 50 as applied to recording means and recording tracks means three or more. The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein. 55 Fig 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the main parts of a ten-tape sorter; Fig 2 is an enlarged perspective view of those parts of the tapes on which the feeding, sensing and recording means operates; 60 Fig 3 is a further enlargement, in perspective, of the tape feeding, sensing and recording means for one tape; Figs 4-7 are diagrams representing succebsive stages of a sorting proces 53 65 Fig 8 is a diagrammatic perspective view of independent feeding means for a plurality of tapes; Fig 9 shows the main circuitry for the sorting apparatus; 70 Fig 10 is a more detailed wiring diagram for the sorting apparatus; and Figs lla-d are diagrams illustrating the use of the invention when two sensing stages are involved, one being a pre-sensing stage for 75 the sensing of a sorting signal. Referring first to Fig 1, this shows in diagrammatic perspective the main parts of a multi-tape sorting mechanism It comprises eleven successively operating tape systems 80 10-10 for the successive step-wise sensing and recording of signals on magnetisable sorting tapes Each tape system comprises the reel 2 from which the tape is uncoiled, the sensing head system 3 by which the tape is sensed, 85 the tape feeding system 4 with stop teeth 5 (compare Fig 3) and the reel 6 for rewinding the tape The sensing and the transport systems are operated in dependence on the movement of the main shaft 7 driven by the 90 motor 8 In the drawing an input tape system l 1 ' is shown at the front of the assembly, followed by the systems 1 -1 ' in succession. The multi-tape sorter may make superfluous the mechanical sorting of punched cards into ten boxes, by replacing a mechanical sorting of marked record means by the simple electric sorting of the signals themselves on to e g. ten tapes.

For a better understanding, the multi-tape sorter is compared in the following with the function of the known punchcl card sorters with ten boxes or pockets The successively stepwvisely operated sections or unities of tape 9 are comparable to tfe punched cards which are fed through one slot of the punched card feeding mechanism of the sorter. The tapes within the pairs of coils 2 "' and 60 " 1 can be compared with the mechanical boxes of a punched card sorter, into which the punched cards are sorted in dependence of which hole is sensed by the sensing brush within the vertical row selected for sorting But there is a great difference between both mechanisms In the mechanically or electro-mechanically operating punched card sorters the cards are mechanically fed to one or other of the sorting boxes 0-9 In the multi-tape sorter according to this invention no mechanical sorting of mechanical cards into boxes takes place In this case the magnetically-recorded signals of the sensed " unity" of the successively step-wisely fed tape 910 themselves are sensed and transferred to that one of the sorting tapes which corresponds to the sensed sorting signal within the selected sorting column of tape 9 the sensing and transport means for which have been set forth in detail in my co-pending Application No 37215/54 (Serial No 786,034). The equivalent of the mechanical filling up of the sorting box of the multi-tape sorter are the stepwisely operating tapes of the tape reels 1 P-1 and 6 10 of which that one in turn is moved on by one unity to which all the signals of a sensed unity of tape 91 ' have been transferred. In Fig 1 the original tape or a duplicate of it is constantly stepwisely fed from reel 210, to the reel 61 In parallel with these reels, ten further reels are arranged of which the second ones from the left 1 and 60 contains the tape to which those "unities" of the " original " tape (first couple of reels on the left 110 and 61) are transferred during the first passage which have at the selected transverse row of sorting signals the digit value "zero " The third tape from the left, contained in the pair of reels 11 and 61 receives all the signals contained in those unities of the original tape which have at the first passage in the adjusted transverse row for sorting the digit value "one" etc. The tapes and the signal head systems 30 " as well as the tape feeding systems 4 are shown enlarged in Figs 2 and 3 The mechanism may be understood as a manifold signal head and transport mechanism of the kind slhc wn in my co-pending Application No. 37215/54 (Serial No 786,034) and will in 7 A dude a selecting inductive switch as illustrated in that Application The signal head systems 30 310 are arranged in parallel within the bar 10 and the transport mechanism 4 "-Il with the bar 11 The control magnets 12 7 i

allow of a gripping of the tape feeding levers 13 into the transport holes of a tape only if the signals of one unity have been recorded on that tape in dependence on the coordinated signals in that selected transverse 8 C row of the tape which contains the sorting signal The selecting of transverse rows is effected by the selecting mechanism known from the co-pending Application No 37212/54 (Serial No 786,031) 85 The principle of the sorting process will be explained more fully by considering a sorting task represented in the sorting diagrams of Figs 4-7 arm At first a duplicate of the original tape is 90 produced, containing in its " unities " (as described in said cc-pending Application No. 37212/54 (Serial No 786,031)), each consisting of a group of, for example, 80 columns. the sorting marks and the signals symbolizing 95 digit values and type characters The " unities " arranged on the tape 910 originally have their signals in an irregular order ( 327, 148, 234, 456, etc in Fig 4) They are to be sorted into a subsequent sequence of 100 signals in three selected columns, beginning with the lowest and ending with the highest. Each unity contains within its recorded information, sorting signals for digit values and/or characters in any of its columns selec 105 tively, according to the selected sequence of columns in which sorting is to be effected. The sorting signals are indicated by digits whereas the contents of all the various columns of the unities are represented by letters (wxy, 110 -hi, klm, etc). The sorting process is described now for three passages of the original master tape, the number of passages corresponding to the number of columns in which the sorting marks 115 are recorded At the first passage, the signals for the symbolized digit values and type characters of a " unity " are transferred each to that one of the ten further tapes of the systems P which corresponds to the sensed 120 digit value signal within the first column to be sorted. For instance, the first column is used as a sorting column, namely the row 15 2 for the last digit of the three sorting digits marked in 125 the vertical cclumns 1511, 15 and 15 The first unity 16 ' of the unities 16 ' with the sorting signal 7 ( 1511) is transferred to tape 97 with all the signals of the unity comprising for instance the symbolized signal for 130 786,030 786,030 3 " W x y," and including also " 327 " The second unity 162 with the sorting signal 8 ( 151 ") is transferred to tape 9 ' with all the signals of the unity comprising e g the symbolized signal for " g h i " and including also 148, the third unity 163 with the sorting signal 4 ( 15 ") te tape 94 with the signals for "k 1 m " and including " 234," and so on.

After the first passage as shown in Fig 7 tape 91 comprises no signals at all as there was no sorting digit " O " in column " of any unities 16 '; tape 91 comprises no signals at all as there was no sorting digit " 1 " in column is 151 " of any unities 16 '-"; tape 92 comprises all the signals of all the unities having in column 151 " the sorting digit value " 2," in this case one unity, namely the unity 16 '; tape 9 comprisesno signals at all; tape 94 comprises all the signals of all the unities having the sorting digit " 4 " in column 1513, namely unities 16, 16 ", 16 "; tape 9 ' comprises no signals at all; tape 9 ' comprises all the signals of all the unities having the sorting digit " 6 " in the column 151 ", namely unity 164, 16 ', 16 '; tape 9 ' comprises all the signals of all the unities having the sorting digit 7 in column 151 ", namely unities 161, 16 '; tape 91 comprises all the signals of all the unities having the sorting digit 8 in column 151 ", namely unities 162, 16 '; tape 9 ' comprises no signals at all. Hereby, during the first passage, the signals of the sensed unities are completely transferred, both the sorting signals as well as the signals for characters and digit values for computing, to each one of the tapes 93-99 in a successive order in dependence of the sorting signal in vertical row 1513. In a comparable way as the heaps of punched cards of the different boxes would be placed one upon another, beginning with the heap in the box "zero," the signals on the tapes 9 -g are re-transferred to tape 91 " at the successive stepwise backward movements of tape 91 ", from reel 61 " to reel 110 whereby at first the signals of the tape unities of tape 9 ' are re-transferred, followed by the signals of the unities of tapes 9 ', 97, 91 etc Before the recording of the signals of each unity on tape 91 " the preceding signals on that tape are erased by the erasing heads, likewise the signals in the stepwisely moved tapes 9 -99 are erased after having been sensed and transferred. If punched cards would have been sorted, they would have been laid upon each other in the mechanical sorting boxes corresponding to the tapes 9 -9 The stepwisely moving tapes can therefore replace the expensive punched :ard sorting mechanism, if tapes are used on which can be recorded the symbols of up to 80-150 columns of a unity within at the most 1/5th of a second, and from which the symbols be erased for further use of the tapes, and if 70 the signals of any one column may be selected within the same time. At the second forward passage of the tape 910, the sorting of the column 1512 is effected and as shown in Fig 8 75 tape 9 ' comprises no signals because in no unity was there a sorting signal 0 in column 151 "; tape 9 ' comprises the signals of all unities in which in column 1512 there was a 80 signal 1 namely unities 16 ', 16 ", 16 ' and 16 ';

tape 92 comprises the signals of all unities in which in column 1512 there was a signal 2 namely unities 161 and 85 16 ' etc. During the second passage, the sorting signals have been selected from column 1512 i e. the penultimate column of the sorting number. For completing the sorting process the signals 90 on the tapes 9 -99 are again re-transferred to tape 91 " while the tapes are moving backwards. At the third forward passage of the tape, according to Fig 9 tape 9 ' contains the signals of all unities 95 having the signal 0 in column 15 " 1, namely unity 16 '; tape 91 contains the signals of all unities having the signal 1 in column 15 ". namely unities 16 ' and 16 '; 100 tape 9 ' contains the signals of all unities having the signal 2 in column 15 " namely unities 16 ', 164 and 16 "; tape 9 ' contains the signals of all unities having the signal 3 in column 151 " 105 namely unities 161, 16 '. As the stepwise feeding can take place up to a speed of fifty to hundred unities per second, the equivalent output of ten punched card sorting machines can be achieved, for the effect 110 is the same as if a pile of 180,000 and more punched cards would have been sorted in an hour, in one passage, to one selected column. By " passage " is understood, comparable to the sorting of punched cards, the sorting of 115 " unities " of the tape, according to the pulses for example 0-9 (or 0-12) for digits or characters, within one selected column. It is furthermore evident that the change of reels with original tape which can be dupli 120 cated also during the first passage within a further reel tape system, is much easier done than the handling of the heaps of punched cards, quite apart from the costs. The transfer and re-transfer of the signals 125 can be automatically controlled so that with the great recording capacity of the tape reel system, reels must scarcely be changed in usual tasks. Referring to Fig 8, there is shown the 130 786,030 manner of step-wise feeding and the sensing and recording of one or more tapes controlled independently of each other From the original tape 910, which is stepwisely fed, a transfer of signals is effected at the first passage to the second tape 9 ' only when the first tape contains, in a selected column the digit value " O " At the same time, when such a transfer has taken place, the second tape 90 is moved on by I O one step, as in this case the bar 17 with the feeder 18 is not fixed to the core of the magnet coil 19, and therefore the rotating disc 20, on shaft 7, can pull the tape forward by one step After this forward movement, the cross bar 18 with its cams 21 will be pulled out of the corresponding feed hole at the edges of the tape, whereupon it is held

fast by the magnet coil 19 during the rearward movement of the bar 17 Combined with the up and down movement of the camsn 21 is the up and down movement of the stops 5, which have a resilient tape-engaging edge, so that the tape receives by means of these stopping members 5, a definite position in which accurate sensings and recordings can be effected The sensing and recording is effected by means of sensing-, recording and erasing heads 30-3 o. During the continuous stepping forwards of the first tape 9, a transfer from its sensing coils 31 to the recording heads 22 " of the next tape 9 "' can be effected only if at a selected column the digit value " O "' is contained in the first passage. Fig 9 gives in continuation of Figs 1-8 a diagram of the principal wiring scheme of a sorting mechanism with ten sorting tapes 9 '-'. Between the sets of sensing heads 30 and recording heads 220-e, 23 and 24 and the respective tapes there is a relative movement in the direction of the arrows 25-26. The said relative movement may be a movement of signal heads over a stationary tape, or a movement of a tape past stationary signal heads During the movement in direction 25, the magnetic signals within the different rows 27 of tape 93 ' are transferred to the recording head systems 22 0, 23 -0, 240 etc, so that at the end of this movement all the tapes contain the same signals on the same cross points of rows 28 , 29 and 30 ' and so on with the columns 151-' During this movement in direction 25 it has also been determined which digit value had been marked by magnetic signals within the selected denomination, e g at denomination " 13 " By the selective distributor 14 (see also the co-pending Application No 37212/54) (Serial No. 786,031) and by the switch 311 " of the selected denomination " 13 " and the discharge circuit 32, it is effected that the amplifier 33 containing ten channels (tubes) is opened only for the interval of the passing of the sensing heads 3 above denomination " 13 " namely ", and that one of the tubes 34 -9 is ignited which corresponds with its digit value to the magnetic signals within the selected denomination, i e " 13 " As these tubes 34 " pass the erasing high frequency of the oscillator 35, all those recordings on the tapes 9 ' are erased during the 70 backward movement in direction 26 which do not c rrespond as to their sorting number in column Li 15 with the number of the tape ( 9 ', 95, 9 ', etc) to which they have been transferred In this case, the pulse " O " being con 75 tained within denomination 171, " 13 " at row 23 of tape 9 "', all the signals transferred to the tapes 9 ' during the forward movement 25, will be erased during the backward movement 26, whereas only the recording on tape 80 of this unity remains, se tube 34 ' will be closed during the backward movement 26. During this backward movement also, tape 90 will be fed stepwisely by

