Automatic drafting-digitizing apparatus

Claim 2

A photoelectric system for imaging drafted information contained on sheetlike articles to produce output information representative of the position and direction of said drafted information on said articles comprising: means for illuminating a discrete area on said article; first optical means for forming an image of said discrete area; means included in an optical path with said first optical means for splitting said image of said discrete area into two images along first and second optical paths; second optical means included in a first optical path with said image splitting means for generating an electrical analog of one of said images formed by said beam splitting means; third optical means included in a second optical path with said image splitting means for progressively testing the other of said images produced by said beam splitting means to determine the position and direction of drafted information contained within said discrete area imaged by said first optical means; and means in said second optical path for generating electrical signals indicative of the position and direction of drafted information contained within said discrete area.

Claim 3

A photoelectric system for imaging drafted information contained on sheetlike articles to produce output information representative of the position and direction of said drafted information on said articles comprising; means for illuminating a discrete area on said article; first optical means for forming an image of said discrete area; means included in an optical path with said first optical means for splitting said image of said discrete area into two images along first and second optical paths; second optical means included in said first optical path with said image splitting means for generating a television picture out of one of said images formed by said beam splitting means; third optical means included in said second optical path with said image splitting means for progressively testing the other of said images produced by said beam splitting means to determine the position and direction of drafted information contained within said discrete area; and means in said second optical path for generating electrical signals indicative of the position and direction of drafted information contained within said discrete area.

Claim 4

A photoelectric system for imaging drafted information contained on sheetlike articles to produce output information representative of the position and direction of said drafted information on said articles comprising; means for illuminating a discrete area on said article; first optical means for forming an image of said discrete area; means included in an optical path with said first optical means for splitting said image of said discrete area into two images along first and second optical paths; second optical means included in said first optical path with said image splitting means for generating a television picture out of one of said images formed by said beam splitting means; third optical means included in said second optical path with said image splitting means for progressively testing the other of said images produced by said beam splitting means to determine the position and direction of drafted information contained within said discrete area; and means in said second optical path for generating electrical signals indicative of the position and direction of drafted information contained within said discrete area.

Claim 5

A photoelectric system for imaging drafted information contained on sheetlike articles to produce output information representative of the position and direction of said drafted information on said articles comprising: an illuminator positioned above a sheetlike article and having at least one source of light for illuminating a discrete area on said article; a first corrected lens system for imaging said discrete area; a beam splitter in an optical path with said corrected lens system for splitting said optical path into at least two optical paths; a television camera for producing an electrical analog of said discrete area; a second corrected lens system including a reticle in a first optical path with said beam splitter and said television camera for magnifying and superimposing a grid on said optical image; and a third corrected lens system, including a rotating mirror, a pinhole diaphragm anD a photomultiplier tube in a second optical path with said beam splitter to produce an electrical pulse output representative of the position and direction of drafted information contained within said discrete area.

Claim 6

A photoelectric system for imaging drafted information contained on sheetlike articles to produce output information representative of the position and direction of said drafted information on said articles comprising: an illuminator positioned above a sheetlike article and having at least one source of light for illuminating a discrete area on said article; a first corrected lens system for imaging said discrete area; a beam splitter in an optical path with said corrected lens system for splitting said optical path into at least two optical paths; a television camera for producing an electrical analog of said discrete area; a second corrected lens system including a reticle in a first optical path with said beam splitter and said television camera for magnifying and superimposing a grid on said optical image; and a third corrected lens system, including a rotating mirror, a pinhole diaphragm anD a photomultiplier tube in a second optical path with said beam splitter to produce an electrical pulse output representative of the position and direction of drafted information contained within said discrete area.

