Rapid access to a selected segment of a strip information carrier

Claim 3

which has a magnitude substantially directly proportional to the remaining number of segments that must pass the station whenever said remaining number of segments is less than said predetermined number; E. with the use of said pulse signals, producing a true value quantity that has a magnitude corresponding to the prevailing speed of lengthwise motion of the strip; F. whenever the strip is in motion, comparing said magnitude of said demand value quantity with said magnitude of said true value quantity; and G. so energizing drive means for the strip, by reference to the difference between said demand and true value quantities, as to tend to maintain said difference at a predetermined value.

Claim 4

which has a magnitude substantially directly proportional to the remaining number of segments that must pass the station whenever said remaining number of segments is less than said predetermined number; E. with the use of said pulse signals, producing a true value quantity that has a magnitude corresponding to the prevailing speed of lengthwise motion of the strip; F. whenever the strip is in motion, comparing said magnitude of said demand value quantity with said magnitude of said true value quantity; and G. so energizing drive means for the strip, by reference to the difference between said demand and true value quantities, as to tend to maintain said difference at a predetermined value.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1, wherein the strip is driven by a pair of drive means, each energizable for propelling the strip in one direction of its motion and each also energizable to effect deceleration of the strip when it is moving in the direction in which it is propelled by the other drive means, wherein the step of energizing the drive means for the strip is further characterized by: whenever the remaining number of segments that must pass the station is less than said predetermined number, energizing the appropriate drive means for strip deceleration with an energization magnitude that is substantially in proportion to the speed of the strip.

Claim 6

a monostable flip-flop having a predetermined recovery time and which is connected with said derivating means to be changed from its normal state to its alternate state in response to each impulse.

Claim 7

a monostable flip-flop having a predetermined recovery time and which is connected with said derivating means to be changed from its normal state to its alternate state in response to each impulse.

Claim 8

cooperating means at a fixed location, for producing a pulse signal each time the movable member traverses one distance unit; D. discharge means connected with the pulse signal producing means and with the chargeable and dischargeable element for reducing the charge on said element by a magnitude corresponding to one distance unit each time a pulse signal is generated, so that the prevailing charge on said element always corresponds to the remaining number of distance units through which the movable member must still be moved; E. first demand value signal means connected with the chargeable and dischargeable element and responsive to the charge thereon to produce a demand value signal that has a substantially constant magnitude whenever the magnitude of the prevailing charge on said element corresponds to more than a fixed critical number of distance units; F. second demand value signal means connected with the chargeable and dischargeable element and responsive to the charge thereon to produce a variable demand value signal whenever the prevailing charge on said element corresponds to less than said critical number of distance units, and which variable signal has a magnitude that is comparable to that of the first mentioned demand value signal but varies at a substantially constant ratio to the magnitude of the charge on said element; G. true value signal means connected with the pulse signal producing means, for producing a true value signal having a magnitude comparable with said magnitudes of the signals produced by the demand value signal means and which varies in substantial correspondence with the frequency of the pulse signals; H. means for producing an output signal having a magnitude corresponding to the difference between the prevailing true and demand value signals, the last named means being connected with said true value signal producing means and with said first and second demand value signal means; and I. input means connected with the output signal producing means and with the drive means for the movable member, for controlling the energizing input to said drive means in accordance with the magnitude of the output signal and in a manner that tends to maintain that magnitude at a predetermined value.

