US2402372A - Electronic counting device - Google Patents

Description

June 4 I' J. s. COMPTON ET AL I 3 5 ELECTRONIC COUNTING DEVICE Filed May' 6, 1943 X X X X X X X X X X X X Juan s. Compton and Robert E Mumma Inventors Their Attornev x H SQ m G RM H Wm w H Nm C m 2 l N\\ Q F- QR 58 Q S m an. 5 4 LI 4 RJ O 6% QE QKE EK Patented June 18, 1946 OFFICE ELECTRONIC COUNTING DEVICE Justin S. Compton, Lebanon, and Robert E. Mumma, Dayton, Ohio, assignors to The National Cash Register Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Maryland Application May 6, 1943, Serial No. 485,850 Claims. (01. 315-323) This invention relates to an electronic counting device wherein four counting tubes may be used to count up to ten.

The electron tubes are of the gaseous type and are connected in a circuit so that, upon receipt of electric impulses commonly impressed on the tubes, they will be actuated diiTerenti-ally serially and cyclically, so that the accumulated count is determined by the position of the tube or tubes thatare in a conducting state. Upon the receipt of the tenth count, the tubes are automatically reset to a zero-representing state, wherein the tubes are non-conducting.

It is the principal object of the invention to provide a decimal electronic counting device based on a four-place combination code.

Another object of the invention is to provide means to differentially actuate a group of electron tubes by impulses which cause said tubes to be discharged in a diminishing cyclic operating pattern, step by step, wherein one or more tubes may be in a conducting condition at a given instant.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel unidirectional extinguishing means for operating a chain-connected group of electron tubes serially. I

With these and incidental objects in view, the invention includes certain novel features of circuits and circuit elements, the essentials of which are hereinafter set forth in appended claims and a preferred form or embodiment of which is hereinafter described with reference to the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of this specification.

In the drawing:

2 resistance I8. The .point [9 is connected to the grid or said tube In through a resistor 20 of 500,000 ohms, point 2|, and resistor 22 of 50,000 ohms.

'Ihegrids of tubes ll, l2, and I3 are given a normal negative bias of about 65 volts withrespect to ground by being connected to, conductor ll through a resistor of 150,000 ohms, like resistor 23, and connected to ground through a 100,000- ohm resistor, like resistor 24, in series with the 15,000-ohm cathode resistor 25. Resistors like resistors 26 and 21 have the same value for all the tubes H], H, l2, and I3. The grid of each of the tubes lll,'ll, I 2, and I3 is connected to input impulse conductor 30 through an individual capacitor like capacitor 3| of l0 micro-microfarads to a point corresponding to point 2! Between the cathodes of tubes 10 and H is a capacitor 40 of approximately .005 micro'farad in.

series with a rectifier oriented to pass positive impulses from the cathode of tube ll to the cathode of tube [0. Similar chain connections are made between the cathodes of tubes II and i2, and between the cathodes of tubes l2 and I3, .positive impulses produced anywhere on said chain passing toward the beginning of the chain as represented by the cathode of .tube In.

On application of a positive potential impulse of approximately 2'5 volts on conductor 30, assuming that no tube is conducting, the tube II will become conducting, as its grid is near enough the critical point to lose control on receipt of such Fig. 1 is a diagram of th circuit and elements I of the counting device. a Fig. 2 is a representation of the four-place code used in representing the decimal system wherein the X" represent conducting tubes.

General description impulse. Tubes of the type mentioned fire when the associated grid is at any potential more positive than about 12 volts negative with respect to the cathode potential. This is condition 1 shown in Fig. 2, wherein the I tube I0 is conducting, it being assumed that all of tube III, II, l2, and I3 are non-conducting at the beginning of an operation. However, as tube Ill becomes conducting, its cathode rises in potential almost volts, to within 15 volts of the anode potential, which changes the potential of the grid of tube ll, as-the cathode of tube lfl is connected to grid biasing point 50, to about 25 volts negative with respect to the cathode of the II tube ll.