Claim 7

In a photoelectric system for imaging along an optical path drafted information contained on a sheetlike article to produce output information representative of the position and direction of said drafted information on said articles, an optical scanning device comprising: a piezoelectric ceramic, capable of being driven into states of mechanical stress by electrical signals and capable of generating electrical signals indicative of the state of mechanical stress in which said piezoelectric ceramic has been placed, having a plurality of electrodes to which electric drive signals are applied and from which stress sense signals are obtained; means for electrically driving said piezoelectric ceramic into a state of stress; means for connecting said driving means to said electrodes; means for electrically sensing the state of stress of said piezoelectric ceramic; means for connecting said sensing means to said electrodes on said piezoelectric ceramic; and optical means, included in said optical path in said photoelectric system, affixed to said piezoelectric ceramic for changing the transmitted image along said optical path in accordance with the stressed states of said piezoelectric ceramic.

Claim 8

In a photoelectric system for imaging along an optical path drafted information contained on a sheetlike article to produce output information representative of the position and direction of said drafted information on said articles, an optical scanning device comprising: a piezoelectric ceramic, capable of being driven into states of mechanical stress by electrical signals and capable of generating electrical signals indicative of the state of mechanical stress in which said piezoelectric ceramic has been placed, having a plurality of electrodes to which electric drive signals are applied and from which stress sense signals are obtained; means for electrically driving said piezoelectric ceramic into a state of stress; means for connecting said driving means to said electrodes; means for electrically sensing the state of stress of said piezoelectric ceramic; means for connecting said sensing means to said electrodes on said piezoelectric ceramic; and optical means, included in said optical path in said photoelectric system, affixed to said piezoelectric ceramic for changing the transmitted image along said optical path in accordance with the stressed states of said piezoelectric ceramic.

Claim 9

In a photoelectric system for imaging along an optical path drafted information contained on a sheetlike article to produce output information representative of the position and direction of said drafted information on said articles, an optical scanning device for progressively testing discrete areas on said article to determine the light reflecting ability of time-spaced points within said discrete areas comprising: a piezobar having a plurality of driving and sensing electrodes equally spaced around the periphery of said piezobar, and having a grounding electrode; circuit means for driving said piezobar into states of stress and for sensing the states to which said piezobar is driven; conductor means for electrically connecting said piezobar to said circuit means; optical means, included in said optical path, mounted on said piezobar, for transmitting an image in said optical path, said optical means being wobbled by said piezobar in a time-varying manner; an output device; and means connected to a sensing electrode on said piezobar for transmitting an electrical signal generated by said piezobar to said output device.

Claim 10

In a photoelectric system for imaging along an optical path drafted information contained on a sheetlike article to produce output information representative of the position and direction of said drafted information on said articles, an optical scanning device for progressively testing discrete areas on said article to determine the light reflecting ability of time-spaced points within said discrete areas comprising: a piezobar having a plurality of driving and sensing electrodes equally spaced around the periphery of said piezobar, and having a grounding electrode; circuit means for driving said piezobar into states of stress and for sensing the states to which said piezobar is driven; conductor means for electrically connecting said piezobar to said circuit means; optical means, included in said optical path, mounted on said piezobar, for transmitting an image in said optical path, said optical means being wobbled by said piezobar in a time-varying manner; an output device; and means connected to a sensing electrode on said piezobar for transmitting an electrical signal generated by said piezobar to said output device.

Claim 11

In a photoelectric system for imaging along an optical path drafted information contained on a sheetlike article to produce output information representative of the position and direction of said drafted information on said articles, an optical scanning device comprising: a piezobar having a plurality of equally spaced driving and sensing electrodes extending longitudinally along the outer surface of said piezobar and having a coaxially concentric grounding electrode; first circuit means connected to said sensing electrodes for detecting electrical signals generated by said piezobar; second circuit means including a first phase shifter connected to said first circuit means for shifting said sensed signal in phase and for applying the resulting phase shifted signal as a time-varying signal to at least one driving electrode on said piezobar; third circuit means including a phase shifter connected to the output of said first phase shifter for shifting the output of said first phase shifter in phase and for applying the resultant signal as a time-varying signal to a second driving electrode; an output device; means connected to a sensing electrode for transmitting an electrical signal generated by said piezobar at said electrode to said output device; and optical means, included in said optical path, mounted on said piezobar for transmitting a time-varying image along said optical path when said piezobar is subjected to time-varying stress signals.