one unity while the tapes 9 ' remain stationary and are erased 85 within the just-transferred unity fields and rows Thus an effective transfer took place (sorting pulses) only from tape 91 ' to tape 9 ", in conformity with pulse " O " within dencmination " 13," namely column 15 " 3 90 By the exciting of amplifier 33, the relay lever 36 effected the advance of the tape by one step, whilst at the same time the way was closed for the erasing frequency to the signal heads on the tape 9 " 95 The wiring diagram of this high efficiency sorting mechanism is shown in detail in Fig. It differs from the arrangement already described by the fact that instead of parallel sensing heads 3 Y, and parallel recording 100 heads 22 "-, 230, 24 " etc, a serial arrangement is shown for sensing and recording and including the sensing head 37 for a synchronizing track and the sensing head 38 for sensing the sequence of -signals indicating the 105 numerical values (digit and denomination value) in series, denomination by denomination in each unity The sensing head 37 for the synchronizing track controls the electronic distributing means 39 by means of the sensed 110 control frequency This wiring diagram (Fig. 10) includes to a great extent the same electronic means which are used for computing, storing and printing tasks as set forth in my co-pending Application for Patent No 15773/ 115 (Serial No 786,021), so that only a few additional electronic means are required for the sorting processes The electronic distributot 39 is controlled as to the rotation of its cathode ray by a control frequency on the tape 120 The control frequency is sensed by signal head 37 and amplified by pentode 40, controlling the two deflecting plate systems 41, 42 of the cathode ray tube 39 the voltages of such plates being shifted relatively to each other by 90 125 degrees, effecting a rotation of the cathode ray. The digit value signals are sensed by means of the sensing head 38, amplified by the pentode 43 and conducted to the control electrode 44 of the cathode ray distributor 39, if the pen 130 786,030 plate circuit of pentode 49 is transferred via separate secondary windings to the respective pentodes 56-', so that the transformers 57 may produce in the signal heads 48 and 54 9 the erasing frequency, be 70 ing switched on during the backward movinent of the signal heads over the tape, if a reciprccating relative movement between signal heads and tape is used and no anti-reciprocating selecting of sorting signals by a preceding 75 signal head has been made, as described below with reference to Fig NY. By this means all those signals sensed by sensing head 38 and transferred to tapes 90-99 by signal heads 48 -9 and 540-D, are 80 erased by those of the signal heads 48 -9 and 54 -9, of which the

corresponding discharge tube 58 is not ignited as the co-ordinated pentodes 56 -9 are "open " If a discharge tube 580-9 is ignited, the corresponding pentode 85 56 is closed, because with an excited discharge tube the cathode of the co-ordinated pentodes 56 -D becomes positive compared with its suppressor grid Thus, only to that one of the ten tapes 9 ' to 91 which corresponds 90 to the digit value in the selected sorting column of the tape will the digit value signals sensed by means of sensing head 38 be " effectively " transferred, and not then erased The ignition of the discharge tube 58 -9 is controlled in 95 dependence on the digit value or character signals in the selected sorting column via sensing head 38, pentode 43, control grid 44 of cathode ray tube 39 and the switching field 59 -9 of the screen 45 100 Instead of operating the sorting means with ten tapes, and transferring all the signals of digit values to the recording heads of all the tapes, and erasing during the backward movement of the sensing heads all those recordings 105 which do not correspond to the digit value of the selected column, a direct transfer of signals may be made but in the latter case it would have to be stated and recorded in an advance sensing to which of the tapes the pulses had 110 to be transferred, as only after the sensing of the signals of the sorting column is it known to which of the tapes 9 ' toa 91 the digit value impulses are to be " effectively " transferred. The ignition of the gas discharge tubes 58 115 via the cathode ray distributor 39, with switching fields 590-9, corresponds to the arrangement described in detail in my co-pending Application No 37212/54 (Serial No. 786,031) 120 In the devices described up to now the sorting was effected by the transfer of unities to a set of sorting tapes by transfers which " have been made effective " either during the movement of the tape after the signals have 125 been sensed from a stationary tape, or transferring all signals to all tapes and sensing a sorting signal, and during the movement of the tape, erasing all those transferred signals not selected by the sorting signal 130 tode 43 is " opened " The " opening " of the pentode 43 is effected by means of the discharge tube 32 (Fig 9) only during the sensing of that column which ignites the discharge tube by the exciting of its control grid by a pulse from the column-selecting means, in this case the inductive distributor 14 and the closed switch 3113 After the column has been selected the sensing head 38 senses the signals in that column which signals are transferred effectively to the tapes 9 -99 under the control of the electronic distributor 39. A second rotating system may also be used within this cathode ray distributor 39, its rotation being controlled by means of a control frequency, either taken directly from the tape or synchronized by

synchronizing signals during the rotation of the cathode ray of the first system over screen 45, this ray rotating once for every column and the ray of the second system rotating in synchronism with the first ray but only for one field for each rotation of the first ray By this means column Selecting is made possible Finally, a selecting of the column can be effected, if there are holes or notches provided on the edges of the tape, so that the column at which the exciting of discharge tube 32 (Fig 9) is to take place, can be selected by a displacement of one or more signal heads to an extent equal to the distance between the selected column and the zero By this means a local selection at a definite time instant can be made instead of a time selection at varying time instants This is described in more detail below. Instead of the electronic or inductive distributors, a contact distributor or other distributor may be adopted according to the degree of efficiency required, and to the speed of operation. Via pentodes 43 and 46 and transformer 47 the digit value signals are transferred at first to the recording coils 48 (see tape 90) of all the tapes 90-99 The coils 480-9 are, according to the high frequency pre-magnetizing and erasing, pre-magnetized from the oscillating pentode 49 to which the transformer 50, connected in parallel to the recording coil 48, is coupled The circuits 51 -9 each consist of a self-induction and parallel capacitor, tuned into the oscillating frequency from the transformer 47. The pulses sensed by means of sensing head 38 are transferred in the one movement of the heads 38 and 37 against the tape 910 to all the tapes 90-9 Further on the control frequency is transferred from sensing coil 37 via pentode to pentode 52 and the transformer 53 to the respective recording heads 54-9 The premagnetizing from the oscillating pentode 49 via transformer 50 is effected in the same way as described above, since the circuits 55 '-, each consisting of a capacitor and a self induction coil are used as described above The high frequency oscillating in winding 50 within the 786,030 The transfer can be effected in such a way, that in a preceding sensing process the digit value of the sorting column is sensed and used for selecting In dependence on the use of the signal in a second sensing process, the whole unity is sensed and in a given case transferred on to the respective sorting tape. It is in this process possible to effect the sorting by two sensing processes, which are effected simultaneously, of which the one is locally pre-arranged in one unity from the other On the other hand, the sensing processes can be effected by the same signal head successively after each other The pre-marking signals for the effecting of the transfer at the next sensing may be either stored in

relay or electronic tube storages or the like, or on the tapes themselves. Such a sorting device, which effects the sorting process at the transfer from a sorting tape 9 l by means of two sensing processes is described in the following with reference to Figs 11 d. In Fig 11 " the sensing heads 59 are shown, which introduce signals via the switches 9 in a selectable way via the connection ways a, b, to the electronic selecting gate comprising the discharge tubes 61 and 62 and the pentode 63 and of Fig 11 V. The sorting column according to which the sorting is to be effected, is selected by means of the coils 64/65 and 66/67 in the distributor shown in Fig 11, by a rotational adjustment within the circle 68 The circle 68 carries a scale, which indicates in which sorting column the coils 64/65 and 66/67 are to be effective. Discs 69 and 70, which are provided on the main shaft 47, have teeth 693 and 70 T, respectively, the edges of which pass closely overthe edged cores of the said coils 64/65 and 66/67 The shaft 47 may for example be the main shaft of a computor such as is set forth in my co-pending Application No 15773/50 (Serial No 786,021). If the primary winding 64 of a coil is excited by means of direct current, the gas discharge tube 62 is ignited at the passing of the tooth 69 t over the core of that coil, since the secondary winding 65 of this coil is connected with the control grid of the gas discharge tube 62 The ignition of the gas discharge tube 62 effects an opening of pentode 63, as the cathode resistance 72 of the gas discharge tube delivers the screen grid voltage of the pentode as a voltage drop. After an interval of almost one column, the tooth 70 " of disc 70 passes the core of the coils 66 and 67, and the gas discharge tube 61 is ignited which closes the pentode 63 by making the cathode potential positive in relation to the potential of the suppressor grid. By way of introductory explanation it may be menticoned that after a sorting column has been selected, it must be ascertained which digit value (if any) is in the selected column, and such digit value must be recorded as a pre-mark for the next storage stage This recording may be done either in an electronic storage e g electronic tubes or on the tape itself The latter alternative is illustrated dia 70 grammatically in Fig Eld, whilst the former is illustrated in Fig lie. In Fig 1 lb the circuitry for the digit value 0 is shown, and for the other digit values either the same arrangement of recording 75 means could be repeated for each line or a single recording means could move from line to line successively for the successive digit values C-9. In operation, the control grid of pentode 80 63 is connected only with that one of the sensing heads 59 '-9, which is switched on via the corresponding switch 60 ' (i e in the case shown the switch 60 ) and

only those signals can be made effective via the pentode 85 63, which correspond both to the selected column as determined by the position of the coils 64/65 and 66/67 and to the switched-on sensing head 590-9 (i e in the case shown, signal head 60 ) The circuit connections be 90 tween Figs 11 i and 11 d are shown at the terminals a, b. If such a signal is sensed from a selected columu, it ignites the gas discharge tube 73 via the pentode 63 (opened only during the 95 passing of this column) and opens the pentode 74, the control grid of which is connected with secondary winding 75 while in the plate circuit of that pentode the recording coil 76 is arranged 103 By this means, an indicating mark is stored in the first or other preceding column of the same unity, indicating that the signals of this unity must be transferred to sorting tape 0 ( 9 ") at the next sensing and transfer stage 105 In Fig ib' the tape moves from left to right. By this process a relatively high speed of the tape can be attained, as the movement of the tape can take place during the backward movement of the transport systems By means 110 of this pre-marking for the effecting of a transfer, this transfer can be effected directly, Without the making of ineffective transfers which later have to be erased This pre-marking signal is sensed by means of the signal 115 head 77, which is connected with the control grid of the pentode 78 via the leads c, d The amplified signal effects the ignition of gas discharge tube 79, opening the respective switches connected to the respective cathode circuits 120 at 80 determining whether a transfer of the signals of the unity to the respective sorting tapes (in this case tape 90) is to take place or not. The selection as to the sorting tape to which 125 a transfer of signals is to be made may then be controlled by a corresponding plurality (e.g 10) of amplifier and relay circuits similar to the one shown in Fig l'd and comprising pentode 78 and discharge tube 79 Such a 130 786,030

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* GB786031 (A)

Description: GB786031 (A) ? 1957-11-13

Improvements relating to the sorting of signals recorded on a magnetisablesignal carrier

Description of GB786031 (A)

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f - PATENT SPECIFICATION 7863031 I Date of Application and filing Complete Specification: June 23, 1950. No 37212/54. Application made in Germany on Oct 1, 1948. (Divided out of No 786,021). Complete Specification Published: Nov 13, 1957. Index at acceptance:-Class 106 ( 1), S. International Classification:-GO 6 k. COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to the Sorting of Signals Recorded on a Magnetisable I, G Ea HARD DIR Ks, a German citizen, of Moerfelderlandstrasse 44, Frankfurt-on-Mam, Germany, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: - This invention relates to the sorting of information recorded as signals on erasible signal carriers, for example magnetisable tapes. One object of the invention is to make possible a sorting of unit

areas of a signal carrier in dependence on information likely to have been recorded in any one or more of those unit areas, in a manner comparable to the handling of punched cards but with much greater ease, at much less cost and in a much smaller space By way of example said unit areas or "unities" as they are hereinafter called may comprise successive lengths of a tape, or successive lengths of a track (circumferential or axial) of a drum memory, a track being an area marked out by a signal head means by a relative movement between such area and means. According to this invention two erasible storage means are provided, each having recording and sensing means between which and said storage means there is a relative movement, said storage means having successive unit areas arranged in the direction of said relative movement, and selective sensing means for the sensing of successive sorting signals in successive passages of a storage, the sensing of a sorting signal controlling said recording and sensing means so as to transfer the signals of the respective unities from storage to storage, whereby the unities are eventually arranged in ascending, descending or other pre-selected sequence in dependence on a predetermined sequence of sorting signals operative at the respective transfers. In the preferred forms of the invention the said storage means are two magnetisable tapes with said unit areas arranged in sequence Signal Carrier lengthwise of the tape, and said control means will effect a transferring of signals from one tape to the other and back to the one as many times as partial re-arrangements are required, each record being erased after being transferred and the unit areas in the final record being in the desired ultimate sequence determined by the preselected sorting signals. According to another feature of the invention, the storage means which for the time being is a receiver of transferred signals has a step-by-step relative movement between itself and a recording means, unity by unity, and is advanced by one step only if a transfer of signals has been effected to the unit area then in receiving position. The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:Fig 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the main parts of a two-tape sorting machine; Fig 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view of an alternative form of two-tape sorting machine; Fig 3 is a simple circuit diagram showing how the transfer of signals is effected; Fig 4 is a perspective view of an inductive control device hereinafter described; Fig 5 is a diagrammatic perspective view illustrating one method of effecting a preliminary command that a transfer is to be made in the next transfer stage of the cycle; Fig 6 is a circuit diagram to' be read in conjunction with Fig 5; and Fig 7