On the next positive im ulse received on conductor 30, the II tube II will therefore become conducting, and a positive impulse caused by the rise in its cathode potential will be conveyed through rectifier M and capacitor 40 to the cath ode of the I tube In, causing it to overshoot the anode potential, thus extinguishing tube 40, vThis is condition 2 shown in Fig. 2, wherein only 3 the II tube N (Fig. 1) is left conducting. On receipt or the next impulse, tubes In and l2- will become conducting (as tube In is always ready, to conduct on receipt of an impulse if not then conducting and the III tube I2 is primed to become conducting by reason of the II tube having been conducting). .As the III tube I2 becomes conducting, the impulse caused by the rise in potential of its cathode is conveyed through the rectifiers 60 and to extinguish tubes l and II. This is condition 3'? shown in Fig. 2. On receipt of the fourth impulse, tubes |0.and l3 become conducting, and tubes I0 and |2 are extlnguished as the positive rise in potential of the cathode of tube I3 is transmitted through rectifiers 99, 60, and 4| and their associated capacitors. On receipt of the fifth impulse, tube l0 becomes conducting and stays conducting, and tube the first time, is in effect; 'I'his.first part of condition"0" is in effect for an instant only, as thereafter all the tubes are extinguished by the action of tubes 10 and H sending an extinguishing impulse through rectifier H3 and capacitor H2, as.

' will next be described.

Vacuum type electron tubes 10 and H (which ing, Point 9| will be 20 volts negative; with three tubes, of tubes III, 12, and i3, conducting, point 9| will be 10 volts negative; and with the four tubes l0, ll, l2, and J3 conducting (which is the 0 condition), point 9| will be at ground potential and tube II will commenceto conduct.

As soon as tube 1| commences to conduct, its

anode drops in potential to about 15 volts positive due to the eflect of resistor 89, which transmits a sharp negative impulse through points 83 and 81, through resistor 96 in parallel with capacitor H0, or -.005 microfarad; and points 85 and 82 to the control grid of tube 10; stopping conduction therein, which causes a sharp positive potential impulse at point I, which positive impulse is transmitted, through capacitor 2 of .005 microfarad and rectifier H3, to the cathodes of all the tubes I, ll, I2, and I3, extinguishing them.

The internal capacity of the rectifiers H3, 99, 80, and 4| must be kept as small as necessary to convey the extinguishing impulses unidirectionally. If desired, diode vacuum electron tubes may be used as rectifiers, but low-capacity rectifiers of other types will do.

As soonas all the tubes are extinguished, which condition is shown ontthe bottom line of conmay be of the 6AG7 type) each have their oath-4" odes grounded and have their anodes connected to the 75-volt positive supply conductor l4, each through a resistor like resistors 80 and.89 of 3,000 ohms each. Each vacuum tube has a screen grid connected to the '75-volt positive conductor l4 through point 8|. Each vacuum tube has a suppressor grid connected to its cathode. Tubes 10 and H each have a control grid; The control grid of tube 10 is connected through point 82, resistor 84 of 150,000 ohms, and point 83 to the 150-volt negative supply conductor l1, and is connected through point 82, point 85, resistor 06 of 50,000 ohms, point 81, point 88, and resistor 89 of 3,000 ohms to the positive 75-volt supply conductor l4, which gives the said control grid of tube 10 a normal potential of about 20 volts, positive with respect to the cathode, which causes said tube to be normally conducting.

The vacuum tube H is normally non-conductm as its control grid is connected through point 90 and point 9| to conductor 92, which is connected through resistor 93 of 250,000 ohms to 25,000-ohm potentiometer 94, which grounds the negative 150-v0lt conductor Conductor 92 is connected to the cathode of the I tube l0 through the 500,000-ohm resistor 95; is connected to the cathode of the II tube l I through 500,000-ohm resistor 96 and rectifier 4|; i connected to the cathode of III tube l2 through 500,000-ohm re-. slstor 91 and rectifier 60; and is connected to the cathode of the IV tube l3 through 500,000-ohm resistor 98 and rectifier 99. Under these circumstances, when no tube of tube |-0, l2, and I3 is conducting, the potentiometer is adjusted so that point 9| and the control grid of tube H are at 40 volts negative potential with respect to ground, and hence tube 1| is normally non-conducting. As one tube of the four I 0, II, l2, and l 3 is conducting, point 9| becomes less negative to 30 volts negative with respect to ground; with dition 0 (Fig. 2), tube II will again have a controlling bias on its control, grid, stopping conduction therein. Tube 10 will therefore begin to conduct. Thecapacity connection of .005 microfarad of the control grid of tube 1| with the anode of tube 10 is provided to produce a rapid change in the mode of operation of tubes 10 and 1|, which act as a modified trigger pair.