Claim 12

In a photoelectric system for imaging along an optical path drafted information contained on a sheetlike article to produce output information representative of the position and direction of said drafted information on said articles, an optical scanning device comprising: a piezobar having a plurality of equally spaced driving and sensing electrodes extending longitudinally along the outer surface of said piezobar and having a coaxially concentric grounding electrode; first circuit means connected to said sensing electrodes for detecting electrical signals generated by said piezobar; second circuit means including a first phase shifter connected to said first circuit means for shifting said sensed signal in phase and for applying the resulting phase shifted signal as a time-varying signal to at least one driving electrode on said piezobar; third circuit means including a phase shifter connected to the output of said first phase shifter for shifting the output of said first phase shifter in phase and for applying the resultant signal as a time-varying signal to a second driving electrode; an output device; means connected to a sensing electrode for transmitting an electrical signal generated by said piezobar at said electrode to said output device; and optical means, included in said optical path, mounted on said piezobar for transmitting a time-varying image along said optical path when said piezobar is subjected to time-varying stress signals.

Claim 13

In a photoelectric system for imaging along an optical path drafted information contained on a sheetlike article to produce output information representative of the position and direction of said drafted information on said articles, an optical scanning device comprising: a piezobar having a plurality of electrodes on the outer surface thereof and having a grounding electrode; a mirror included in said optical path mounted on one end of said piezobar; a support member; a plurality of electrical contacts engaging the electrodes on said piezobar to support said piezobar for flexible movement within said support member; a plurality of piezobar drive and sense circuits; and electrical conducting means connected to said electrical contacts for connecting said electrodes to said piezobar drive and sense circuitry.

Claim 14

In a photoelectric system for imaging along an optical path drafted information contained on a sheetlike article to produce output information representative of the position and direction of said drafted information on said articles, an optical scanning device comprising: a piezobar having a plurality of electrodes on the outer surface thereof and having a grounding electrode; a mirror included in said optical path mounted on one end of said piezobar; a support member; a plurality of electrical contacts engaging the electrodes on said piezobar to support said piezobar for flexible movement within said support member; a plurality of piezobar drive and sense circuits; and electrical conducting means connected to said electrical contacts for connecting said electrodes to said piezobar drive and sense circuitry.

Claim 15

In a photoelectric system for imaging along an optical path drafted information contained on a sheetlike article to produce output information representative of the position and direction of said drafted information on said articles, an optical scanning device comprising: an elongated cylindrical piezobar having a plurality of longitudinally extending electrodes, spaced around the outer surface of said piezobar, and having a grounding electrode contained within and concentric of said piezobar; a mirror rigidly mounted on one end of said piezobar; a plurality of electrical contacts engaging the electrodes of said piezobar to support said piezobar for flexible movement within a pair of fixed spaced apart discs, said contacts being anchored in said discs; an elongated cylindrical outer casing for supporting said piezobar, said casing being enclosed at one end by a window element in alignment with a light-reflecting surface of said mirror, and at the other end by a hollow boxlike member having sidewalls and a removable end wall; a pair of disc members mounted in said elongated cylindrical casing, said disc members being longitudinally spaced apart from each other in said casing; a plurality of electrical contacts mounted in said spaced apart discs, said electrical contacts engaged in the electrodes of said piezobar for supporting said piezobar for flexible movement within said discs; a plurality of circuit boards mounted in said boxlike member and supported in fixed spaced apart relation by the sidewalls of said boxlike member; and a contact board mounted on one sidewall of said boxlike member for extending electrical circuits mounted on said circuit boards to circuits located outside of said boxlike member.