Claim 9

cooperating means at a fixed location, for producing a pulse signal each time the movable member traverses one distance unit; D. discharge means connected with the pulse signal producing means and with the chargeable and dischargeable element for reducing the charge on said element by a magnitude corresponding to one distance unit each time a pulse signal is generated, so that the prevailing charge on said element always corresponds to the remaining number of distance units through which the movable member must still be moved; E. first demand value signal means connected with the chargeable and dischargeable element and responsive to the charge thereon to produce a demand value signal that has a substantially constant magnitude whenever the magnitude of the prevailing charge on said element corresponds to more than a fixed critical number of distance units; F. second demand value signal means connected with the chargeable and dischargeable element and responsive to the charge thereon to produce a variable demand value signal whenever the prevailing charge on said element corresponds to less than said critical number of distance units, and which variable signal has a magnitude that is comparable to that of the first mentioned demand value signal but varies at a substantially constant ratio to the magnitude of the charge on said element; G. true value signal means connected with the pulse signal producing means, for producing a true value signal having a magnitude comparable with said magnitudes of the signals produced by the demand value signal means and which varies in substantial correspondence with the frequency of the pulse signals; H. means for producing an output signal having a magnitude corresponding to the difference between the prevailing true and demand value signals, the last named means being connected with said true value signal producing means and with said first and second demand value signal means; and I. input means connected with the output signal producing means and with the drive means for the movable member, for controlling the energizing input to said drive means in accordance with the magnitude of the output signal and in a manner that tends to maintain that magnitude at a predetermined value.

Claim 10

substantially in direct proportion to the magnitude of the prevailing charge whenever that charge magnitude corresponds to less than the critical number of distance units; E. producing a true value signal that has a magnitude which is comparable to said magnitude of the demand value signal and which is substantially in proportion to the frequency of the pulse signals; and F. energizing the drive means by reference to the difference between said magnitudes of the demand value signal and the true value signal in a manner that tends to maintain said difference at a predetermined value.

Claim 11

substantially in direct proportion to the magnitude of the prevailing charge whenever that charge magnitude corresponds to less than the critical number of distance units; E. producing a true value signal that has a magnitude which is comparable to said magnitude of the demand value signal and which is substantially in proportion to the frequency of the pulse signals; and F. energizing the drive means by reference to the difference between said magnitudes of the demand value signal and the true value signal in a manner that tends to maintain said difference at a predetermined value.

Claim 14

The method of claim 3 wherein said drive means for the strip comprises a pair of reversible drive motors, each connected with one end of the strip, and switching means through which the motors can be selectively energized for forward and rearward operation, further characterized by: I. at all times that the charge on said element corresponds to a lower number than said predetermined number, utilizing the pulse signals to produce a second true value signal having a magnitude which corresponds to the prevailing lengthwise speed of the strip; J. at the times last mentioned, energizing for reverse operation the drive motor which is not producing lengthwise movement of the strip; and K. at said last mentioned times, controlling the reverse-operation energization of the last mentioned drive motor in substantial correspondence with said magnitude of the second true value signal, to thereby maintain tension on the strip and impose upon it a retarding force that is substantially proportional to its lengthwise speed.

Claim 15

The method of claim 3, wherein the strip is driven by a pair of drive means, each energizable for propelling the strip in one direction of its motion and each also energizable to effect deceleration of the strip when it is moving in the direction in which it is propelled by the other drive means, further characterized by: H. whenever the charge on said element corresponds to a lower number than said predetermined number, further utilizing the pulse signals to produce a controlled braking energization having a magnitude in proportion to the speed of the strip; and I. applying said braking energization to the appropriate drive means for strip deceleration to insure that said difference between the magnitudes of the prevailing true and demand value signals will be maintained closely near its said predetermined value.

Claim 18

Means for so controlling the energization of drive means for a linearly movable member that must from time to time be traversed through different but predetermined numbers of uniform distance units as to cause the member to accomplish each traverse rapidly and to stop accurately when it has been moved through the predetermined number of distance units, said means comprising: A. a chargeable and dischargeable element; B. means for impressing upon the chargeable and dischargeable element an initial charge having a magnitude that corresponds to a predetermined number of distance units through which the movable member is to be moved; C. pulse signal producing means comprising

Claim 19

Means for so controlling the energization of drive means for a linearly movable member that must from time to time be traversed through different but predetermined numbers of uniform distance units as to cause the member to accomplish each traverse rapidly and to stop accurately when it has been moved through the predetermined number of distance units, said means comprising: A. a chargeable and dischargeable element; B. means for impressing upon the chargeable and dischargeable element an initial charge having a magnitude that corresponds to a predetermined number of distance units through which the movable member is to be moved; C. pulse signal producing means comprising