is a view of an alternative control arrangement which includes an electronic distributor. Referring to Fig 1, there are shown two stepwisely operating tapes 1, 2 for the successive step-wise sensing and recording of signals thereon Each tape system conprises a reel (not shown) from which the tape is uncoiled, a sensing head system 3 by which the tape 1 sensed, the tape feeding system 4 with stop teeth 5 and a reel (not shown) for rewinding the tape The sensing and the feeding sys2 786,031 tems are operated in dependence on the move. ment of the main shaft 6 (compare Fig 27 driven by a motor (not shown). The two-tape sorter may make superfluous the mechanical sorting of punched cards into ten boxes, by replacing a mechanical sorting of marked record means by the simple electric sorting of the signals themselves on to another tape in any desired new sequence. For a better understanding, the two-tape sorter is compared in the following with The function of a known punched card sorter The successively stepwisely operated sections or unities (unit areas) of tape 1 are comparable to the punched cards which are fed through a slot of the punched card feeding mechanism of the sorter. The tape 2 can be compared with the leceiving boxes of a punched card mixing or sorting machine, into which the punched cards are delivered in dependence of which hole is sensed by the sensing brush within the vertical row selected for sorting But there is a great difference In the mechanically or electromechanically operating punched card sorters the sensed and fed punched cards are mechanically delivered with all their contents of information in the form of punched holes to one or another sorting box With the two-tame sorter according to this invention no mechanical sorting of mechanical cards into boxes takes place In this case the signals of the sensed " unities " of the successively stepwisely fed tape 1 are electronically sensed and transferred to another tape under the control of a sorting signal in a sorting column selected from tape 1 With this invention any column of a unity may be used as a sorting column in a similar selective way as with the columns of punched cards. Fig 1 shows details of the signal-head system 7 and the tape feeding system 4 for the tapes 1 and 2. The signal-head system 7 moves at one cycle of the operating means, from right to left in arrow-direction 8 and back in arrow direction 9, by 80 denominations 10(width of one " unity" 111-1 of the tape, each unity beng equivalent to one punched card). The tape 1 may be stationary during the movement of the sliding signal head system 7 from right to left in arrow direction 8, and move by one "unity" to the right on the backward movement of the sliding

signal-head system 7 in arrow direction 9 The movement of the tape by one " unity " 11 in arrow direction 9 is controlled by the upper part of the transportation control head 4 which, similarly to the sliding signal-head system 7, moves to and fro by one " unity " from right to left, and backward to the right corresponding to a certain number of perforations 12 Beginning with the reversing point of the movement of the signal head and transport-system 7 and 4 in arrow-direction 8, and with the backward movement in arrow-direction 9, the lever 13 enters into the feeding-holes of the tape, for instance hole 12, the tape meanwhile being in a fixed position, locked by the registering teeth 5 The magnet-coil 14 effects, that 70 this stepwise transport is effected or not effected The stepwise feeding of tape 1 is not effected if the magnet-coil 14 moves the feeding-lever 13 downwards by an exciting of its windings, and lever 13 cannot then grip 75 into the feeding-hole 12 of the tape 1. The feeding of tape 2 with its "unities" 151 is controlled by the lower part of the feeding control mechanism 4 It consists, comparable to its upper part, of the feeding 80 lever 16 and the magnet-coil 17 It can only feed the tape 2 from left to right in arrowdirection 9 by one " unity " 15, if the magnetcoil 17 does not prevent the lever 16 from gripping into one perforation hole 85 The signal-head system, which moves to and fro in arrow-direction 8 and 9 within the sliding-head 7 comprises two sets of e g 15 signal heads 18 and 19 e operating in parallel, with their respective slots 3 ' and coils 90 , slots 21 and coils 22 , of which each coil is co-ordinated to one of a number of horizontal tracks 23 - On the movement of the sliding signal-head system 7 to the left hand side, in arrow-direction 8, the magnetic 95 signals within all the different rows 23 are sensed within one cycle and those in any selected vertical row (column) may be selected as sorting signals and may be used for the selective control of the transfer of the sensed 100 signals of all the columns of a unity on tape 1 to a unity on tape 2, for example during the backward movement of the sliding head system There may be a repeated to-and-fro movement of the signal head system over the 105 samze unity whilst the tape remains stationary. The stepwise movement and the sensing of stationary tape in all the columns of a unity within one cycle, and recording in any selected column of that unity, enables the use of all 110 the many control possibilities which a stepwise feeding of punched cards allows, without complicated intermediate storing systems. The advantage of such a use of stepwisely moved magnetic tapes lies in the possibility of 115 an easy recording and erasing, and a repeated sensing of signals in any selected signal position and sequence during e g one cycle, and very simple recording, erasing and feeding means,

compared with punched card mech 120 anism. Instead of the sensing and recording being done by the moving of signal heads over a stationary tape the reverse arrangement may be adapted, which has other advantages, that 125 the stationary signal heads give greater simplicity of construction. The means for the selective operation of the sensing and/or recording means, and the means for transport of the tape are set forth 130 786,031 - 8,3 in more detail in my co-pending Application No 37215/54 (Serial No 786,034). Referring to Fig 2, there is shown the manner of step-wise feeding and the sensing and recording of one or more tapes controlled independently of each other From the original tape 1, which is stepwisely fed, a transfer of all the signals of a unity is effected at the first passage to the second tape 2 only when the first tape contains, in a selected column, the selected sorting signal e g the digit value " O " At the same time, when such a transfer has taken place, the second tape 2 will be moved on by one step, as in this case the bar 25 with the feeder 26 is not fixed to the core of the magnet coil 27, and the rotating disc 28 on shaft 6, moving the to-and-fro transport system, can pull the tape forward by one step. After this forward movement the cross bar 26 with its cams 29 will be pulled out of the corresponding transport hole at the edges of the tape, whereupon such bar 26 is held fast by the magnet coil 27 during the rearward movement of the bar 25 Combined with the up and down movement of the cams 29 is the up and down movement of the stops 5, which have a slanted edge so that the tape receives by means of these stopping members 5, a definite position in which accurate sensings and recordings can be effected The sensing and recording is effected by means of the sets of sensing-, recording and erasing heads 18 and 19. During the continuous stepping forward of the first tape 1, a transfer from its sensing coils 18 to the recording heads 19 of the next tape 2 can be effected only if at the selected column the selected sorting signal (e.g the digit value " 0 ") is contained during the first passage. The sorting may be done in either of two ways namely, by transferring the whole content of a unity at each sensing operation and then erasing the new record if it does not contain the selected sorting signal in the sorting column, or by having a pre-sensing of the sorting column in a unity and then transferring the whole content of the unity only if such pre-sensing reveals the presence of the sorting signal in that unity The latter method will be described first with reference to Fig 3 and then -the former method with reference to Fig 4. Fig 3 shows the operation of a two-tape sorting device with tapes 1

and 2, by means of a diagram. Above the tapes 1 and 2 move the signal head sets 18 and 19 in arrow directions 8 and 9 The sensing heads 180 are connected with the amplifier 30 and, via a selecting stepping switch 31, with the amplifier 32. During the movement of the signal heads in arrow direction 8 the signals of tape 1 are sensed by that set of sensing heads 18 and the signals sensed from tape 1 may be transferred or not transferred, after amplification in amplifier 30, with e g parallel channels, for a recording by means of the recording heads 19 8 on the tape 2 under the control of a selective mechanism Such selective mech 70 anism may e g comprise a selective device for sorting columns, a selective device for sortingdigit-value signals or the like in the selected column, a transfer switching device and a switchable feeding device actuated in depend 75 ence on the presence or absence of such selected signals The selective device for sorting columns includes the amplifier 32, which is in-active in its normal position and only opened for a short period by the selective 80 switch 33, including e g the inductive distributing switch 34 actuating the igniting of the discharge tube 35 selectively By means of this selective switch the selection of the sorting column may be effective The select 85 ing switch 33 has as many switching ways 36 as there are columns 24 in a unity on the tapes 1 and 2. In Fig 3 the switch 36 " 3 is shown closed, which makes the windings of the inductive 90 switch effective during the passage of signal heads 18 over column 243 ", which column has been selected by the actuation of switch 3633 as the sorting column amongst the columns 24 " 80 for this phase or stage of the 95 sorting process The selected switch effects the ignition of the relay tube 35 at the passing of the co-ordinated sorting column area 243 " of the magnetizable tape 1 below the sensing heads, said relay tube being switched-off again 100 before the beginning of the passage of the signal heads 18 over the column area. The selective device for sorting signals in the selected sorting column includes the stepping switch 31, which may be operated selec 105 tively for digit values alone, e g 0-9, or may be operated for digit values in combination with additional signals a-e say for alphabetic characters or the like If for instance, during a first passage of the tape 1 below the sensing 110 heads 18 a transfer from tape 1 to tape 2 is to take place of all the signals of such unities as have a zero in the sorting column 24 ", this selection is effected by means of a double dependent-selection, namely a selected 115 denomination number and a selected digit value. If in the switch selective position 310 for digit value " zero " there

is sensed during the passing over the selected denomination (sort 120 ing column) a signal representing "zero," a selective transfer of all the signals of the respective tape-unity-area from tape 1 to 2 is made, as the transfer switching device including relay tube 35 is actuated, opening the amplifier 125 channels 30 Also, the magnet 17 is actuated, which releases the lever 16, so that the transport of the tape 2 is effected by one unity. If in the sorting column 2433 selected by switch 36 " 3 there is sensed no digit value signal 130 786,031 equal to the selected switch position, in this example switch position 310, the amplifier 32 remains uneffective, and no transfer takes place. The lever 16 of the transport system is drawn against the magnet 17. Instead of a selected transfer or no transfer of signals, also a general transfer via amplifier may take place, followed by a selective erasing of the new record, as shown in this Figure. For this purpose the erasing oscillator 37 is operated in dependence on switch 35 to selectively erase or not erase the recorded signals which have just before been recorded by a transfer of all the signals of this unity from tape 1 to tape 2. The process of sorting according to rising or falling sequences of sorting numbers, characters or the like is at this two-tape sorter operated as described below While tape 1 moves with a continuous stepwise movement, at the first running through of this tape in a sorting process for digits 0-9 in sorting column 2453, namely the running through for sorting on the basis of digit value " O " which may be adjusted by stepping switch 31 only those unities are transferred from tape 1 to tape 2 effectively, which have in sorting column 2433 the digit value signal " zero," so that after the said running through of tape 1 there are recorded on tape 2 all the signals of all such unities of tape 1 which have in sorting column 24 " the digit value " O " By an effective transfer or effective recording is meant one which is made selectively as well as one which has been retained selectively in an erasing process after a general transfer. In succession to an effective recording, a feeding of the tape 2, by one unity is effected. During this first running through, tape 1 is continuously step-wisely fed and, in the intermissions between the feeding-movements, the signal contents of the successive unities of the tape are transferred on to tape 2 If there had to take place an " effective" recording both tapes are transported on by one unity. If on the other hand the transfer had to be " uneffective," that is if it had to be erased afterwards, as there was no " zero " in column 24 ", only tape 1 is moved on by one step, whereas tape 2 remains in its position and will be erased at the respective unity At the end of the

first passage, the tape 2 contains in a continuous sequence all unities of tape 1 which have, in the example under discussion, a zero signal in the column 24 ". In the second passage of tape 1 the transfer to tape 2 of all the signals of such unities as have in the selected column 24 " the signal " 1 " is effected, as the stepping switch 31 has moved from position 310 to position 311, preferably automatically, after the termination of the first " running through " of tape 1 in the same way as described above, the sorting process is continued during the third running through of the tape 1 by a stepwise transfer from tape 1 to tape 2 of all the signals of such unities as contain in the selected sorting column 24 ", the sorting signal " 2," and at the fourth "running through" the sorting signal " 3," 70 and so on After the terminating of ten runs of the tape, the tape 1 contains in successive sequence all the unities of the tape 1 in a rising or falling sequence according to the order of selection of the digit value signals in 75 the selected sorting column. Comparably to punched card sorting, the next sorting column will now be selected, e g. column 2432, by switch 36 ' becoming operative in place of switch 36 ", to receive arv 80 wanted sequence of sorting numbers and all their respective unities on tape 2. In the devices described up to now the sorting was effected by the transfer of unities to a set of sorting tapes by transfer which has been 85 made " effective " either during the movement of the tape after the selected signals have been sensed from a stationary tape, or by first transfering all signals and then sensing a sorting signal and, during the movement of the tape, 90 erasing all those transferred signals nhot selected by the sorting signal. The transfer can be effected in such a ay, that in the preceding sensing process the digit value of the sorting column is sensed and used 95 for selecting In dependence on the result of this use of the signal in a second sensing process, the whole unity is sensed and in a given case transferred on to the other tape It is in this process possible to effect the sorting by 100 two sensing processes, which are effected 1 simultaneously, of which the one takes place in the next unity to that in which the other takes place On the other hand, the sensing processes can be effected by the same signal 105 head successively after each other The premarking signals for the effecting of a transfer during the second sensing may be either stored in relay or electronic tube storages or the like, or on the tapes themselves 110 Such a sorting device, which effects he sorting process at the transfer from a sorting tape 1 by means of two sensing processes is described in the following with reference to Figs 4-7 115 In Fig 5 the