Claim 16

In a photoelectric system for imaging along an optical path drafted information contained on a sheetlike article to produce output information representative of the position and direction of said drafted information on said articles, an optical scanning device comprising: an elongated cylindrical piezobar having a plurality of longitudinally extending electrodes, spaced around the outer surface of said piezobar, and having a grounding electrode contained within and concentric of said piezobar; a mirror rigidly mounted on one end of said piezobar; a plurality of electrical contacts engaging the electrodes of said piezobar to support said piezobar for flexible movement within a pair of fixed spaced apart discs, said contacts being anchored in said discs; an elongated cylindrical outer casing for supporting said piezobar, said casing being enclosed at one end by a window element in alignment with a light-reflecting surface of said mirror, and at the other end by a hollow boxlike member having sidewalls and a removable end wall; a pair of disc members mounted in said elongated cylindrical casing, said disc members being longitudinally spaced apart from each other in said casing; a plurality of electrical contacts mounted in said spaced apart discs, said electrical contacts engaged in the electrodes of said piezobar for supporting said piezobar for flexible movement within said discs; a plurality of circuit boards mounted in said boxlike member and supported in fixed spaced apart relation by the sidewalls of said boxlike member; and a contact board mounted on one sidewall of said boxlike member for extending electrical circuits mounted on said circuit boards to circuits located outside of said boxlike member.

Claim 17

In a machine for digitizing a line drawn on a sheetlike article to produce digital data representative of the position and direction of said line on said article, and having an optical scanning member, a driving system for said optical scanning member comprising: first electrical means connected to said optical scanning member for receiving a signal from said optical scanning member and for shifting said signal in phase by a predetermined amount; first amplifier means connected to said first electrical means for amplifying said phase shifted signal; means connected to said first amplifier means for applying said phase shifted signal to said optical scanning member as a drive signal; second electrical means connected to said first amplifier means for shifting said phase shifted signal in phase by a second predetermined amount; second amplifier means connected to said second electrical means for amplifying said second phase shifted signal; and means connected to said second amplifier means for applying said second phase shifted signal to said optical scanning member as a drive signal.

Claim 18

In a machine for digitizing a line drawn on a sheetlike article to produce digital data representative of the position and direction of said line on said article, and having an optical scanning member, a driving system for said optical scanning member comprising: first electrical means connected to said optical scanning member for receiving a signal from said optical scanning member and for shifting said signal in phase by a predetermined amount; first amplifier means connected to said first electrical means for amplifying said phase shifted signal; means connected to said first amplifier means for applying said phase shifted signal to said optical scanning member as a drive signal; second electrical means connected to said first amplifier means for shifting said phase shifted signal in phase by a second predetermined amount; second amplifier means connected to said second electrical means for amplifying said second phase shifted signal; and means connected to said second amplifier means for applying said second phase shifted signal to said optical scanning member as a drive signal.

Claim 19

In a machine having automatic control circuits for digitizing a line drawn on a sheetlike article to produce digital data representative of the position and direction of said line on said article, and having an optical scanning member, a driving system for said optical scanning member comprising: first electrical means connected to said optical scanning member for reCeiving a signal from said optical scanning member and for shifting said signal in phase by a predetermined amount; first amplifier means connected to said first electrical means for amplifying said phase shifted signal; means connected to said first amplifier means for applying said phase shifted signal to said optical scanning member as a drive signal; first voltage control means connected to said first electrical means and said first amplifying means for automatically controlling the signal level of said phase shifted signal applied to said means for applying said phase shifted signal to said optical scanning member; second electrical means connected to said first amplifier means for shifting said phase shifted signal in phase by a second predetermined amount; second amplifier means connected to said second electrical means for amplifying said second phase shifted signal; means connected to said second amplifier means for applying said second phase shifted signal to said optical scanning member as a drive signal; second voltage control means connected to said optical scanning member and to said second amplifying means for automatically controlling the signal level of said second phase shifted signal applied to said second means for applying said phase shifted signal to said optical scanning member; and third electrical means connected to said optical scanning member and said line digitizer for applying a signal indicative of the operational status of said optical scanning member to the control circuits of said line digitizer.

