Input-output conversion apparatus

Claim 1

AN INPUT-OUTPUT CONVERTER FOR USE WITH AN ASSOCIATED KEYBOARD, SAID KEYBOARD HAVING AN INPUT LINE FOR EACH KEY THEREIN AND PRODUCING AN OUTPUT SIGNAL ON A SELECTED ONE OF THE PLURALITY OF OUTPUT LINES, TO CONVERT, UNDER THE CONTROL OF AN INPUT PULSE SOURCE, SAID OUTPUT SIGNAL OF SAID KEYBOARD INTO A SERIES OF PULSES INDICATIVE OF THE PARTICULAR ONE OF SAID LINES HAVING SAID OUTPUT SIGNAL AND TO CONVERT A SERIES OF INPUT PULSES FROM SAID INPUT PULSE SOURCE INTO A DISPLAY AS DIRECTED BY SAID SERIES OF INPUT PULSES, COMPRISING: A PLURALITY OF THREE-ELEMENT GAS TUBE STAGES, EACH OF SAID STAGES HAVING AN INPUT TERMINAL AND AN OUTPUT TERMINAL, EACH ONE OF SAID OUTPUT LINES SAID KEYBOARD BEING CONNECTED TO THE INPUT TERMINAL OF A CORRESPONDING ONE OF SAID THREE-ELEMENT GAS TUBE STAGES, WHEREBY AN OUTPUT SIGNAL ON ONE OF SAID OUTPUT LINES OPERATES SAID CORRESPONDING THREE-ELEMENT GAS TUBE STAGE; COMMON OUTPUT MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID OUTPUT TERMINAL OF EACH OF SAID GAS TUBE STAGES TO PROVIDE A PULSE WHENEVER ONE OF SAID STAGES IS OPERATED; A COMMON INPUT LINE CONNECTED TO SAID PULSE SOURCE A PLURALITY OF INTERCONNECTION MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID COMMON INPUT LINE, EACH OF SAID INTERCONNECTIN MEANS BEING CONNECTED BETWEEN THE OUTPUT TERMINAL OF A CORRESPONDING ONE OF SAID GAS TUBE STAGES TO THE INPUT TERMINAL OF THE SEQUENTIALLY ADJACENT ONE OF SAID GAS TUBE STAGES, SAID INTERCONNECTION MEANS BEING ADAPTED FOR SEQUENTIAL TRANSFER OF DATA THEREBETWEEN UPON TECEIPT OF A PULSE ON SAID INPUT LINE, WHEREBY DATA IS SEQUENTIALLY TRANSFERRED ALONG SAID STAGES IN RESPONSE TO A CHAIN OF PULSES RECEIVED AT SAID COMMON INPUT LINE FOM SAID PULSE SOURCE; AND DISPLAY MEANS ADAPTED TO UTILIZE THE ILLUMINATION FROME SAID GAS TUBE STAGES TO PROVIDE AN INDICATION OF WHICH OF SAID STAGES ARE IGNITED.