The circuit values have-been given for illustration only, in connection with the characteristics of certain tubes mentioned, and they are not deemed to limit the principle of the invention."

It is to be observed, that in counting to ten, the tubes are operated serially in four cycles, each of which cycles has one less tube changing its operating condition. In the first cycle, tubes I, II, III, and IV are fired. In the second cycle,

tubes I, II, and III are fired. In the third cycle,

tubes I and III are fired. In the fourth cycle, tube I is fired alone.

The potential rise at point I I as tube 10 ceases conducting may be used .to cause a positive input impulse upon the input conductor to another higher denominational counting device, like the one shown in Fig. 1, to actuate it one step for each ten impulses introduced into the lower denomination. Thus a multiple denominational counting device is provided. The next higher de- I nomination counting device need not necessarily be of the type herein described if it is responsive to such a denominational carry over electric im- Pulse.

Capacitor I25 of 4 microfarads is introduced for filtering purposes It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the extinguishing circuits including the rectifiers and capacitors may be used to connect objects primarily stated, it is t be understood that it i not intended to confine the invention to the one form or embodiment herein disclosed, for it is susceptible of embodiment in various forms all coming within the scope oi the claims which follow.

What is claimed is: 1

1. In combination, a plurality of gaseous discharge electron tubes each having at least an anode, a cathode, and a control grid; means supplying anode-cathode potential to each tube sufchain non-conducting whereby upon receipt of a number of impulses equal to ficient to maintain conduction therein, said means including a resistance in each cathode supply; means for'supplying normal potential to the grids more negative than the critical point of said tubes, the potential supplied to one of the grids being nearer the critical point than that of the other grids; means to impres positive electric impulses commonly on all of the grids sufllcient to cause conduction in said one tube whose grid is nearest the critical point; means connecting the tubes in a chain cathode to grid, the first of the tubes in the chain being the one with its potential nearest the critical point, the cathode rise of a conducting tube causing the next tube in the chain to beresponsive to the next received impulse by becoming conducting; and means coni where N equals the number of tubes, all of the tubes will be conducting; and means operative when all the tubes are conducting to cause all of them to become non-conducting. t

*4. A-plurality of gaseous discharge electron tubes; means supplying them with operating potential; means normally preventing conduction in any tube; means to impart electric impulses tothe preventing means of all the tubes which tend to render the preventing means ineffective to all the tubes and the first or any subsequent impulse of which causes a first one of such tubes to conduct; chain connections between the tubes whereby the condition of conduction of a tube renders the next tube in the chain to such conducting tube conducting on receipt of the next impulse; extinguishing connections between the tubes whereby the act of conduction commencing in any tube immediately thereafter renders all plreceding tubes of the chain non-conducting whereby upon receipt of a number of impulses in any tube; means to impart electric impulses to the preventing means of all the tubes'which impulses tend to render the preventing means ineffective to all the tubes and the first or any subsequent impulse of which means causes a first one of such tubes to conduct if not then conducting; chain connections between the tubes whereby the condition of conduction of a tube renders the next tube in the chain to such conducting tube conducting on receipt of the next impulse; and extinguishing connections between the tubes whereby the act of conduction commencing in any tube immediately thereafter renders all preceding tubes of the chain non-conducting whereby upon receipt of a number oi impulses equal to where N equals the number of tubes, all of the tubes will be conducting;

3. A plurality of gaseous discharge electron tubes; means supplying them with operating potential; means normally preventing conduction in any tube; means to impart electric impulses to the preventing means of all the tubes which tend to render the preventing means ineffective to all the tubes and the first or any subsequent impulse of which causes a first one of-such tubes to conduct if not then conducting; chain connections between the tubes whereby the condition of conduction of a tube renders the next tube in the equal to where N equals the number of tubes, all of the tubes will be conducting; and an electron tube having'an anode, a cathode, and a control grid arranged in the potential supply means so as to be conducting always except when all the chain connected tubes are conducting.