sensing heads 18 "-' are shown, which introduce signals via the switches 31 '-0 in a selectable way via the connection ways a, b, to the electronic selecting gate comprising the discharge tubes 35 and 38 and the pentode 120 39 of Fig 6. The sorting column according to which the sorting is to be effected, is selected by means of the coils 40/41 and 42/43 by a rotational adjustment within the circle 44, see Fig 4 125 The circle 44 carries a scale, which indicates in which sorting column the coils 40/41 and 42/43 are to be effective Discs 45 and 46, which are provided on the main shaft 47, have two teeth 48 and 49, the edges of which pass 130 786,031 same unity, indicating that the signals of Lhis unity must be transferred to sorting tape 2 at the next sensing and transfer stage In Fig. the tape moves from left to right. By this process a relatively high speed ef 70 the tape can be attained, as the movement of the tape can take place during the backward movement of the feeding systems By means of this pre-marking for the effecting of a transfer, this transfer can be effected directly, with 75 out the making of uneffective transfers which later have to be erased This pre-marking signal is sensed by means of the signal head 55, which is connected with the control grid of the pentode 56 via the switching ways c, d 80 The amplified signal effects the ignition of gas discharge tube 57, opening the respective switches connected to the respective cathode circuits at 58 determining whether a transfer of the signals of the unity to tape 2 is to take 85 place or not. If instead of the inductive distributor there is provided a cathode ray distributor for the selection of the column and/or digit values an arrangement can be used according to switch 90 ing diagram of Fig 7 The sorting process itself is almost the same as has been described in connection with Figs 4-6. In the example illustrated, and in contrast to Fig 5, an additional sensing head 59 effects 95 via the co-ordinated pentode 60 and a phaseshifting device the circular rotation of the cathode ray in the electronic distributor 61. The column according to which the sorting is to be effected, is indicated by the connection 100 of the high-ohmic resistance 62, which may be one of a plurality arranged for selection of the respective sorting columns, and which ignites the gas discharge tube 63, when the sorting process is to take place The gas discharge 105 tube opens the pentode 64, which takes its screen grid voltage as a voltage drop at the cathode resistance of the discharge tube 63. The pre-marking signal itself, which indicates that the transfer is to be effected, and which 110 is recorded by the recording head 64 ',

will be released at the high-ohmic resistance 65 Only those of the signal heads 18 can be made effective via the cathode ray distributor, which give signals on to the control grid of the 115 pentode 66 via a closed switch 31 - On this feature compare the description of Fig 5. In the plate circuit of the pentode 66 is arranged the transformer 67, which transfers the signals to the control grid 68 of the cathode 120 ray tube 61 and thereby controls the intensity of the cathode ray A transfer on to the second tape from the sensing heads 69 via the coordinated pentodes 30 to the recording heads 19 of the other sorting tapes is only 125 effected, if at the beginning of the sensing of a unity, the gas discharge tube 70 is ignited, by a pre-marking signal, which has been recorded on the tape 1 and sensed by the sensing head 71 and amplified by pentode 72 130 closely over the edged cores of the said coils 40/41 and 42/43 The shaft 47 may for example be the main shaft of a computor such as, is set forth in my co-pending Application No 15773/50 (Serial No 786,021). If the primary winding 40 of a coil is excited by means of direct current, the gas discharge tube 35 is ignited at the passing of the tooth 48 over the core of that coil, since the secondary winding 41 of this coil is connected with the control grid of the gas discharge tube The ignition of the gas discharge tube 35 effects an opening of pentode 39, as the cathode resistance 50 of the gas discharge tube delivers the screen grid voltage of the pentode as a voltage drop. After an interval of almost one column, the yoke 49 of disc 46 passes the core of the coils 42 and 43, and the gas discharge tube 38 is ignited which closes the pentode 39 by making the cathode potential positive in relation to the potential of the suppressor grid. By way of introductory explanation it may be mentioned that after a sorting column has been selected, it must be ascertained whether the digit value (if any) in the selected column corresponds to the sorting value operative for this passage of the tape, and such digit value if sensed, must be recorded as a pre-mark for the next sorting stage This recording may be done either in an electronic storage e g electronic tubes or on the tape itself The latter alternative is illustrated diagrammatically in Fig 5, and in further detail in Fig 7. In Fig 5 the principle of operation is shown for the first running through of the tape; switch 310 is closed, so that the digit value 0 is used as selecting value The further selecting according to other selecting values may be done with the same arrangement of means by further running through the tape 1 and a stepwise change of the selective switching of switch 31 from position 310 to position 311, 312 etc. for e g the successive digit values 0-9. In the drawing, the control grid of pentode 39 is conected only with

that one of the sensing heads 18 '9, which is switched on via the corresponding switch 31 (i e in the case shown the switch 31 ); only those signals can be made effective via the pentode 39, which correspond both to the selected column as determined by the position of the coils 40/41 and 42/43 (e g column 24) and to the switched-on of sensing heads 18 (e g in the case shown, signal head 180). If such a signal is sensed from a selected column, it ignites the gas discharge tube 51 via the pentode 39 (opened only during the passing of this column 24 ") and opens the pentode 52, the control grid of which is connected with secondary winding 53 while in the plate circuit of that pentode the recording coil 54 is arranged, see connections e, f in Fig 6. By this means, an indicating mark is stored in the first or other preceding columns of the 786,031 After each sensing process of the tape 1 this tape is moved forwards by one unity by means of the feeding system The tape to which the signals have been transferred is moved on by one unity as described above The control of the feeding system is also effected by -he discharge tube 70, influencing respective feeding system via magnet 17. In the same way the series of signal heads 18 9 and 69 9 may be replaced each by one signal head if electronic distributor means or the like is used, operating in dependence on signals in the synchronizing track sensed by signal head 59, or determining numerical values on a basis of locality or time, related to fixed points on the tape or other storage means. The illustrated examples of feeding devices, recording-, sensing-, storing re-arranging and sorting devices set forth advantages which can be achieved in the recording of information of any kind As a further great advantage it may be mentioned, that the storing capacity of such a tape is very great The contents of whole punched card filing systems may be recorded on one tape To the advantage of the saving of space, can be addedthe further advantages of lower production costs as well as the lower weight and size of the apparatus and the very easy handling of the reels compared with the handling of punched cards The possibilities of operating with the stored information are especially advantageous over the use of mechanical symbol carriers, because the recorded information may be erased and the recording tape used again. Finally, by electronic operation of the signal carriers the highest operation speeds can be achieved. The invention may be modified in that the sensed signals are first transferred to an intermediate storage and from there are passed to the other storage of the sorting means Such intermediate storages may be magnetisable rotatable storages.

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* GB786032 (A)

Description: GB786032 (A)

No title available

Description of GB786032 (A)

PATENT SPECIFICATION 786032 Date of Application and filing Complete Specification: June 23, 1950. No 37213/54. Application made in Germany on Oct 1, 1948. (Divided out of No 786,021). Complete Specification Published: Nov 13, 1957. Index at acceptance:-Class 106 ( 1), A( 1 F: 7 A: 7 X: 10 A: l OB: l OD). International Classification:-GO 6 f. COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Improvements in Electronic Computing Means I, GERHARD DIRKS, of Moerfelder Landstrasse 44, Frankfurt on Main, Germany, o 6 German Nationality, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to electronic computers operating by result elements as defined below and has especial reference to the computing of numbers one or more of which is or are represented or contained as signals in a record means or storage, e g a magnetizable or an electro-static record means, those numbers not contained in a storage being fed to the computor by any other suitable input means, such as

punched cards, punched tapes, a keyboard or the like. This invention will find use inter alia for effecting the calculation of a result from two digit values, of which one such digit value is represented in a record means, in a computer such as is set forth in my co-pending application for Patent No 15773/50 filed 23rd June 1950 (Serial No 786,021). By result elements are meant elements which may be influenced by two or more signals jointly, simultaneously or otherwise, representative of different digit values, to release a result signal representative of a predetermined computation of these digit values with each other. Methods of computation by means of result elements are set forth in my said co-pending Application which consist in the provision of two sets of signal paths at right angles to and crossing each other, each set containing as many paths as there are digit values in the denominations concerned, a digit value of one operand being fed as a signal along the appropriate path of one set and a digit value of another operand being fed as a signal along the appropriate path of the other set, the result value being indicated at the point where those selected paths cross. The present invention provides a means for lF Nco 3 s 6 d l computing together two digit values in a given scale by two deflections of a cathode ray, comprising a storage for signals representing digit values, means for selecting from such storage signals representative of one of said two digit values and applying them as voltages to the deflection system of a cathode ray tube to effect the corresponding one of said two deflections, means for effecting the other of said two deflections to represent the other of said two digit values, and means whereby the resulting position of the cathode ray on a screen or like receiver is detected and gives rise to signals representative of the result of the computation in the same scale The said other deflection of the cathode ray may itself be effected by applying to the deflection system of the cathode ray tube voltages derived from signals in a storage representative of said other digit value. In the preferred arrangements according to the present inventions the crossing paths mentioned above consist of horizontal and vertical rows oif areas on a cathode ray screen and the digit values are computed by the deflection of the ray along the appropriate horizontal and vertical row respectively, that area where such rows cross being the area to which the cathode ray is finally deflected, originating the transmission of a result signal representing the result of the computation. Therefore a preferred arrangement according to the invention comprises a means for computing together two digit values in a given scale wherein one such digit value is caused to deflect a cathode ray in one

direction and to a degree representative of such value and the other digit value is caused to deflect the ray in another direction and to a degree representative of that value, the directions having been pre-determined in dependence on the nature of the computation, and the final location of the ray releasing or originating a signal representative of the value (in the same scale) resulting from the computation. The means co-ordinated to said relative directions for causing the ray in its final location on the tube screen to transmit a signal representative of the result of the computation may for example comprise an arrangement of electronic discharge tubes. More specifically the invention provides a serial adder wherein two digit values from a record means or input means (or both) are fed as signals to the respective deflecting plate systems of a cathode ray tube, one value to one set of plates and the other value to the other set, and wherein from that part of the plate or screen of the tube on which the deflected ray falls a signal is transmitted having or representing a value representing the sum of said digit values. A representative arrangement according to the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:Fig 1 shows schematically a wiring diagram of the computing arrangement comprising a cathode ray tube result means and gas discharge tubes as input and output means; Fig 2 shows on an enlarged scale the screen of the cathode ray tube of Fig 1 with co-, ordinated gas discharge tubes on the output side Also, the input tubes of Fig 1 are coordinated to the result elements in Fig 2. Referring to Fig 1, there is a cathode ray tube 1 with its screen 2 and three sets of gas discharge tubes 3 ', 4 and 50-9. Resistors 7 9 are co-ordinated to the respective discharge tubes 3 9 in the respective cathode circuits and control the current of said tubes so that the amount of current of tube 3 ' is higher than that of tube 31 by one unit, the amount of tube 31 exceeds that of tube 3 by two units, and so on. All the cathodes of the discharge tubes 3 9 are connected in parallel to the single resistor 6, thus effecting a voltage drop at the resistor the amount of which corresponds to the current of whichever discharge tube 3 is ignited at the time The voltage drop of resistor 6 is applied to the vertical deflecting plate 8 of the cathode ray tube 1 which controls the vertical deflection of its cathode ray 9. By means of this arrangement the cathode ray 9 will impinge on the screen 2 (which is provided with secondary emission spots in horizontal and vertical rows) at the crossing field 12 9 having the value " 9 ", if discharge tube 31 is ignited, and if there is no additional horizontal deflection of the cathode ray 9 (e g.

