Bar segment readout light shield

Claim 2

A light shield comprising: a plurality of strip members each comprising a first leg having first and second opposite edges, a second leg having first and second opposite edges and disposed relative to said first leg to form a particular angle with said first leg, and slots in each of said first and second legs at particular positions along the legs to define fingers in the first and second legs, the slots in first ones of the strip members extending from the first edges and the slots in second ones of the strip members extending from the second edges and the slots in the other ones of the strip members extending from the first and second edges, the slots extending from the first edges on the first and second legs of particular ones of the strip members in the plurality mating with the slots extending from the second edges on the first and second legs of other ones of the strip members in the plurality to define a plurality of isolated cells as a result of such interlocking, a plurality of lamps each disposed in an individual one of the cells and each having properties of being illuminated, and a plurality of translucent segments each disposed in an individual one of the cells and communicating with the other translucent segments and disposed between the associated lamp and the strip members to pass light from the associated lamp upon the illumination of the associated lamp and thereby define individual characters dependent upon the particular lamps illuminated at any instant.

Claim 3

The light shield of claim 1 including the fingers being formed in said first and second legs of said plurality of strip members between said slots at spaced positions along said legs, said fingers defining the walls of said lamp-receiving cells when said plurality of strip members are interlocked.

Claim 4

The light shield of claim 2 wherein said fingers formed in said first and second legs of said plurality of strip members are of substantially equal length size.

Claim 5

The light shield of claim 2 wherein said fingers formed in said first and second legs of said plurality of strip members are longer on one of said legs than the fingers on the other of said legs on each of said plurality of strip members and wherein the fingers of greater length on particular ones of the strip members interlock with the fingers of shorter length on other ones of the strip members.

Claim 6

A readout light shield comprising a plurality of strip members having first and second opposite edges, each having a first leg, a second leg extending from the first leg at a particular angle Relative to the first leg, and a pair of strip members of said plurality of strip members having a plurality of slots formed therein at spaced positions in said first and second legs, each slot of said plurality extending in at least one of the members from the first edge of the strip to a point intermediate between the first and second edges and in at least a second one of the members from the second edge of the strip member to a point substantially intermediate between the first and second edges, and a second pair of strip members of said plurality of strip members having a plurality of slots formed therein at second positions in said first and second legs, particular slots of of said plurality extending from the first edges of the strip members to a position intermediate between the first and second edges of the strip members and other slots of said plurality extending from the second edges of the strip members to a position intermediate between the first and second edges of the strip members, the slots of said first pair of strip members mating with the slots of said second pair of strip members to provide an interlocking relationship between the fingers of said first pair of strip members and the fingers of said second pair of strip members and to define a plurality of cells as a result of said interlocking relationship, a plurality of lamps each disposed in an individual one of the cells and each having properties of being illuminated, and a plurality of translucent segments each disposed in an individual one of the cells between the fingers and the associated lamp in the cell and each communicating with individual ones of the other segments to provide with the other segments individual indications of characters dependent upon the particular lamps illuminated at any instant.

Claim 7

A readout light shield comprising a plurality of strip members having first and second opposite edges, each having a first leg, a second leg extending from the first leg at a particular angle Relative to the first leg, and a pair of strip members of said plurality of strip members having a plurality of slots formed therein at spaced positions in said first and second legs, each slot of said plurality extending in at least one of the members from the first edge of the strip to a point intermediate between the first and second edges and in at least a second one of the members from the second edge of the strip member to a point substantially intermediate between the first and second edges, and a second pair of strip members of said plurality of strip members having a plurality of slots formed therein at second positions in said first and second legs, particular slots of of said plurality extending from the first edges of the strip members to a position intermediate between the first and second edges of the strip members and other slots of said plurality extending from the second edges of the strip members to a position intermediate between the first and second edges of the strip members, the slots of said first pair of strip members mating with the slots of said second pair of strip members to provide an interlocking relationship between the fingers of said first pair of strip members and the fingers of said second pair of strip members and to define a plurality of cells as a result of said interlocking relationship, a plurality of lamps each disposed in an individual one of the cells and each having properties of being illuminated, and a plurality of translucent segments each disposed in an individual one of the cells between the fingers and the associated lamp in the cell and each communicating with individual ones of the other segments to provide with the other segments individual indications of characters dependent upon the particular lamps illuminated at any instant.

Claim 8

The light shield of claim 5 wherein the slots formed in the first and second edges of one of the strip members in the second pair are complementary to the slots formed in the first and second edges of the other one of the strip members in the second pair.

Claim 9

The light shield of claim 6 wherein the total number of slots in said first and second legs of each of said first pair of said strip members is equal to the total number of said plurality of slots in said first and second legs of said second pair of strip members and wherein the total number of slots in the first edges of the second pair of strip members is equal to the number of slots in one of the strip members in the first pair and the total number of slots in the second edges of the second pair of strip members is equal to the number of slots in the other one of the strip members in the first pair.

Claim 10

The light shield of claim 7 wherein at least one slot of said plurality of slots in the first edge in the first one of said first pair of strip members is mated with at least one slot in the second edges of said second pair of strip members, and at least one slot of said plurality of slots in the second edges of the other one of said strip members of said first pair is mated with at least one slot of said plurality of slots in the first edges of said strip members of said second pair.