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the drive means for the linearly movable member comprises a pair of drive means, each energizable for propelLing the movable member in one direction of its motion and also energizable to decelerate the movable member when it is moving in the direction in which it is propelled by the other, further characterized by: J. means for producing a second true value signal that varies in substantial correspondence with the frequency of the pulse signals, the last mentioned means being connected with the pulse signal producing means and also so connected with the chargeable and dischargeable element as to produce the second true value signal only at times when the charge on the said element corresponds to less than said fixed critical number of distance units; and K. means connected with the second true value signal producing means for applying to whichever of the drive means is appropriate for deceleration of the movable member an energization having a magnitude that is in substantially direct proportion to the second true value signal.

Claim 21

Means for controlling lengthwise motion of an information carrier strip having defined uniformly spaced segments along its length, so that the strip can be brought rapidly and accurately from a position in which one of said segments is at a defined relatively fixed station to a position at which any selected other segment is at said station, said means comprising: A. a pair of drive motors, one for each end of the strip, each connected with its end of the strip; B. switching means operatively associated with the drive motors for selecting a motor to be drivingly energized in accordance with the direction in which the strip is to be moved; C. a plurality of detectable indicia on the strip, one for each segment, said indicia being in uniform relationship to their respective segments; D. detector means at the station cooperable with said indicia to produce a pulse signal each time a segment passes the station; E. a counter arranged to be impressed with a charge corresponding to a selected number and to be discharged in unit steps; F. means for impressing upon the counter an initial charge corresponding to the initial number of segments through which the strip must be moved to bring the selected segment to the station; G. means providing a connection between the detector means and the counter whereby pulse signals are impressed upon the counter to discharge it by a unit step each time a segment passes the station, so that the charge on the counter will at any instant correspond to the number of segments that must pass the station in order to bring a selected segment thereto; H. first demand signal means connected with the counter to be operative only when charges on the counter correspond to more than a predetermined number of segments to pass the station and which, when operative, produces a first demand value signal having a magnitude which is substantially constant and which corresponds to a high speed of strip movement; I. second demand signal means so connected with the counter and so arranged as to be operative when charges on the counter correspond to less than said predetermined number, to produce a variable demand value signal having a magnitude that is in substantially direct proportion to the charge on the counter; J. true value signal producing means connected with the detector means for producing a true value signal having a magnitude which is comparable to the magnitudes of said first demand value signal and said variable demand value signal and which corresponds to the prevailing lengthwise speed of the strip as reflected in the frequency of the pulse signals; and K. comparison means for comparing a demand value signal with a true value signal and for producing an output corresponding to the difference between them, said comparison means having an input terminal connected with both of the true value signal producing means and an output terminal connected with the switching means.

Claim 22

Means for controlling lengthwise motion of an information carrier strip having defined uniformly spaced segments along its length, so that the strip can be brought rapidly and accurately from a position in which one of said segments is at a defined relatively fixed station to a position at which any selected other segment is at said station, said means comprising: A. a pair of drive motors, one for each end of the strip, each connected with its end of the strip; B. switching means operatively associated with the drive motors for selecting a motor to be drivingly energized in accordance with the direction in which the strip is to be moved; C. a plurality of detectable indicia on the strip, one for each segment, said indicia being in uniform relationship to their respective segments; D. detector means at the station cooperable with said indicia to produce a pulse signal each time a segment passes the station; E. a counter arranged to be impressed with a charge corresponding to a selected number and to be discharged in unit steps; F. means for impressing upon the counter an initial charge corresponding to the initial number of segments through which the strip must be moved to bring the selected segment to the station; G. means providing a connection between the detector means and the counter whereby pulse signals are impressed upon the counter to discharge it by a unit step each time a segment passes the station, so that the charge on the counter will at any instant correspond to the number of segments that must pass the station in order to bring a selected segment thereto; H. first demand signal means connected with the counter to be operative only when charges on the counter correspond to more than a predetermined number of segments to pass the station and which, when operative, produces a first demand value signal having a magnitude which is substantially constant and which corresponds to a high speed of strip movement; I. second demand signal means so connected with the counter and so arranged as to be operative when charges on the counter correspond to less than said predetermined number, to produce a variable demand value signal having a magnitude that is in substantially direct proportion to the charge on the counter; J. true value signal producing means connected with the detector means for producing a true value signal having a magnitude which is comparable to the magnitudes of said first demand value signal and said variable demand value signal and which corresponds to the prevailing lengthwise speed of the strip as reflected in the frequency of the pulse signals; and K. comparison means for comparing a demand value signal with a true value signal and for producing an output corresponding to the difference between them, said comparison means having an input terminal connected with both of the true value signal producing means and an output terminal connected with the switching means.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 9, further characterized by: L. conTrolled energizing means connected with said second demand signal means and with said switching means for impressing upon whichever drive motor is not drivingly energized a decelerating energization that has a magnitude which is in substantially direct proportion to said magnitude of the second demand value signal.