5. A plurality .of gaseous discharge electron tubes; means supplying them with operating potentialj means normally preventing conduction in any tube; means to impart electric impulses to the preventing means of all'the tubes which tends to render the preventing meansinefiective to all the tubes and the first or any'supsequent impulse of which causes a first one of such tubes to conduct; chain connections between the tubes whereby the condition of conduction of a tuberenders the next tube in the chain to such conducting tube conducting on receipt of the next impulse; extinguishing connections between the tubes whereby the act of conduction commencing in a tube immediately thereafter renders all preceding tubes of the chain non-conducting whereby upon receipt of a number of impulses equal to 7 where N equals the number of tubes, all of the chain to such conducting tube conducting on receipt of the next impulse; extinguishing connections between the tubes whereby the act of conduction commencing in any tube immediately thereafter renders all preceding tubes of the tubes will be conducting; a vacuum electron control tube having an anode, a cathode, and a control grid arranged in the potential supply means so as to be normally conducting except when all the chain connected tubes are conducting and having a resistance in its anode supply circuit; and means connecting the anode to the extinguishing connections so that the positive rise in potential of the anode as the control tube becomes non-conducting will cause all of the chain connected tubes to become non-conducting.

6. A plurality of gaseous discharge electron tubes; means supplying them with operating potential; means normally preventing conduction in any tube; mean to impart electric impulses to the preventing means of allthe tubes which 4 non-conducting whereby upon receipt of a number of impulses equal to where N equals the number of tubes, all of the tubes will be conducting; a vacum electron control tube having an anode, a cathode, and a control grid arranged in a potential supply circuit so as to be normally conducting except when all the chain connected tubes are conducting and having a resistance in'its anode supplycircuit; and means connecting the anode to the extinguishing connections so that the positive rise in potential of the anode as the control tube becomes non-conducting. will cause all of the chain connected tubes to become non-conducting,- said control tube again becoming conducting as all the chain connectedtubes become non-conducting.

7. A plurality of gaseous discharge triode electron tubes; electric supply means for said tubes suflicient to maintain conduction in any tube, the supply means for a tube including resistance; electric biassupply means for normally preventing a discharge in any of said tubes; electric impulse input meansscommon to said tubes tending to render said tubes conducting but normally insuii'icientto do so to any but a first tube of the plurality; means interconnecting the tubes into an operative chain whereby the condition of conduction in a tube primes the next tube of the chain to become conducting on receipt of the next impulse despite the bias; and connections between the tubes operative by reason of said resistance for extinguishing a preceding tube in the chain but not a succeeding tube in the chain as any given tube becomes conducting, thus causing the tubes to become conducting cyclically and becoming con-ducting serially in a given cycle, each said cycle having one less tube in the serial operation until the last cycle, when all the tubes are left conducting.

8. A plurality of gaseous discharge triode electron tubes; electric supply mean for said tubes suillcient to maintain conduction in any tube, the supply means for a tube including resistance; electric bias supply means for normally preventing a discharge in any of said tubes; electric impulse input means common to said tubes tending to render said tubes conducting but normally insufficient to do so to any but a first tube of the plurality; means interconnecting the tubes into an operative chain whereby the condition of conacoaava tinguish all the tubes come conducting.

9. In combination, i'our gaseous discharge electron tubes; circuits supplying operating, energy to each tube circuits for supplying conductioncontrolling energy to each tube; connections forming the tubes into an operative chain, the condition of conduction in a tube causing the tube next in the chain to be primed for conduction; means connecting the tubes so that conduction commencing in one tube will stop conduction in any preceding tube of the chain; and

input impulse circuits common to the tubes which, when impressed with an impulse, cause conduction in the first tube and any primed tube of the chain, whereby, it an operation is started with all the tubes non-conducting, then, on the receipt of ten input impulses, all the tubes are left in a conducting condition.

10. In combination, four gaseous discharge electron tubes; circuits for supplyingoperating energy to each tube; circuits for supplying conduction-controlling energy to each tube connections forming the tubes into an operative chain,

the condition of conduction in a tube causing the tube next in the chain to be primed for conduction; means connecting the tubes so that conduction commencing in one tube will stop conduction in any preceding tube of the chain, input impulse circuits common to the tubes which, when impressed with an impulse, cause conduction in the first tube and any primed tube oi the chain, whereby, if an operation is started with all the tubes non-conducting, then, on the re-- ceipt of ten input impulses, all the tubes are left 4 in a conducting condition; and automatic means to stop conduction in all the tubes when all the tubes are in a conducting condition.