for a carry-over as explained below) If instead the discharge tube 30 is ignited, its coordinated resistance 70 within the discharge circuit causes such a voltage drop at resistance 6 that the deflecting plate 8 deflects the cathode ray 9 to the crossing field 12 having the value " O ", if there is no additional horizontal deflection It is evident that, by this means the cathode ray 9 will always be deflected onto those crossing fields 0-9 within the vertical row 12 -9, which corresponds to the ignited discharge tube 39. In similar manner the gas discharge tubes 409 effect a co-ordinated voltage drop at resistor 10, by means of the respective resistors 11 and thus control the horizontal deflection of the cathode ray 9 by the voltage applied to horizontal deflecting plate 12 a. Computing by the means shown in Fig 1 is achieved by igniting that one of the discharge tubes 3 -9 corresponding to the first digit value andt that one of the discharge tubes 4 "II'' corresponding to the second digit value. The voltage drops at the resistances 6 and 10 effect a deflection of the cathode ray 9 in two directions The selected spot of the screen 2 is co-ordinated to the digit values of the ignited discharge tubes and for a Chosen kind of computing operation this spot is co-ordinated also to the result of said operation That is to say, for addition the cross field represents the sumni of the two digit values For other types of computation, e g subtraction, multiplication etc the crossing fields represent the corresponding results. A further set of discharge tubes 5 9 is provided for effecting or transmitting result signals for indicating, printing, storing, recording of the result value, or for passing it back for further computation, or the like. Referring now to Fig 2 there is particularised the screen 2 of the cathode ray tube with its secondary emitting layer divided up into fields or result areas each containing two spots or localities All the right hand spots 12 representing the same units digit value of a result are connected together in parallel and, via a coupling capacitor, are connected to the control grid of that one of the discharge tubes representing the respective digit value. After deflection the cathode ray 9 is intensifie'd e g by a positive impulse supplied to the control grid 14 of Fig 1 intensifying the secondary emission current of the selected spot of the kyer via the co-ordinated resistor 14 a, the voltage drop of which is supplied to the control grid of a discharge tube 5 -9 and ignites it. Each result area of the screen 2 contain two such secondary emitting spots Of each pair one spot 12 is connected to the respective discharge tubes 5 -, the other spot 13 being effective to control a carry to the next higher denomination of the result The area of the

cathode beam being sufficient to affect both spots in an area. E As appears from Fig 2, the spots are connected as an addition table The spots 13 for the carry are connected in parallel to the gas discharge tube 15 which operates as a carryover pre-mark switch On the ignition of the said discharge tube its co-ordinated resistor 16 effects an additional current within the resistor 6 and thereby an additional vertical deflection of the, cathode ray by one area. 78; 6,032 786,032 3 Another arrangement, used as a multiplication table or the like, can make use of a set of discharge tubes connected to the left hand areas of the result fields, to indicate the digits 0-9 Such an arrangement is described more fully in my co-pending Application No. 15773/50, (Serial No 786,021). In one modified arrangement (not illustrated) the secondary emitting spots are replaced by metallic anode elements for direct operation by the cathode ray beam current, and in another arrangement a usual fluorescent screen is provided, and small photo-cells are provided outside of the tube, in front of the fluorescent screen, for igniting the discharge tubes for deriving the result signals, in accordance with the position of the bright area produced on the screen by the cathode ray beam. Instead of the selectively-operating discharge tubes and resistors for varying the currents in dependence on different digit values, electromechanical relays may be used for the same purpose.

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* GB786033 (A)

Description: GB786033 (A) ? 1957-11-13

Improvements in magnetic storage devices

Description of GB786033 (A)

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AMENDED S PECIFICATION This Reprint embodies amendments in accordance with the Decisions of the Superintending Examiner acting for the Comptroller-General dated the twentyninth day of July 1960, under Section 14, of the Patents Act, 1949, and the nineteenth day of April, 1961, under Section 29. PATENT SPECIFICATION DRAWINGS ATTACHED 786,O 33 A ___ Lb Date of Application and filing Complete Specification: June 23: 1950. lj,9 4 No 37214/54. Application made in Germany on Oct 1, 1948. (Divided out of No 786,021) ____ /1 Complete Specification Published: Nov 13, 1957. udex at acceptance:-Classes 40 ( 2), M; 106 ( 1), C ( 1 D: 2 B 1: 2 G: 3 C: 3 D: 4 A: 4 B: 5: 6). nternational Classification:-GO 6 f G 10 j. COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Improvements in Magnetic Storage Devices I, GETHARD DIRICS, a German citizen, of 44, Moerfelder Landstrasse, Frankfurt-onMain, of German Nationality, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, ito be particularly described in and by the following statem.nt: The invention relates to magnetic storage devices with which the recording, sensing and erasing of signals is effected by signal heads. A magnetic storage device makes use of a magnetisable record means as a signal carrier, which has or is provided with a magnetisable record material which will record sensible signals by changes of the magnetic state of the said record material.

The present invention provides a storage means for electrical signals comprising a rotation symmetrical signal carrier having a magnetisable layer or surface thereon, transducing heads operable to record electrical signals as magnetised areas of said layer or surface and/or to sense such magnetised areas to generate electrical signals, means adapted to produce cyclic relative movement between the signal carrier and the transducing heads such as 'to make a plurality of areas in the form of a track available successively for recording and/ or sensing by each head, and storage area selecting means including means adapted to generate a sequence of electrical synchronising signals in correspondence with said relative movement, gating means for each said head adanited to render said head effective to record and/or sense over particular groups of areas within its track, control circuits for said gating means having a multiplicity of settings such that the gating means are operable under the lU control of said sequence of synchronising signals to render their associated heads effective to record and/or to sense over different groups of areas for different settings, and setting means for said control circuits, the arrangement being such that any particular setting of the control circuits, if kept unchanged during successive cycles of relative movement of carrier and head, results in recording and sensing over the same group of signal areas, at the same position upon the signal carrier, in each cycle. By a rotation symmetrical signal carrier is meant one whose signal-recording surface is endless and which in all phases of the said relative movement maintains the same spatial relationship at said transducing means. The rotation symmetrical magnetisable signal carrier may be the magnetisable layer or surface of a drum or of a disc or the like. The recording means will include at least one signal head but usually there will be a plurality of signal heads and these will be displaced relatively to each other for instance axially or circumferentially in the case of a drum, and radially or circumnferentially in the case of a disc In both cases the circumferential distance will be a whole multiple of the extent of displacement between signal heads The selecting means may be such that signals or groups of signals are recorded and/or sensed on a basis of locality or may be such that signals are recorded and/or sensed on a basis of time. There may be also a sensing means for synchronizing signals and such synchronizing signals may be recorded as remanent or permanent signals on a signal carrier The synchronizing signals may be magnetizably 2 786,033 recorded, or they may be recorded optically or photographically Further selecting means may be provided including distributing means operating under the control of such synchronizing

signals, and such distributing means may be an electrically actuating or electronically actuating distributing means. The selecting means for selective transfer of signals between the signal carrier and the sensing or recording means may be adapted for operation in dependence on a selection programme of any kind, including those adapted for handling addresses, information, control and/or selection signals and auxiliary or supplementary signals By such means, it is possible as explained more fully below to consider the magnetizable surface as representing so many punched cards, for selecting in an equivalent way to the sorting of punched cards. One of the special advantages of the selective storage means is the possibility of a combination with computing, printing and/or indicating devices and the like These selective storages 1 may either contain changeable impulses, which can be sensed, erased and renewed at recording, or may be fixed impulse sequences, containing charts, tables, reference information and the like The selective storages allow of s O the sensing of any adjusted position of the storage and the transfer of impulses between that position and a computing, printing and/or indicating device and the like, in a fraction of a second. The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Fig 1 is a perspective view of a rotatable magnetic storage drum with one arrangement of sensing means; Fig 2 is a similar view illustrating another arrangement of sensing means; Fig 3 is a view in axial direction of one half of a storage disc, formed as a magnetizable signal carrier, the markings shown being purely imaginary for the purpose of explanation; Fig 4 a is a perspective view of one example of a magnetic signal head, for example a sensing head on a magnetizable carrier; Fig 4 b is a perspective view of an example of a set of heads consisting of two magnetic heads for the forwarding of a signal with change of digit value by " one "; Fig 4 c is a perspective view of an example of a set of signal heads consisting of 11 magnetic heads for transfer of computing signals in dependence on the operation of numerical value switches or the like; Fig 4 d is a perspective view illustrating a set of signal heads according to Fig 4 c in association with a disc according to Fig 3; Fig 4 e is a like view to Fig 4 d showing another example of a set of heads consisting of 11 magnetic heads, which in this case embrace the disc at its edge; Figs 4 f-4 t illustrative various forms of signals recorded on the record carrier, the resultant shapes being modified because of the various alternative recording arrangements 7 which may be used in the carrying out of the invention, and in said Figures: Fig 4 f is a diagram in which the digit value 6 is marked by recording A C in sine wave form in the digit value fields 0-6; a

Fig 4 i indicates that only the beginning of the digit value, by recording A C in the digit value fields 7-9; Fig 4 h shows how the digit value 6 is marked by recording impulses in all the fields E 0-6; Fig 4 i indicates that only 'the beginning of the row of digit value fields 0-9 is marked by an impulse as a " start " signal; the digit value field 6 contains the digit value signal 8 and the end of the row is indicated by a "stop" impulse, Fig 4 k is similar to Fig 4 i but with the "start" and "stop" signals being of inverted polarity, one side of the impulses being ex 9 ponential because it is effected by the discharge of a condenser; Fig 41 shows that only the digit value field " 6 " is indicated by an impulse; Fig 4 m illustrates how "start" and "stop" 9 signals are given by the sides of an elongated rectangular signal, the digit value fields being indicated by an additional impulse, Fig 4 N is similar to Fig 4 m, but with the "start" and "stop" signals indicated by an 1 impulse in inverted direction; Fig 4 o is also similar to Fig 4 m, wherein the inversion point of the "start" and "stop" signals indicates the digit-value field, Fig 4 p is a diagram wherein "start," "stop" 1 ( and digit value signals only are represented by wave periods, Fig 4 q is a diagram wherein "start" and "stop" signals are given at the beginning and the end of the sequence of periods and the 1 l digit value signal by the interruption between them, Fig 4 r is similar to Fig 4 q, but with the interruption filled by a wave of another frequency, 1 l Fig 4 S is a diagram wherein the digit value field is marked by a signal formed by using different frequencies; Fig 4 t illustrates how the recording can be effected by a constant A C, the start signal 1. and the digit value signal being represented by short interruptions; Figs 5 a, b are diagrams showing displaced signal heads under the control of a selective program input means; Fig 6 a shows in diagram form a series of displaced signal heads, electronically controlled from a selective program input means; Fig 6 b shows in perspective magnetic tapes with their respective sensing and recording 12 786,033 each containing one or more signal heads or systems of signal heads. In Fig 2 the rotation-symmetrical signal carrier is likewise a rotatable drum 1, and a single signal head casing 2 is shown which may be movable axially of the drum. In both cases, by reason of the relative rotation between the drum and the signal heads, these heads trace out on the drum side-by-side signal tracks and in each rotation, all the signals in a track will pass the signal head or heads which then lie opposite the track. In order that the selective storage means shall have a rapid access, that is, in order for any part of the storage surface to be brought to

a signal head in the least possible time for the sensing and/or recording or erasing of signals, it is necessary to select the appropriate track and to select the appropriate signals in that track This involves a selection in a direction axially of the drum and a selection circumferentially of the drum, either of which selections may be carried out in different ways If for instance a plurality of signal heads or signal head systems is disposed around the drum, the degree of angular displacement of the drum necessary to select particular signals in a track is reduced, and the access time correspondingly shortened. For the selection of a track from the several side-by-side tracks, the switching ways of a plurality of side-by-side signal heads arranged axially of the drum may be made effective selectively This arrangement is illustrated diagrammatically in Fig 1, where the signal head casings are indicated at 2 '-n and the connections to the said switching ways are indicated at 31-n Alternatively, one or more signal heads may be adapted to be moved axially of the drum This arrangement is illustrated diagrammaticaly in Fig 2. Referring to Fig 1 in more detail, the drum 1 is mounted for rotation about the axis 4 by means not shown, and may have a speed for example up to 6,000 r p m With a drum of a diameter of say 7 "-10 ", each circumferential signal track may contain say between 1,000 and 5,000 signals, and with a drum of a length from 6 " to 12 " there may be for example 100 signal tracks. In order to avoid wear on the drum surface and on the signal heads at such speeds, and in order to make possible the recording and/or sensing of the required number of signals in a track, the signal heads are spaced from the drum surface, the extent of such spacing being dependent on the one hand on eliminating friction and on the other hand allowing the required sub-division of the circumferential track into the required number of areas for recording the required number of signals. In the arrangement illustrated in Fig 2, the drum 1 is carried on a shaft 4 which is mounted in the brackets 5 and 6, and is adapted to be driven by the motor 7 through heads and transport systems, used as an input or output means for the selective storage, the tape being imaginatively divided into unities each containing signals in columns and lines having the same tasks as punched holes in punched cards; Fig 6 c shows the use of a tape, with a track for synchronising signals, for controlling an electronic distributor; Fig 6 d is a perspective view of an inductive switch shown in Fig 6 b; Fig 7 a is a view in the axial direction of an inductive distributor; Fig 7 b is an edge view of the rotor used in the distributor of Fig 7 a; Fig 7 c is a cross section of the stator shown in Fig 7 a, on the line "A"-"B"; Fig 7 d

shows a wiring diagram for the control of gas-discharge tubes by an inductive distributor according to Figs 7 a-c; Fig 7 e shows the combination of an inductive distributor similar to that of Fig 7 a with two contact switches of commutator type; Fig 8 is a diagram showing the use of magnetic gates for a selective control of signal heads in the selective storage means, indicating e g denomination-values and digit values represented in selective tables; Fig 9 is a circuit diagram showing the use of a magnetic drum with selective distributing means controlled electrically by signals in a synchronizing track and the possibility of transfer or re-transfer in a similar arrangement to magnetic tapes; Fig 10 is a similiar diagram with a number of signal heads operating in parallel and wherein the signals may be transferred to or from the tape in a selective way with or without re-arrangement, and with the simultaneous transfer of synchronizing and information signals; Fig 1 la shows in diagram form selective comparing means for addresses for binary numbers of several denominations for use in selecting storage areas; Fig 1 lb shows optical selecting means delivering signal frequencies for magnetic recording under the control of the selective switching means of Fig hla; Fig 1 ic is a development of a cylindrical part shown in Fig hla with means for the selection of address signals as a binary number in several denominations; Fig 1 ld shows in perspective a magnetic drum storage with selective sensing and recording means under the control of signals forming a multi-denomination address; In Fig 1, the rotation-svmmetrical signal carrier is shown as rotatable drum 1, the circumferential surface of which is or is provided with a maanetizable layer adapted for the storage of signals by a change of the magnetizable state of the material of such layer There is shown also a plurality of signal head casings 2- arranged side-by-side and 786,033 gear and clutch means indicated at 8 and 9, whereby the rotation of the drum may be continuous or intermittent, as desired In the brackets 5 and 6 there are also mounted a further shaft 10 and a guide rod 11, and these (shaft 10 and rod 11) carry the casing 2 containing the signal head or heads. At the one end of shaft 10 is a wheel 12 which is adapted to be rotated by gear and clutch means 13 for continuous or intermittent operation, and the wheel 12 is connected with means such as a cam, or screw and nut mechnaism whereby its rotation effects a corresponding lateral movement of the casing 2, this movement being continuous or intermittent selectively as determined by an operation of the clutch Clutch and gear 9 and 13 are both driven from the motor 7. By a selective operation of the drives to the drum and the wheel 12, a direct access to any part of the drum surface by the signal heads may be realized in a short time.