Claim 20

In a machine having automatic control circuits for digitizing a line drawn on a sheetlike article to produce digital data representative of the position and direction of said line on said article, and having an optical scanning member, a driving system for said optical scanning member comprising: first electrical means connected to said optical scanning member for reCeiving a signal from said optical scanning member and for shifting said signal in phase by a predetermined amount; first amplifier means connected to said first electrical means for amplifying said phase shifted signal; means connected to said first amplifier means for applying said phase shifted signal to said optical scanning member as a drive signal; first voltage control means connected to said first electrical means and said first amplifying means for automatically controlling the signal level of said phase shifted signal applied to said means for applying said phase shifted signal to said optical scanning member; second electrical means connected to said first amplifier means for shifting said phase shifted signal in phase by a second predetermined amount; second amplifier means connected to said second electrical means for amplifying said second phase shifted signal; means connected to said second amplifier means for applying said second phase shifted signal to said optical scanning member as a drive signal; second voltage control means connected to said optical scanning member and to said second amplifying means for automatically controlling the signal level of said second phase shifted signal applied to said second means for applying said phase shifted signal to said optical scanning member; and third electrical means connected to said optical scanning member and said line digitizer for applying a signal indicative of the operational status of said optical scanning member to the control circuits of said line digitizer.

Claim 21

In a machine having automatic control circuits for digitizing a line drawn on a sheetlike article to produce digital data representative of the position and direction of said line on said article, and having an optical scanning member, a driving system for said optical scanning member comprising: a first electronics phase shifting circuit connected to said optical scanning member for receiving an electrical signal from said optical scanning member and for shifting said signal in phase by a predetermined number of degrees; a first emitter follower connected between said optical scanning member and the automatic control circuits of the machine for transferring an electrical signal output of said optical scanning member to said control circuits; a second emitter follower connected to said first phase shifter for amplifying said phase shifted signal; a first automatic voltage control circuit connected to said first phase shifter and said second emitter follower for controlling the signal level of said phase shifted signal; a first power amplifier connected to said automatic voltage control circuit and said optical scanning member for amplifying said phase shifted signal and applying same to said optical scanning member; a second electronics phase shifter connected to said second emitter follower for shifting said phase shifted signal in phase by a second predetermined number of degrees; a third emitter follower connected to said second phase shifter for amplifying said second phase shifted signal; a second automatic voltage control circuit connected to said optical scanning member and said third emitter follower for controlling the signal level of said second phase shifted signal; and a second power amplifier connected to said second automatic voltage control circuit, and said optical scanning member for amplifying said second phase shifted signal and for applying same to said optical scanning member.

Claim 22

In a machine having automatic control circuits for digitizing a line drawn on a sheetlike article to produce digital data representative of the position and direction of said line on said article, and having an optical scanning member, a driving system for said optical scanning member comprising: a first electronics phase shifting circuit connected to said optical scanning member for receiving an electrical signal from said optical scanning member and for shifting said signal in phase by a predetermined number of degrees; a first emitter follower connected between said optical scanning member and the automatic control circuits of the machine for transferring an electrical signal output of said optical scanning member to said control circuits; a second emitter follower connected to said first phase shifter for amplifying said phase shifted signal; a first automatic voltage control circuit connected to said first phase shifter and said second emitter follower for controlling the signal level of said phase shifted signal; a first power amplifier connected to said automatic voltage control circuit and said optical scanning member for amplifying said phase shifted signal and applying same to said optical scanning member; a second electronics phase shifter connected to said second emitter follower for shifting said phase shifted signal in phase by a second predetermined number of degrees; a third emitter follower connected to said second phase shifter for amplifying said second phase shifted signal; a second automatic voltage control circuit connected to said optical scanning member and said third emitter follower for controlling the signal level of said second phase shifted signal; and a second power amplifier connected to said second automatic voltage control circuit, and said optical scanning member for amplifying said second phase shifted signal and for applying same to said optical scanning member.