Claim 11

The light shield of claim 8 wherein the first pair of strip members are disposed in a spaced and substantially parallel relationship and the second pair of strip members are disposed in a spaced and substantially parallel relationship and in intersecting relationship with the first pair of strip members.

Claim 12

The light shield of claim 9 wherein the first and second pairs of strip members intersect in a particular relationship to define seven cells and wherein the segments are disposed to define four vertical segments and three horizontal segments with two of the four vertical segments defining one vertical line and with the other two vertical segments defining a second vertical line spaced from the first vertical line and with the three horizontal segments being spaced from one another and wherEin each slot in each of said plurality of strip members is positioned in one of said first and second legs in accordance with a predetermined angle of tilt of the four vertical segments.

Claim 13

The light shield of claim 10 wherein the slots on the second legs have spacings between slots substantially equal to the spacings between the slots on the first legs.

Claim 14

The light shield of claim 10 wherein the spacings between the slots on the first legs are substantially equal and the spacings between the slots on the second legs are substantially equal spacings but are different from from the spacings of the slots in the first legs.

Claim 15

In a readout light shield for use with a plurality of lamps and a plurality of translucent segments each associated with a different one of the lamps and communicating with individual ones of the other segments to provide with the other segments individual indications of characters dependent upon the particular lamps illuminated at any instant, a first pair of strip members having first and second opposite edges, each having a first leg, a second leg extending from the first leg at a particular angle relative to the first leg, and a plurality of slots formed therein at spaced positions in said first and second legs, each slot of said plurality extending in at least one of the members from the first edge of the strip to a point intermediate between the first and second edges and in at least a second one of the members from the second edge of the strip member to a point substantially intermediate between the first and second edges, and a second pair of strip members having a plurality of slots formed therein at spaced positions in said first and second legs, particular slots of said plurality extending from the first edges of the strip members to a position intermediate between the first and second edges of the strip members and other slots of said plurality extending from the second edges of the strip members to a position intermediate between the first and second edges of the strip members, the slots of said first pair of strip members mating with the slots of said second pair of strip members to provide an interlocking relationship between the fingers of said first pair of strip members and the fingers of said second pair of strip members and to define a plurality of cells for retaining the different translucent segments as a result of said interlocking relationship.

Claim 16

In a readout light shield for use with a plurality of lamps and a plurality of translucent segments each associated with a different one of the lamps and communicating with individual ones of the other segments to provide with the other segments individual indications of characters dependent upon the particular lamps illuminated at any instant, a first pair of strip members having first and second opposite edges, each having a first leg, a second leg extending from the first leg at a particular angle relative to the first leg, and a plurality of slots formed therein at spaced positions in said first and second legs, each slot of said plurality extending in at least one of the members from the first edge of the strip to a point intermediate between the first and second edges and in at least a second one of the members from the second edge of the strip member to a point substantially intermediate between the first and second edges, and a second pair of strip members having a plurality of slots formed therein at spaced positions in said first and second legs, particular slots of said plurality extending from the first edges of the strip members to a position intermediate between the first and second edges of the strip members and other slots of said plurality extending from the second edges of the strip members to a position intermediate between the first and second edges of the strip members, the slots of said first pair of strip members mating with the slots of said second pair of strip members to provide an interlocking relationship between the fingers of said first pair of strip members and the fingers of said second pair of strip members and to define a plurality of cells for retaining the different translucent segments as a result of said interlocking relationship.

Claim 17

The light shield of claim 13 wherein the slots formed in the first and second edges of one of the strip members in the second pair are complementary to the slots formed in the first and second edges of the other one of the strip members in the second pair.

Claim 18

The light shield of claim 14 wherein the total number of slots in said first and second legs of each of said first pair of strip members is equal to the total number of said plurality of slots in said first and second legs of said second pair of strip members and wherein the total number of slots in the first edges of the second pair of strip members is equal to the number of slots in one of the strip members in the first pair and the total number of slots in the second edges of the second pair of strip members is equal to the number of slots in the other one of the strip members in the first pair.

Claim 19

The light shield of claim 15 wherein at least one slot of said plurality of slots in the first edge of the first one of said first pair of strip members is mated with at least one slot in the second edges of said second pair of strip members, and at least one slot of said plurality of slots in the second edges of the other one of said strip members of said first pair is mated with at least one slot of said plurality of slots in the first edges of said strip members of said first second pair.

Claim 20

The light shield of claim 16 wherein the first pair of strip members are disposed in a spaced and substantially parallel relationship and the second pair of stRip members are disposed in a spaced and substantially parallel relationship and in intersecting relationship with the first pair of strip members.

Claim 21

The light shield of claim 17 wherein the first and second pairs of strip members intersect in a particular relationship to define seven cells and wherein the segments are disposed to define four vertical segments and three horizontal segments with two of the four vertical segments defining one vertical line and with the other two vertical segments defining a second vertical line spaced from the first vertical line and with the three horizontal segments being spaced from one another and wherein each slot in each of said plurality of strip members is positioned in one of said first and second legs in accordance with a predetermined angle of tilt of the four vertical segments.

Claim 22

The light shield of claim 18 wherein the slots on the second legs have spacings between slots substantially equal to the spacings between the slots on the first legs.

Claim 23

The light shield of claim 18 wherein the spacings between the slots on the first legs are substantially equal and the spacings between the slots on the second legs are substantially equal spacings but are different from the spacings of the slots in the first legs.