In some cases the drum may have a cyclic rotation and the casing 2 an intermittent movement, whilst in some other cases the reverse may obtain. In the embodiment represented by Fig 3, where the signal carrier is a disc 13, the sideby-side tracks are concentric rings and the signal heads have a radial displacement or movement instead of an axial displacement or movement The same selective combinations of continuous and intermittent movements may be carried out as described in connection with the drum in Figs 1 and 2. The disc 13 is mounted on the shaft 14 for rotationtherewith and its magnetizable surface may be regarded as (imaginatively) divided into the said concentric tracks 15 and also into sectors between radial lines, for instance the sectors 161 Within each sector the tracks 151-1 ' are regarded as divided into sub-sections e.e 17 into 40 fields 18 " 39 Each of such fields is a locality for the recording, sensing and/or erasing of signals, for example digit value signals Such signals have a definite local relationship to precise points on the shaft or disc, for instance a precise relationship with the angular position of the kevway 19, or they may have a precise relationship with recorded signals in one or more tracks for effecting synchronisation, for instance the tracks 20 21, such signals for synchronizing also being either in definite local relationship to precise points on the shaft or disc, or themselves forming the time base for a time-base signal generator operating in synchronism with the relative movement between them and sensing means provided for the sensing of such signals Snch signals for synchronisation may be recorded mechanically or may he recorded for example magnetically, electrically or photoaranhically, or may otherwise be optically sensible. Such signals for synchronisation are nrovided within track 21 once only within each sector namely at the beginning of the sector (in the arrow-direction of rotation 23) and are;nd'cated as strokes 22 ', 22 ', 223, 2212 etc In track 20 synchronising signals 239 " 1 are provided for the controlled selective sensing, 70 recording and/or erasing of signals or groups of signals within the respective fields 18 " in the different tracks 15 l N of each of the sectors 161-n In track 24, the numbers of denominational sectors are shown in Roman figures 75 The recording, sensing and erasing of the magnetic signals on to and from the disc can be carried out in any manner known from magnetic tape sound technology and the like. Examples of signal heads and their manner of 80 use are illustrated in Figs 4 a-4 e. Fig 4 a shows a usual magnet head in diagrammatic representation In particular, the iron core 25 is shown with a slot 26 and a winding 27,

the head overlying the magnetic 85 layer 2 of the disc 7 A magnetic flux in the head induced by an electric current within the winding 27 flows through the arms of the iron core 25 and partly through the magnetic layer 28 and thereby brings about an increased 90 magnetic saturation of this layer and the remanent magnetising effect within the magnetisable layer 28 constitutes a signal which may be of any of the known recordable types. For recording, the signal carrier or record 95 means need not be in every case the movable part The signal heads may themselves move without altering the principle of the process, since only the relative movement between signal heads and record means is required 100 The sensing of such magnetically recorded signals takes place in the reverse manner, by means of sensing heads or sensing windings in the same heads as the recording windings A magnetic signal which passes the slot 26 of a 105 sensing head brings about a change of voltage within the winding of that head, which constitutes a signal and which when amplified can be used for computation or control functions or the like 110 Erasing takes place mainly by means of energising an erasing head by a high-frequency current Alternatively, the erasing could take place by a suitable direct current erasing head, which would saturate the magnetic layer and 115 again de-magnetise it to bring about the original condition of such layer The sensing and recording heads may, as shown in Figs. 4 b-4 e, be mechanicaly united into a set of two or more heads In this case the sensin R 120 can take Dlace with the aid of a sensing head and the subsequent recording with the aid of a recording head if thev are connected each other over signal transmission means, for examole an amplifier If the sensing and the 125 recording slots 26 and 261 of this combination of heads are in alignment radially of the disc then a magnetic signal nassing the sensing head is transmitted from the sensed track to the corresponding field in the track under the 130 786,033 having been recorded under the control of the said signals 23 in track 20 for synchronisation purposes The length of the recording, respectively the number of waves, may indicate, in a decimal system, a corresponding digit value, 70 for instance in the case shown the digit value 6, within a denomination area or a part of it constituted by the sub-sector 170. In the indicated digit value 6 is to be replaced by a digit value 8 within the same 75 denomination area, this may be done in such a way that a second recording representing the digit value 8 will be made within the fields 18 -180, superimposed on the signals already recorded in those fields, in the same amplitude 80 direction but the second recording will be longer by two waves in excess of those recorded in the previous

recording the said two waves being in the fields 187 and 180 If, on the other hand, the digit value 4 is to replace the 85 digit value 6, a second recording will take place in the fields 18 -184, superimposed on those already in such fields, but beginning from the fields 185 and 18 ' there will be either a recording with the same wave length but in the go opposite direction, thereby erasing the preceding record or a recording frequency may be used so much higher than the signal frequency than an erasing effect is obtained beginning from field 18 ' 95 The fields 18 -9 may also be used as denomination fields in a simple "Yes" and " No" numbering system Other types of " Yes" and " No " symbolizations including time representation and/or start-stop and other 100 signals for synchronisation are shown in the remaining Figures 4 g to 4 t Such signals may be frequencies of a given time period operating under the principle of interrupting a constant recording at definite times or starting a 105 recording at definite times, as shown in Figs. 4 f to 4 g, or they may be pulses each having only one direction as to their amplitude as shown in Fig 4 h They may also be signals each of which indicates the starting and/or 110 ending point of a time length, by " Yes " and "NO" signals as shown in Figs 4 i to 4 o instead of " Yes " and " No " signals without frequency modulation, or frequency-modulated combinations including time and also change of 115 frequency may be used, or phase shifting of a frequency by a frequency jump may be used as shown in various ways in Figs 4 p to 4 t. Any of these signals may indicate numerical values, including digit and denomination 120 values By such signals also, there may be represented characters, groups of characters (e g letters of the alphabet) and other information, adapted to control switchable elements. The use of such a selective storage device in 125 different ways and for different purposes is set forth in several of my copending Applications, for example No 15773/50 (Serial No. 786,021). Referring again to Fig 1, there is shown 130 recording head 30 and therefore with the same l digit value, since the slots 26 and 261 are not displaced angularly relative to each other as shown later on in Fig 7 b If the slots 26 and 261 are mutually displaced angularly then with such a transfer of a signal from the sensed track to the track under the recording head 30 a change of position angularly of the disc will take place in the same sector, and therefore with a change of digit value of the signal (see Fig 7 c). Fig 4 b shows two signals heads 29-30 positioned side-by-side in such a way that the slot 26 of the sensing head 29 is distant from the slot

261 of the recording head 30 by one field in the direction of the relative movement between the heads and the magnetisable layer. Fig 4 c shows a combined set of one sensing head 31 with slot 310 and ten recording heads 32 with slots 32 -329 by means of which the transfer of signals from one track to other tracks can be effected in such manner that any predetermined changing of the position of the signal on the signal carrier, e g the magnetisable disc 7 can take place The slot 31 ' of the sensing head 31 is in the same angular position as the slot 320 of the first of the recording heads 32, the slots 321, 322 32 ' of the other recording heads being progressively advanced angularly with respect to that of the previous recording heads by the extent of one digit value field. Fig 4 d represents the same set of heads as shown in Fig 4 c but in the working position relatively to a magnetisable signal carrier or record means in the form of a disc, namely disc 13, this set of heads being able to change the position of signals in dependence on switches (not shown) and operating with one sensed track a and a track b divided into ten sub-tracks arranged side-by-side. Fig 4 e shows an alternative arrangement in which such a set of heads operates with only two tracks a and b, track b not being subdivided The disc lies in the slots of the heads, these being in line and signals are sensed in track a and recorded in track b The arrangement shown in Fig 4 d has the advantage that the several slots can be arranged much closer to each other, whereas the arrangement shown in Fig 4 e is that it requires no more space for track b than for track a. The signals for digit values or other information may be recorded in different ways, and may be of different forms, some of which are illustrated diagrammatically in Figs 4 f to 4 t. The Figs 4 f to 4 t showing different types of signals which may be used are selfexplanatory to those versed in the art of recording, and therefore only some explanation is given In these Figures the diagrams may be taken to represent a length of track equal to a sub-sector e g 170, containing the fields 18 -. In Fig 4 f may be seen a signal forming a complete wave length of 360 in each field, 786,033 a plurality of signal heads which may be made effective selectively and which trace circumferential tracks on a drum In Figs 5 a, 5 b and 6 a, the track 24 a the right hand side of the Fig represents a part of one of such tracks. These Figures show that a plurality of signal heads 32 ' is provided (compare Fig 4 c) displaced relatively to each other lengthwise of the track, namely in positions circumferentially of the drum The same arrangement may be adapted with a displacement of the heads axially of

the drum These signal heads are selectively switchable in dependence on a control mechanism including a rotatable time or sector switch having contacts 391-39 N and a rotating switch 42 on a pivot 40, this switch operating in synchronism with the rotation of the drum whereby at any given time instant in a cycle of rotation any one of the signal heads 32 may be made effective selectively under the control of a selective programme. In Figs 5 a and 5 b the time or sector switch is shown as having its contacts 391 'n connected to the vertical rows 351-n of a panel or full keyboard in which the horizontal rows 36 _ are connected to one end of the respective signal head windings, the other ends of the windings being connected in parallel to an amplifier circuit, to which also the contact arm 42 is connected This amplifier circuit amplifies signals sensed by sensing head 31 from a signal track which may be on the same signal carrier as the track 24 or on another signal carrier The Figures 5 a-5 b illustrate a method of computing by displacing signals which is set forth in detail in my co-pending Application No 15773/50 (Serial No 786,021). Instead of an electromechanical time or sector switch a magnetically or electrically operated distributing means may be used as shown for example at 451-n and 46 in Fig. 6 a Further, instead of a panel or full keyboard, there may be used an arrangement of electric or electronic relays, or other magnetic or elec-tronic gates or the like, operated in dependence on punched cards, punched tapes, magnetic or optical tapes or other record or storage means, operating on the basis of signals stored or recorded by means of a change in the magnetic or electric state of the record material of such means, as set forth in varying forms in my co-pending Application No 15773/50 (Serial No 786,021), and described in some forms below. Such electronically operated gates are illustrated as electronic relay tubes 43 '9, with their respective pentodes 44 '', co-ordinated to the several signal heads 32 -. Fig 6 b shows the sensing and/or recording of signals from unities of magnetic tapes 46 a and 46 b, being adapted to record signals in vertical rows (columns) and/or lines according numerical values etc The operation of this mechanism is described fully in my co-pending Application for Patent No 37215/54 (Serial No 786,034) The said unities may be used in their sequence on the tape instead of punched cards, each unity taking over all the tasks and possibilities for control found in a punch card 70 punched in comparable arrangements The tapes are used as input and output means for the rotation-symmetrical storage, effecting a co-operation between respective unities and corresponding storage areas in such storage 75