' 11. In combination, four gaseous discharge electron tubes; circuits for supplying operating energy to each tube; circuits for supplying conduction-controlling energy to each tube; connections forming the tubes into an operative chain, the' condition of conduction in a tube causing the tube next in the chain to be primed for conduction; means connecting the tubesso that conduction commencing in one tube will stop conduction in any preceding tube of the chain; input impulse circuits common to the tubes which, when impressed with an impulse, cause conduction in the first tube and any primed tube of the chain,

- whereby, if an operation is started with allof the duction in a tube primes the next tube of the becoming conducting serially in a given cycle,

each said cycle having one less tube in the serial operation until the last cycle, when all the tubes are left conducting; and automatic means to extubes-non-conducting, then, on the receipt of ten input impulses, all the tubes are left in a conducting condition; and electronic means to temporarily stop conduction in all the tubes between the receipt of the tenth and eleventh 1mpulses.

, 12. In combination, two vacuum electron tubes arranged in a circuit wherein one is normally conducting and one is normally non-conducting; connections between the normally non-conducting tube and the conducting tube for reversing the state of conduction oi. the pair ii the non-conducting tube is caused to conduct; a plurality of gaseous discharge electron tubes; and a resistance network interconnecting the plurality of gaseous discharge tubes, the normally non-conducting vacuum tube, and a source of potential so that when all the plurality of gaseous tubes, but not any less number, are conducting, the normally non-conducting tube is caused to conduct,

13. In combination, a plurality of gaseous discharge electron tubes; an adjustable resistance network connecting said tubes to a supply of elecimmediately they an be-"- tric energy so that conduction in said tubes changes the potential at a certain control point in said network according in degree to the number of tubes conducting; means when operative for extinguishing any conducting tubes; and means connecting the control point to the extinguishing means to cause the extinguishing means to operate when the control point reaches a certain potential. I

14. In combination, a plurality of electron gas discharge tubes each having at least an anode, a

cathode, and a control grid; 'means supplying anode potential to said tubes; means supplying cathode potential to said tubes including a resistance in series with each cathode, and said anodecathode potential being sufficient to maintain conduction in said tubes; means to supply 9. normally controlling bias potential to each tube, that supplied to a first tube being less than the uniform controlling potential supplied to the remainder of the tubes; means to impress positive potential impulses on the grids of all the tubes so that the first tube will normally be caused to conduct and the remaining tubes will normally only tend to become conducting; connections between the cathode of one tube and the grid of another tube to form an operative chain, the act of conduction in a tube bringing the grid of the following tube to which its cathode is connected to a potential where said following tube will become conducting on receipt of the next impulse, said first tube being first in the chain; means coupling the cathodes of adjacent tubes in a chain, said couplings each having a rectifier and a capacitor in series with said rectifier oriented to pass a positive impulse only toward the beginning tube of the chain; a source of electric energy and a resistance network coupled in regular pattern to the cathodes of said tubes, said network having a control point therein whose potential 10 falls to a certain low potential as all the tubes become conducting; a vacuum tube arranged in a circuit so as to be normally conducting, said circuit including an anode resistor, said vacuum tube being coupled to said control point, which, when it is at said certain low potential, causes said vacuum tube to become non-conducting; and means including a capacitor and a rectifier in series coupling the anode of said vacuum tube and the cathode of the last tube of the chain whereby, when all the gaseous tubes are rendered conducting, the vacuum tube will be rendered non-conducting and cause all the gas tubes to be reset to a non-conducting condition, which in turn causes the vacuum tube to again become conducting.

15. In combination, a source of direct current; a plurality of electric discharge devices oi! the arc-like type connected in parallel circuits across said source; connection forming the devices into an operative chain, the condition of an arc in a device causing the device next in the chain to be primed for arcing; means connecting the devices so that arcing commencing in one device will stop arcing in any preceding device of the chain; and an input impulse circuit coupled commonly to the devices, which circuit, when impressed with an impulse, causes an arc in the first device of the chain and also causes an arc in. any primed device of the chain, whereby, if an operation is started with all devices in a non-arcing condition, then, on the receipt of a number 01 impulses equal to where N equals the number of devices, all the

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