Claim 24

Means for so controlling the energization of drive means for a linearly movable member that must from time to time be traversed through different but predetermined numbers of uniform distance units as to cause the member to accomplish each traverse rapidly and to stop accurately when it has been moved through the predetermined number of distance units, said means comprising: A. a counter that can be charged with different charges, each corresponding to a predetermined number of distance units to be traversed by the member, and which counter can be discharged in unit increments by the application thereto of a pulse for each unit discharge; B. demand value means cooperating with the counter to produce a demand value signal that persists steadily while there is a charge on the counter but has a magnitude which varies in dependence upon the charge on the counter; C. pulse signal means cooperating with the linearly movable member and comprising detector means at a fixed location for producing pulse signals at a frequency which is in a fixed ratio to the rate at which the movable member traverses distance units; D. means connected with said pulse signal producing means and with the counter for applying a pulse signal to the counter, to effect a unit incremental discharge thereof, each time the member traverses a distance unit; E. means connected with said pulse signal means for producing uniform duration pulses at a frequency that varies in a fixed ratio to the frequency of the pulse signals; F. means for integrating said pulses and for producing a true value signal that persists steadily while said member moves but has a magnitude that varies in correspondence with the frequency of the pulse signals; and G. comparison means connected with said inte-grating means and with the demand value means for producing an energizing output having a magnitude which depends upon the difference in magnitudes of the true value and demand value signals, said comparison means having its output connected with the drive means.

Claim 25

Means for so controlling the energization of drive means for a linearly movable member that must from time to time be traversed through different but predetermined numbers of uniform distance units as to cause the member to accomplish each traverse rapidly and to stop accurately when it has been moved through the predetermined number of distance units, said means comprising: A. a counter that can be charged with different charges, each corresponding to a predetermined number of distance units to be traversed by the member, and which counter can be discharged in unit increments by the application thereto of a pulse for each unit discharge; B. demand value means cooperating with the counter to produce a demand value signal that persists steadily while there is a charge on the counter but has a magnitude which varies in dependence upon the charge on the counter; C. pulse signal means cooperating with the linearly movable member and comprising detector means at a fixed location for producing pulse signals at a frequency which is in a fixed ratio to the rate at which the movable member traverses distance units; D. means connected with said pulse signal producing means and with the counter for applying a pulse signal to the counter, to effect a unit incremental discharge thereof, each time the member traverses a distance unit; E. means connected with said pulse signal means for producing uniform duration pulses at a frequency that varies in a fixed ratio to the frequency of the pulse signals; F. means for integrating said pulses and for producing a true value signal that persists steadily while said member moves but has a magnitude that varies in correspondence with the frequency of the pulse signals; and G. comparison means connected with said inte-grating means and with the demand value means for producing an energizing output having a magnitude which depends upon the difference in magnitudes of the true value and demand value signals, said comparison means having its output connected with the drive means.

Claim 26

The apparatus of claim 11, further characterized by said means for producing uniform duration pulses comprising: