Encoding device

Claim 2

Encoding apparatus comprising a keyboard having a plurality of key members, a plurality of conductors, means for supporting said key members and conductors, flux means for supplying substantially steady and unidirectional magnetic flux means for converting a change in position of one of said key members into a change in the amount of said flux crossing at least one of said conductors and thus generating a voltage change in said one conductor, and output means for utilizing said voltage change as an output signal for said encoding apparatus.

Claim 3

Apparatus as in claim 1 in which said flux supplying means comprises at least one permanent magnet.

Claim 4

Apparatus as in claim 1 in which each of said keys is movable from a rest position to an actuated position, and including drive means for moving each key member to its actuated position after a minimum amount of force has been applied to said key member.

Claim 5

Apparatus as in claim 3 in which said drive means is magnetic.

Claim 6

Apparatus as in claim 1 including finger pieces, one for each key member, and resilient means coupling each finger piece to its key member.

Claim 7

Apparatus as in claim 3 including magnetic means for holding each of said key members in its rest position until a predetermined minimum level of force is applied to said key.

Claim 8

Apparatus as in claim 1 in which each of said key members is moved from a rest position to an actuated position and back again and two voltage changes are generated in said conductor, one during each movement of said key member, said output means being adapted to detect only one of said voltages.

Claim 9

Character encoding apparatus, said apparatus comprising, in combination, a keyboard including a plurality of keys, each of said keys having a rest position and an actuated position, a plurality of magnetic core elements, support means for supporting said core elements and said keys, a source of substantially steady and unidirectiOnal magnetic flux, electrical conductors arranged adjacent said cores in a coded pattern, means for changing the amount of said magnetic flux flowing through one of said core elements in response to the movement of one of said keys from its rest position to its actuated position and thus generating coded voltages in the conductors adjacent said core, and means for detecting said voltages and utilizing them as the coded output signals of said encoding apparatus.

Claim 10

Character encoding apparatus, said apparatus comprising, in combination, a keyboard including a plurality of keys, each of said keys having a rest position and an actuated position, a plurality of magnetic core elements, support means for supporting said core elements and said keys, a source of substantially steady and unidirectiOnal magnetic flux, electrical conductors arranged adjacent said cores in a coded pattern, means for changing the amount of said magnetic flux flowing through one of said core elements in response to the movement of one of said keys from its rest position to its actuated position and thus generating coded voltages in the conductors adjacent said core, and means for detecting said voltages and utilizing them as the coded output signals of said encoding apparatus.

Claim 11

Apparatus as in claim 8 including a plurality of magnetic members, each movably mounted in said support means and connected to move with one of said keys towards one of said core elements, and moving means for moving each of said members towards its associated core element independently of any force applied to the key after a minimum amount of force has been applied to the key.

Claim 12

Apparatus as in claim 9 in which said moving means and said source comprise a permanent magnet providing magnetic attraction between each of said members and its associated core. cm 11. An encoding device, said device comprising, in combination, a support structure, a plurality of keys movably mounted on said support structure, a plurality of magnetic core members windings on said core members, said windings being arranged on said core members in a digitally coded pattern, a plurality of elongated magnetic bars pivotably mounted in said structure, each of said keys being secured to one of said bars at a position spaced from the pivot point of said bar whereby a force applied to said key will cause said bar to pivot about said pivot point, each of said magnetic core members being mounted on said support structure at a location in the path of travel of one of said bars as it pivots, means for forming a magnetic flux path between each of said core members and the portion of each of said bars adjacent its pivot point, means for moving each of said bars away from each of said core members after the bar has been moved towards said core member, and means for applying a substantially continuous and steady magnetic flux to each of said bars.

Claim 13

Apparatus as in claim 11 in which the pivot point for each bar is located adjacent one end of the bar, and said moving means comprises a spring bearing upon the bar at a position adjacent its opposite end.

Claim 14

Apparatus as in claim 11 in which said flux-applying means comprises a permanently magnetized portion in each of said bars.

Claim 15

In a character encoding device having a plurality of keys, electrical means for producing a coded electrical signal in response to the actuation of said keys, said electrical means including an armature made of magnetic material, said armature being movable into a first one of two different positions by the actuation of one of said keys to produce said coded electrical signals, first magnet means for attracting said armature to said first position, and second magnet means spaced from said first magnet means for attracting said armature to the other of said positions.

Claim 16

In a character encoding device having a plurality of keys, electrical means for producing a coded electrical signal in response to the actuation of said keys, said electrical means including an armature made of magnetic material, said armature being movable into a first one of two different positions by the actuation of one of said keys to produce said coded electrical signals, first magnet means for attracting said armature to said first position, and second magnet means spaced from said first magnet means for attracting said armature to the other of said positions.

Claim 17

Apparatus as in claim 14 in which one of said magnet means includes a magnetic core located at one of said positions, with windings on said core for producing said coded signal, magnetic flux-developing means, and means for forming a magnetic circuit including said core and said armature in series with said flux-developing means when said armature is in the position at which said core is located.

Claim 18

Apparatus as in claim 15 including means for biasing said armature towards said first position from said second position.

Claim 19

An encoding device, said device comprising, in combination, a plurality of keys, each having a quiescent condition and an actuated condition, a plurality of magnetic cores, means for supporting said keys and said cores, electrical windings wound on said cores in a coded pattern, means for developing magnetic flux, means for magnetically coupling said flux-developing means to a selected one of said cores in response to the actuation of a selected one of said keYs, and means for de-coupling said core from said flux-developing means and for magnetically coupling a magnetic shunt to said flux-developing means to provide a magnetic flux path by-passing said core when said key is in its quiescent condition.

Claim 20

An encoding device, said device comprising, in combination, a plurality of keys, each having a quiescent condition and an actuated condition, a plurality of magnetic cores, means for supporting said keys and said cores, electrical windings wound on said cores in a coded pattern, means for developing magnetic flux, means for magnetically coupling said flux-developing means to a selected one of said cores in response to the actuation of a selected one of said keYs, and means for de-coupling said core from said flux-developing means and for magnetically coupling a magnetic shunt to said flux-developing means to provide a magnetic flux path by-passing said core when said key is in its quiescent condition.

Claim 21

Apparatus as in claim 17 in which said keys are mounted in said supporting structure to be movable between an actuated and a quiescent position, said coupling means including a plurality of magnetic members, each being connected to one of said keys and being movable towards said core in response to actuation movement of the key to which it is connected and away from said core and towards said shunt upon return of said key to a quiescent position.

Claim 22

Apparatus as in claim 13 in which said de-coupling means includes means for moving said magnetic member back towards said shunt and away from said core after coupling between said core and said flux-developing means has been effected.

Claim 23

Apparatus as in claim 19 in which said moving means comprises a spring urging said magnetic member towards said shunt with a restorative force greater than the force of magnetic attraction between said magnetic member and said core when said member is at its closest position to said core.

Claim 24

Apparatus as in claim 19 in which said moving means comprises a cam engaging said magnetic member, and means for driving said cam to move said member towards said shunt after an electrical signal has been developed in a winding on said core.

Claim 25

Apparatus as in claim 17 in which said flux-developing means comprises a coil and electrical energization means for said coil.

Claim 26

Apparatus as in claim 17 in which said flux-developing means comprises at least one permanent magnet.

Claim 27

Apparatus as in claim 18 in which each of said magnetic members is permanently magnetized, said magnetic members together comprising said flux-developing means.

Claim 28

Apparatus as in claim 18 in which said magnetic members are pivotably mounted in said supporting means to swing into contact with said core and out of contact with said shunt, and then out of contact with said core and into contact with said shunt.

Claim 29

Character encoding apparatus, said apparatus comprising, in combination, a keyboard including a plurality of keys, each of said keys having an upper rest position and a lower actuated position, a plurality of magnetic core elements, support means for supporting said core elements and said keys with said keys in movable relationship to said core elements, means for changing the amount of magnetic flux flowing through one of said core elements in response to the movement of one of said keys from its rest position to its actuated position, electrical windings on said cores, said windings being wound on said cores in a predetermined binary-coded pattern, the electrical signals developed in said windings representing said characters in binary-coded form, said flux-changing means including a plurality of elongated bars made of magnetic material, magnetic flux-developing means, a magnetic shunt member, each of said bars being connected to one of said keys intermediate the ends of said bar, said bar being pivotably mounted at one end to pivot between an upper stop formed by said magnetic shunt member and a lower stop formed by one of said core elements, in response to upward and downward movement of one of said keys, a magnetic pivot support member pivotably supporting each of said bars at its pivot point, one end of each of said core elements and one end of said shunt being magnetically coupled to said pivot support, said bars being generally parallel to one another, and said cores being spaced apart with one core being located directly beneath each of said bars, and means for returning said bar to its upper stop after it has generated output signals in said windings by movement to said lower stop.

Claim 30

Character encoding apparatus, said apparatus comprising, in combination, a keyboard including a plurality of keys, each of said keys having an upper rest position and a lower actuated position, a plurality of magnetic core elements, support means for supporting said core elements and said keys with said keys in movable relationship to said core elements, means for changing the amount of magnetic flux flowing through one of said core elements in response to the movement of one of said keys from its rest position to its actuated position, electrical windings on said cores, said windings being wound on said cores in a predetermined binary-coded pattern, the electrical signals developed in said windings representing said characters in binary-coded form, said flux-changing means including a plurality of elongated bars made of magnetic material, magnetic flux-developing means, a magnetic shunt member, each of said bars being connected to one of said keys intermediate the ends of said bar, said bar being pivotably mounted at one end to pivot between an upper stop formed by said magnetic shunt member and a lower stop formed by one of said core elements, in response to upward and downward movement of one of said keys, a magnetic pivot support member pivotably supporting each of said bars at its pivot point, one end of each of said core elements and one end of said shunt being magnetically coupled to said pivot support, said bars being generally parallel to one another, and said cores being spaced apart with one core being located directly beneath each of said bars, and means for returning said bar to its upper stop after it has generated output signals in said windings by movement to said lower stop.