Therefore, signals in the different columns may represent soraing numbers or characters or other sorting control records, address numbers, and numbers for computation, including denomination and digit values The signals in 80 a unity may also represent function signals indicating for instance arithmetical processes such as addition or subtraction; supplementary control signals equivalent to holes punched in the "overhead" rows of a punched card, and 85 signals controlling other operation means as for instance means for the selecting of particular unities, sequence changing whilst duplicating the record, and using the unities having the supplementary control signais as master 90 records for the control of multiplying arrangements, for sorting, mixing and so on, as in punched card practice. Fig 6 b shows, for a better understanding of the principle, a simplified arrangement in 95 which signals for characters or digit values are recorded successively in -the sequence of the transverse column 47 %", beginning at vertical column 471 and ending at vertical column 4780, comparable to the successive punching of 10) punched cards having 80 columns The circuit is provided with a selecting switch shown in Fig 6 d and comprising the rotatable disc 48 with tooth 48 a, one pair of primary/secondary coils 49 and 50 on their iron core 51 and, as 105 shown in Fig 6 b, with a discharge tube 52 and a one-rotation clutch relay 53/54, allowing an effectiveness of the selecting switch for only one rotation. The core 51 of the pair of coils 49 and 50 110 is closed at its upper end and open at the lower end The tooth 48 a, for one timing instant during one rotation of disc 48, closes the magnetic way from the primary to the secondary coil If, during this rotation, the 115 primary coil 49 is excited by D C from the positive pole 55 via a resistance 56, the closed switch 54 of the relay 53 and the primary winding 49 to the negative pole 57, a voltage surge is induced within the secondary coil 50 120 at this instant and the discharge tube 52 is ignited If the signals are recorded as amplitude signals and the to-and-fro movement of the signal head system 58 (as explained in my co-pending Application No 37215/54 125 (Serial No 786,034) is synchronized with the rotation of disc 48, in that during the movement of the signal heads in arrow-direction 59 the said disc turns once, then the ignition of the discharge tube 52 effects a recording of 130 786,033 by means of a negative impulse to the control grid of a pentode (not shown), cutting off the plate circuit of said pentode and the circuit of the discharge tubes 70 9. If for instance signal transfers are fto be 70 effected from a continuously running tape to signal carriers having a cyclic movement relative to conveying means, e g a to-and-fro movement of signal head systems in the case of tapes, and of magnetizable rotating drums 75 or

discs, or a cathode ray movement in the case of a cathode ray tube screen storage, etc, for the purpose of storing, computing, sorting or the like, the reliability of the transfer is absolutely independent of mechanical tolerances 80 or clearances Every wanted connection between relay tubes 70 and any controlled elements of an office machine can be effected so that, over a plug switch board or the like every desired column transposition is obtained for the intro 85 duction of signals into computors, printing devices or the like, which are equally applicable to columnwise re-arrangement in cooperation with intermediate storage preferably in the form of magnetizable cyclically operat 90 ing drums, discs or the like. If, during the recording a lateral movement of the recording heads 71 will be effective by one track, whereas the tape itself is moved on stepwisely by one unity, stepwisely displaced 95 recordings are obtained, allowing a larger signal capacity on account of the distance between the parallel operating signal heads. Distributing means for the selective control of sensing and/or recording means for signals 100 or groups of signals operating through a mechanical coupling of such distributing means to the rotating shaft of the signal carrier are shown in Figs 7 a to 7 e as an inductively operated distributor 105 The inductive distributor according to Figs. 7 a-d comprises in stator 72 a circle of ten primary coils 73 -9 and ten secondary coils 74 '9, the cores 75 and 76 of which are on their one side connected with each other in 110 pairs by the yokes 77 Fig 7 a shows the sideview of the distributor and Fig 7 c shows a section on line A-B of Fig 7 a The rotor 78 is fixed on the shaft 79 by a key 80 in a defined position relative to the record means, 115 e.g a magnetizable drum or disc This rotor is of starlike form with teeth 8 W 1 and, in the example, has nine such teeth equally spaced so that between the 9 parts of the rotor and between the ten parts of the stator there is a 120 vernier-like displacement during rotor movement in the direction of the arrow 82 This is used for the purpose of the digit value distribution for the digit value signals 0-9 in the different sectors of the record means 125 The rotor 78 is fixed by its key 80 on shaft 79 in such a way that, in the timing instant in which, e g according to Fig 5 a, the digit value field 0 in track is below the slot 310 of the sensing head 31, the tooth 81 of the star 130 such signals in a definite timing instant, i e. within a definite transverse row of the tape and within that horizontal row a track of the tape at which the signal head is switched on. The ignition of the discharge tube 52 has the further effect that the relay 53 opens the switch 54, thereby preventing further excitation of the primary winding 49.

If the coil 50/51 is moved stepwisely orthe like rotation by rotation, as shown in Figs 7 a and 7 b, a relative stepping-on of recording, sensing and/or erasing of signals can be effective similarly to the manner set forth in rny co-pending Application No 15773/50 (Serial No 786,021). Instead of a parallel arrangement of signal heads as shown in Fig 6 b, a serial arrangement may be used, including sensing means for signals in a synchronizing track (magnetic or photographic) for effecting synchronisation, and other signal heads for information signals recorded in relationship to said synchronizing signals on a basis of time or locality Such an arrangement is shown in Fig 6 c, where signal head 60 senses in track 60 a a signal for effecting synchronisation and supplies the sensed synchronization frequency to the control grid of pentode 61. The amplified control frequency, if a saw tooth frequency, effects horizontal linewise deflections, or, if a sinusoidal frequency, as shown in Fig 6 c, effects a circular deflection of the cathode ray The control frequency is transferred to the deflecting plates 62 of the tube 63 and is shifted by 90 relatively to the deflecting plates 62 a, so that the cathode ray rotates in definite relation to the phase of the control frequency As a modification, instead of artificially shifting the phase, two separate control frequencies, off-set by 900, could be recorded By this means the distributor is independent of any mechanical part, and can easily be synchronized by sensing previously recorded signals, or by transmitted or simultaneously symbolized signals The sectors 64 9 of the sensitive screen of tube 63 will emit secondary electrons, when hit by a cathode ray of sufficient intensity The intensity is controlled by grid 65 of the cathode ray tube 63 Plate 66 is connected to the secondary emitting sectors 64 via the respective high ohmic resistances 67 -, effecting a voltage drop, if secondary electrons are emitted, i e if the bias of control grid 65 has become less negative, when a signal is sensed by signal head 68 and is amplified by pentode 69. This voltage drop is supplied to the control grid of the co-ordinated discharge tube 70 9 and ignites it After the ignition of one tube, the others will be blocked, if the resistances are correspondingly dimensioned, and only that one of the switching ways is actuated which corresponds to the timing position of the sensed signal The extinction of the discharge tubes is effected at an exact time instant e g. 786,033 like rotor 78 is exactly opposite the cores 75 and 76 of the pair of coils 730 and 740, connected magnetically by the stationary yoke 77. The magnetic resistance is very low at that instant, when the tooth 810 connects the primary coil 730 magnetically to the secondary coil

74 " in the way of a transformer; and if a digit value signal " O " has been recorded on track a it will be sensed at that instant In all other pairs of coils there is no inductive connection and therefore they have a high magnetic resistance A sensed signal " O " therefore, supplied to all the primary coils 73 will generate a signal only in the secondary coil 740, being the only one that is magnetically connected to its primary at that instant. If in the next instant the field of the digit value " 1 " is below the slot 31 of the sensing head 31, the connection of the coils 731 and 741 is effected by the tooth 811 Similarly, in the timing instant " 2," the coils 732 and 742 are connected via the tooth 812 etc, until, after " 9 " the inductive distributor begins again with " 0 " For a better understanding, in Fig 7 a there was chosen a vernier division, at which in one rotation of the rotor each coil will be effective nine times, giving a total of 90 fields in the secors I-X It is evident that where 13 sectors are used, each sub-divided into 40 digit value fields, suitable modifications will be made to the rotor and stator By reason of using the vernier divisions larger coil intervals can be allowed On the same principle, there could be an arrangement with the teeth in the zero-position of each sector and ten primary and secondary coils in the stator fields 0, 1, 2, 3 9 of the same or of the following sector. As Fig 7 d shows, the primary coils 73 9 are connected in series and via transformer 82 to a discharge circuit (not shown) controlled by sensing head 31 (compare Fig 5 a) At that instant in which a digit value signal is sensed by the sensing head 31 in track a a current surge is generated which is given to the primary coils 73 ' A movable magnetic tooth 81 connects one of the secondary coils 74 ' with the corresponding primary coil so that within this secondary coil a voltage surge is generated, which corresponds to the respective digit value signal " 0-9 " Such a voltage surge is used for the ignition or exciting of one or another of the relays connected to each secondary coil, for instance a discharge relay 83 ', by means of which output or storage means can be connected in accordance with the timed instant of digit value signals. By means of such a distributing switch a stroboscopic visual indication of the signals, sensed from record means, e g a magnetizable disc, can be effected such as is shown in my co-pending Application No 37205/54 (Serial No 786,026), or other indicating means may be operated. Fig 7 e shows in perspective the practical design of an inductive distributor switch with rotor 84, teeth 85 '-, primary and secondary coils 86 ' and 87 ' respectively on yokes 88, with a further rotor 89 of a contact switch, pairs of gliding brushes 90 and 91 and contact

92, for another distributing switch, e g the sector switch. Referring now to Fig 8, there is shown an arrangement of double-entry magnetic gates 939-9 to 94 '', in each of which the one entry is co-ordinated for the selection of groups of signals indicated by the tubes 95 -9 and the other entry is co-ordinated for a further selection within the selected group, indicated by an excitement of the tubes 96-9, by a cross-wise or matrix arrangement In the case shown both combinations allow, e g in a decimal system, a selection of any of one of groups, by only two ten-fold entry phases. If ten such arrangements of magnetic gates are used selections of any of 1000 groups can be made, requiring only ten further entering means Selected timed signals may be taken from such arrangement by electronic tubes 970 O or 98 "'' selectively, opening and closing the switching ways to recording signal heads 99 and 100 in selected time periods according to the control by the two-entry excitements of said gates Sucii excitements may also be effected by signals sensed from magnetizable record means The Figure shows such selectively by signal heads 311 and 312 which after amplification by amplifier 101 influence via a distributing means e g the magnetic distributing means 102 '-9 and 103 the control grids of said electronic tubes 95 "' effecting the one entry to the gate. Fig 9 shows the co-operation between a storage drum 104 and output means 105, via selective electronic distributing means 106 which means is synchronized electrically with the rotation of the drum by signals in the synchronizing track of said drum and allowing in each time instant during a cycle of operation the control of only one of the relay tubes 107 '" in spite of a delivering of information signals to the combined arrangement of the electronic distributing means 106 and relay tubes 1071-n The output means 105 is a diagrammatic representation of the printing device forming the subject of my co-pending Application for Patent No 37206/54. Fig 9 also shows the possible use of magnetic tape in the same way The circuit shown in this Fig is described more fully in my co-pending Application No 37208/54 (Serial No 786,028). Referring now to Fig 10, a transfer from a record means in the form of a drum to a tape, or the reverse, in a selective way is shown. Both record means shown have corresponding tracks 107, 108 for signals which effect synchronisation, which signals are transferred from the one or the other track in the same defined BC 112 786,033 and/or recording means when the comparison between the two sequences of signals is equal. The gates may be electronic tubes The signals may be delivered to the comparing device in repeated changes of sequence during each cycle 70 of said cyclic relative movement and the repetition of the change of

sequence may be a constant repetition. The number of chains in the gate may be equal to the number of denominations required 75 to indicate any signals or groups of signals to be selected in the signal carrier Also each gate may control only two switching ways the number of gates required in the comparing device being equal to the number of denomina 80 tions required in a binary number to indicate any signal or group of signals in the signal carrier. Such selective programme control may also include a selected sensing of signals or groups 85 of signals in one track and the recording of them in other parts of the same or other record means The selective programme may also be according to a selected recording as well as a selected sensing of signals 90 When a "Yes" and "No" system of signal symbolizing is used, the selective control may be by sequences of signals in different systems and may include address signals, information signals, control signals and any other required 95 signals For example the sequences may be in a binary system, or in a decimal or other numeral system, or may represent alphabetic characters, or coded words or information of any kind These address and/or control signals 100 in selected areas or localities may indicate what is to be done with information contained in successive areas of the same signal carrier and/or areas of one or more other signal carriers co-ordinated therewith 105 As shown in my co-pending Application No. 37220/54 (Serial No 786,039), stored signals selected according to one system of representation (such as shorthand symbols or Oriental written characters) may control means for 110 sensing signals according to another representation, so that for example a transliteration from one alphabet to another may be effected. The address signals may be signal sequences, say for instance according to the binary system 115 representing groups of characters such as syllables, words and so on as may be used for coding, and decoding e g for tele-communication or even for transformations into other sequences for the same information in 120 another system of representation, whereby even such difficult tasks may be solved as to the printing in Oriental characters of words recorded in Roman characters. In the selecting device of Figs lla-lid 125 a universal electronic switch selecting means is combined with the group of electronic switches 124-126, 127-129 and 130-132, and with the switches 133-135 The number of groups of switches used depends on the 130 timed/local relationship to information signals, also transferred selectively from the one record means to the other This relationship between signals which effect synchronisation and information signals is preferably obtained when both signals are transferred at the same time.

Fig 10 shows a recording device in which the signals are recorded at first on a magnetizable drum 109 (This could be a disc or the like) The recording heads 110 a' connected with the keys 111 -', a-e of a keyboard, correspond to the recording heads of Fig 6 b in their function The coils 112 and 113 and discharge tube 114 in connection with the magnetic yoke 115 operate in similar way to coils 49 and 50 and discharge tubes 52, shown in Fig 6 b The transfer of signals and of control frequencies from the drum 109 to the tape is effected only when all the required signals are recorded on said drum The recording on this drum is effected by means of the key contacts 111 in co-operation with the inductive switch 112, 113, 116 The significance of the superscription 0-9, a-e is explained in my co-pending Application for Patent No 15773/50 (Serial No 786,021). The information signals on the drum are sensed by sensing heads 117 -9 a and are transferred via pentode 118 and signal heads 119 to the tape 120, whereas the control frequency is sensed by signal head 121 and transferred via pentode 122 and signal head 123 to the synchronization track 108 of said tape 120. A signal generator may be provided which is arranged to synchronize both the said cyclic relative movement and the operation speed of the input and/or output means, intermediate storage or the like, or computing, indicating or other means The cathode ray may be deflected in synchronism either in dependence on signals sensed from the synchronising track of the signal carrier or on signals from a signal generator common to both, and may sense or record signals from or on the storage screen of a cathode ray storage tube of a computor. Signals may be transferred from or to the record means in dependence on an equality or non-equality in a comparing device comparing signal sequences from the record means with signal sequences from another source Such a comparing device may include a chain of gates, each gate being controlled on the one hand by one of the signals to be compared and on the other hand by the other signal to be compared, the said chain providing a continuous signal path if the comparison in all the gates of the chain is equal. The signal sequences recorded on the signal carrier, or on a record means operating in synchronism with such carrier may influence a set of co-ordinated 2-entry gates such gates being included in a comparing device to which other sequences are delivered, and the comparing device delivering a control signal influencing switching means co-ordinated to the sensing 786,033 number of combination symbol elements necessary to arrive at the number of combinations desired The possibilities are almost indefinite. The de-coding, by means of which the position in the storage means is determined in which the desired signals may be found, will be

described hereafter The selection system illustrated in Figs lla-d can be used with any form of rotation-symmetrical storage coming within the scope of the appended claims. The gas discharge tube 126 is controlled by means of a sensing head 133 mounted above the inductive wheel 134 a shown in the development in Fig llc Although in the drawing the selecting means is shown as a rotating inductive element (similar to those set forth in my co-pending Application No. 37220/54 (Serial No 786,039)) any other suitable form of selector may be adapted, e g a -0 contact selector, an optical selector or the like. The address of multi-column coding signal sequence requires an electronic determination of the respective position synchronous with the relative movement by means of a symbolized element sequence and besides a device comparing this determination with a special symbolized signal frequency The sensing head 133 of the gas discharge tube 126 is arranged over the induction wheel 134 a '(Fig lid) and sensing head 135 of discharge tube 129 over the indication wheel 136, sensing head 137 of gas discharge tube 132 over the induction wheel 138, and so on. If gas discharge tube 126 is not ignited the pentode 124 is blocked, whereas pentode is open, the voltage of the screen grid of pentode 124 being given by the cathode resistances 139, 140 of the gas discharge tube 126, whereas the suppressor grid of pentode 125 has the same potential as the cathode of this tube as long as the tube 126 is not ignited. As soon as the discharge tube 126 is ignited the pentodes 124 and 125 change with respect to their opening, i e pentode 124 is "open" while pentode 125 is blocked, pentode 124 having received its screen grid voltage, whereas the cathode of pentode 125 has become positive with regard to its suppressor grid potential. Contact 141 has either position a or position b depending on which of two positions the first element of the combination requires. Signals sensed from a storage by sensing head 142 will pass the switch 141, in position a only if gas discharge tube 126 is ignited, i.e if pentode 124 is open In position b of the switch 141 no signal transmission from sensing head 142 is possible with open pentode 124, the necessary circuit being interrupted by means of said switch 141. The circuit of gas discharge tube 126 is adjusted to a frequency which opens pentode 124 and blocks pentode 125 after a period corresponding to the rotation of the induction wheel 134 a from one tooth to the next The signals induced in signal heads 142, 143 are always effective at a position corresponding to the middle of the space between two adjacent teeth on said wheel, the wheels being adjusted relatively to

the storage means for that pur 70 pose. Within the second group of pentodes 127, 128 with gas discharge tube 129 the same process takes place, i e the signals transmitted by signals heads 142 and 143 are only further 75 transmitted if the gas discharge tube 129 is extinguished, i e if pentode 128 is open if the switch 144 is in position b. According to Figs 1 ic and lid, the control of the relative opening and blocking of pentodes 80 124, 125 is shown by way of wheel 134, 136, 138 Pentode 124 is opened during the period represented by the upper half of wheel 134 (Fig llc) in each rotation and closed during the period represented by the lower half, i e 85 pentode 124 is open during the first 1800 of one rotation, whereas during the next 1800 of a rotation pentode 125 is open With the next switch group, pentode 127 is open and pentode 128 is closed from 0 to 900 and from 180 to 90 2700 in each rotation of wheel 136, whereas pentode 127 is closed and pentode 128 is open from 900 to 1800 and from 2700 to 3600 in each rotation. This automatic opening and closing of the 95 electronic switches during each rotation brings about the combination of automatically opened and " blocked " switches with the preset positions a and b of the switches 141, 144, 145 or corresponding relay contacts, keyboard con 100 tacts or the like. To avoid a too strong amplification of the signals produced in the sensing heads 142 and 143 transmission to the control grid of the next tube is provided by means of a tapping 105 of the respective anode resistor In the drawing, only the first two and the last of the chain of switches is shown. There may of course be any number in the chain Thus, only those signals from the sensing 110 heads 142 and 143 are transmitted through the whole chain of switches, when the electronic switches, in combination with the position of the pre-set switches establish a continuous circuit 115 In the movement at which the combination of the switches 141, 144 and 145 and so on corresponds to the combination according to the diagram at the top of Fig 1 la a signal runs from the sensing heads 142, or 143 120 through the chain and ignites the gas discharge tube 146 (Fig 1 lb) causing a flash tube to light by means of its discharge circuit The flash tube may for example be the tube 150 shown in my co-pending Application for 125 Patent No 15773/50 filed 23rd June, 1950 (Serial No 786,021). As set forth in that Application there is a series of flash tubes, or with a corresponding mask arrangement, a single flash tube behind 13 ( 786,033 time of the 7-position combination, if the same limiting frequency is used. The speed of tele-printing with the usual transmission channels and

with sub-audio frequencies or the multiple transmission on or 70 along wires or the like has hitherto been limited by the mechanical speeds attainable With the present invention a 15-element-combination may have the same transmission velocities as are obtainable with the 7-element-combination 75 despite mechanical limitations The 15-element combination allows of printing automatically about 30 000 different words or syllables, whereas the 7-element-combination allows of the printing of only 32 different characters 80 By this invention therefore relative high efficiencies may be obtained without additional mechanical means, the printer being simpler than with the usual tele-printers. Digit pulses may be used in the same way 85 instead of "current"-"no current" combination elements If for instance the area of the rotating or like storage means to be sensed corresponds to a determined digit, this method is used In the case of numbers, consisting for 90 instance of five digits e g logarithm tables or tables for other mathematical functions, or tables for deductions from wages or the like it is also possible to use a chain of five electronic and pre-set switches corresponding to 95 the pentodes 124, 125 and gas discharge tube 126, these being controlled either by means of inductive sensing means corresponding to those of the gas discharge tube 129 or by means of the deflection of a ray of light or the 100 like, combined with a photocell and a gas discharge tube. By adapting ten sensing heads and selecting corresponding to the digit to the one to be sensed, the gas discharge tube 126 is ignited 105only during that moment at which the selected digit is sensed On the sensing stored of photosignals on the rotating storage means, the symbols for respective areas are indicated on the storage means These symbols may be 110 synchronized by means of a slotted horizontally or vertically in dependnce on the keys of a keyboard or the like, or by means of a mirror controlled by a magnetic coil, piezo-electric crystal or the like, or by means of the projec 115 tion of the fluorescent spot on the screen of a cathode ray tube or otherwise Thus, not only mechanical settings but also purely electric signals permit of an optical selection by means of the excitation of a coil or of an active 120 crystal. Instead of continuously "switching on and off" within all groups at each "single tooth," the 1st group (opening of pentode 124 and closing of pentode 125) may be switched on for 125 instance during the whole first half of a rotation by means of the ignition of tube 126 by one tooth, and its extinction after rotation of the wheel 134 for 1800 by means of a second tooth including a voltage pulse in a second coil, 130 an optical record means, containing in different areas symbols of the different letters contained in a syllable or word, which is to be

printed or otherwise indicated By means of the arrangement of a mask with an additional concentric slot movable sidewise step by step from the middle to the edge, line after line or the symbols is represented Instead of this movable mask a rotating mask with circular slots, staggered relatively to each other by one step may be provided, or there may be a stepwise sensing in the direction of rotation. In correspondence with the symbols illuminated by means of said flash tube, one or another of the photo-discharge tubes 147 (one only is shown) provided for the ten digit values and additionally a photo-discharge tube provided one for each of the additional symbols, e g. indicating the letters of the alphabet, is ignited. These photo discharge tubes may also excite printing signal sequences for dot and line printers for example as described in my copending Applications for Patent Nos 37201/ 54 and 37203/54 (Serial Nos 786,022 and 786,024) The secondary windings of the printing lever coils would be excited correspondingly by the signal sequences which are necessary for the printing of the selected symbols. After the ignition of these discharge photo cells, which may also be normal gas discharge tubes controlled by means of photo-cells, the process is perfectly similar to the above described converting method To succeed in arranging the signal sequences for each character on each rotation, character by character, in a continuous step-by-step movement, a special discharge switch is provided, the sensing coil of which is energized successively. In the said secondary windings a voltage pulse would 'be induced only when the corresponding distributor cam passes this coil system. The coil system moves step-by-step around the periphery This excitation is caused when during the rotation of the drum the position is reached at which the next letter is to be printed. The printing is provided by means of the discharge tubes 148, 149, 150 with the relative recording heads 151, 152, 153. The combination switches 141, 144 and 145 are set according to the purpose in hand. Using this method of coding of combinations by means of translation into sequences of dot and line printing for instance, to accelerate tele-printing with sub-audio frequencies on telephone-lines, the contacts a and b are switched by means of the usual distributor, which is used in all teleprinters The relays are energized at the various positions of the distributor, according to whether the distributor delivers a "current" or "no current" pulse. With a combination of usual structure, seven symbol elements are necessary for each character, including a "start" and "stop" symbol. A 15-position-combination of the same type requires on

tele-transmission about double the 786,033 12 786,033 controlling for instance an additional pentode in the discharge circuit of the tube 126 to extinguish that tube. In another modification (not illustrated) the 3 opening of pentode 124 is effective by ignition of the gas discharge tube 126 thereby increasing the screen grid voltage, whereas this pentode is closed by means of another gas discharge tube effecting a positive voltage drop at the cathode resistor thereby biassing its suppressor grid negatively with regard to the cathode Thus the pentode is open only during a period controlled by means of an opening signal at the sensing head 133 in association with one tooth of the wheel The second pentode of Fig 11 a operates inversely and is therefore opened by means of the ignition of the said second gas discharge tube and closed by means of gas discharge tube 126. This type of operation may correspondingly be used to select pulse sequences representing numbers (for example logarithms and other constants) the first group being controlled by means of tubes 124, 125 etc according to the first digit of the number, the second group according to the 2nd digit, and so on The recorded-track synchronisation illustrated in Fig 6 c, and the sonic-wheel synchronisation illustrated in Figs 11 c-d can be used to synchronise any suitable type of distributor from the rotation-symmetrical storage. The sensing of impulse sequences from a selective storage may be used likewise for the selecting, coding and de-coding, so that the combination signal may be sensed from tracks of the signal carrier The different tracks of the selective storage may be sensed by the sensing heads in such a way, that the corresponding series of tracks are sensed by those sensing heads The switching on the sensing head in question is either achieved by means of a co-ordinated pentode, being "opened" by means of an electronic switch, as described above, or magnetic gates and/or switches, including diodes, such as copper-oxide or selenium rectifier-cells, allowing the passes of the impulse sequences only, if a voltage drop is put to them in the flux direction, whereby the voltage drop will be produced, e g by the igniting of a relay tube Finally the switching on can be effected by contacts and relays The impulses can either be arranged in different tracks, or in different sectors of the rotating drum In the latter case the arrangement of the impulses must be set-off in such a way, that at each sector for every symbol the sequences can be derived from. The selective storage means may be provided in such a form that multiplying, dividing, raising to powers and extraction of roots and so on may be effected by means of adding, subtracting, multiplying,

dividing etc of logarithms, and wherein switching means are provided, which control the selection of digitvalue signals for functions, tables of constants and the like, including those dependent in series with intermediate storages such as nomograms (up to now usually recorded only visually in books) in dependence on computing signals effected from the keyboard, in storages or the like, in dependence on computing signals to be processed and/or in dependence on selected computing signals, and wherein further switching means are provided, which transfer the corresponding logarithms into computers. According to another feature of this invention means is provided for effecting different speeds of cyclic relative movement at different lines selectively, so that for example recording and sensing of the same signals may be carried out at different speeds. The invention may include the recording of signals once only, for instance at a low speed from another means for example via a telecommunicating system, and their repeated sensing at a higher speed, and for a repeated synchronized transfer to a visual indicating device such as the fluorescent screen of a cathode ray tube, so as to effect an apparent continuous image of digits, characters or the like arranged in one or more lines as set forth in my co-pending Application No 37222/54 (Serial No 786,041). I do not claim any storage means in which the arrangement is such that, in normal operation, signals are maintained in storage upon the signal carrier by sensing and re-recording, in each cycle of movement, the whole of the signals in storage Subject to the foregoing dis-

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