Claim 31

Apparatus as in claim 26 in which said flux-developing means comprises a coil encircling the pivot end of each of said bars, and an electrical current souRce for said coil.

Claim 32

Apparatus as in claim 27 in which said flux-developing source includes a permanently magnetized portion of each of said bars between its pivot point and the point of connection of the bar to its key.

Claim 33

Apparatus as in claim 26 in which said return means comprises an elongated, bent leaf spring engaging a notch in the bottoms of the bars near their ends opposite their pivot points, and anchored to a support surface below said bars.

Claim 34

Apparatus as in claim 26 in which said return means comprises a cam member rotatably mounted beneath the ends of said bars, a rotary solenoid connected in driving relationship to said cam member, and electrical means for energizing said solenoid when a signal is developed in one of said windings.

Claim 35

Apparatus as in claim 26 including a spring coupling each of said keys to its associated bar.

Claim 36

Apparatus as in claim 26 including a panel supporting said cores and windings, and means for removably supporting said panel in said encoding apparatus.

Claim 37

Character encoding apparatus, said apparatus comprising, in combination, a keyboard including a plurality of keys, each of said keys having a rest position and an actuated position, a plurality of magnetic core elements, support means for supporting said core elements and said keys, means for changing the amount of magnetic flux flowing through one of said core elements in response to the movement of one of said keys from its rest position to its actuated position, electrical windings on said cores, said windings being wound on said cores in a predetermined coded pattern, the electrical signals developed in said windings representing said characters in coded form, a plurality of magnetic members, each movably mounted in said support means and connected to move with one of said keys towards one of said core elements, and magnetic flux developing means for developing magnetic flux and causing it to flow through selected ones of said magnetic members and said core elements when said selected magnetic member and core element are brought together, and a further magnetized member for holding each of the first-named magnetic members in its rest position by means of magnetic attraction.

Claim 38

Character encoding apparatus, said apparatus comprising, in combination, a keyboard including a plurality of keys, each of said keys having a rest position and an actuated position, a plurality of magnetic core elements, support means for supporting said core elements and said keys, means for changing the amount of magnetic flux flowing through one of said core elements in response to the movement of one of said keys from its rest position to its actuated position, electrical windings on said cores, said windings being wound on said cores in a predetermined coded pattern, the electrical signals developed in said windings representing said characters in coded form, a plurality of magnetic members, each movably mounted in said support means and connected to move with one of said keys towards one of said core elements, and magnetic flux developing means for developing magnetic flux and causing it to flow through selected ones of said magnetic members and said core elements when said selected magnetic member and core element are brought together, and a further magnetized member for holding each of the first-named magnetic members in its rest position by means of magnetic attraction.

Claim 39

Apparatus as in claim 33 including a plurality of springs, each of said springs being connected between one of said keys and one of the first-named magnetic members, each of said spring being positioned to be deflected by an actuating force on said keys prior to said member pulling away from said stop member.

Claim 40

Character encoding apparatus, said apparatus comprising, in combination, a keyboard including a plurality of keys, each of said keys having a rest position and an actuated position, a plurality of magnetic core elements, support means for supporting said core elements and said keys, means for changing the amount of magnetic flux flowing through one of said core elements in response to the movement of one of said keys from its rest position to its actuated position, electrical windings on said cores, said windings being wound on said cores in a predetermined coded pattern, the electrical signals developed in said windings representing said characters in coded form, at least one shift key, the movement of said shift key from its rest to its actuated position generating a shift signal in one of said core elements, and means for returning said shift key to its rest position from its actuated position after its release, said core generating a reverse shift signal in said core during its return movement.

Claim 41

Character encoding apparatus, said apparatus comprising, in combination, a keyboard including a plurality of keys, each of said keys having a rest position and an actuated position, a plurality of magnetic core elements, support means for supporting said core elements and said keys, means for changing the amount of magnetic flux flowing through one of said core elements in response to the movement of one of said keys from its rest position to its actuated position, electrical windings on said cores, said windings being wound on said cores in a predetermined coded pattern, the electrical signals developed in said windings representing said characters in coded form, at least one shift key, the movement of said shift key from its rest to its actuated position generating a shift signal in one of said core elements, and means for returning said shift key to its rest position from its actuated position after its release, said core generating a reverse shift signal in said core during its return movement.