US3739339A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Warehouse indicator system
Assignee: Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co Inc us
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Filing: 1971-09-23
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Granted: 1973-06-12
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Expires: 1991-09-23
Abstract
Abstract A system responsive to a punched card defining ordered items in ordered quantity is disclosed for providing quantity indication at warehouse locations containing the items. A group of indicator elements is disposed at each item location and, where the punched card defines ordered quantity by a binary number, each indicator group provides a binary indication of ordered quantity.
Inventors
- 👤 A Hillhouse
- 👤 A Fanthorp
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 16:26
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K7/00; B; B65; B65G; B65G1/00; B65G1/02; B65G1/04; B65G1/137; B65G1/1373; G06K17/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
180 words
A system for use in providing indications, at item storage locations in a warehouse, of ordered items and ordered quantity thEreof in unit or greater quantity, each said item being identified in a selective location of a punched card, said ordered quantity thereof being defined by the punches in said punched card location, said system comprising: a. a punched card reader having a plurality of output lines and selectively energizing said output lines in accordance with said card punches; b. a plurality of indicator elements, each indicator element being connected to a distinct one of said card reader output lines and being energized on the energization of said one output line, a group of said indicator elements being disposed at each said storage location for providing indication of said ordered quantity for a one of said ordered items in said unit or greater quantity; and c. a plurality of circuit means, each circuit means being connected to a one of said indicator element groups and operatively responsive to manual input to deenergize the energized indicator elements in said one group.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
180 words
A system for use in providing indications, at item storage locations in a warehouse, of ordered items and ordered quantity thEreof in unit or greater quantity, each said item being identified in a selective location of a punched card, said ordered quantity thereof being defined by the punches in said punched card location, said system comprising: a. a punched card reader having a plurality of output lines and selectively energizing said output lines in accordance with said card punches; b. a plurality of indicator elements, each indicator element being connected to a distinct one of said card reader output lines and being energized on the energization of said one output line, a group of said indicator elements being disposed at each said storage location for providing indication of said ordered quantity for a one of said ordered items in said unit or greater quantity; and c. a plurality of circuit means, each circuit means being connected to a one of said indicator element groups and operatively responsive to manual input to deenergize the energized indicator elements in said one group.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
The system claimed in claim 1 wherein said card punches provide binary definition of said ordered quantities and wherein each said indicator group provides binary indication of the ordered quantity of the item contained in the storage location at which said indicator group is disposed.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
51 words
The system claimed in claim 2 wherein said card punches are contained in p columns and q rows of said card, each column defining q/m different orderable items in quantity ranging from zero to 2m-1, m being a number greater than unity, each said indicator element group including m indicator elements.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
200 words
A system for use in providing indications, at item storage locations in a warehouse, of ordered items and ordered quantity thereof in unit or greater quantity defined in p columns and q rows of a punched card, each ordered item being identified in a predetermined q/m rows of one of said columns, m being a number greater than unity, said ordered quantity thereof being defined by the punches in said predetermined column rows, said system comprising: a. a plurality of p times q switches; b. first means selectively operating said switches in accordance with said card punches; c. a plurality of p times q indicator elements, each indicator element being connected to a distinct one of said switches and energized upon operation thereof by said first means, a different group of m of said indicator elements being disposed at each said item storage location for providing indication of said ordered quantity for a one of said ordered items in said unit or greater quantity; and d. a plurality of second means, each second means being connected to a one of said indicator element groups and operatively responsive to manual input to deenergize the energized indicator elements in said one group.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
200 words
A system for use in providing indications, at item storage locations in a warehouse, of ordered items and ordered quantity thereof in unit or greater quantity defined in p columns and q rows of a punched card, each ordered item being identified in a predetermined q/m rows of one of said columns, m being a number greater than unity, said ordered quantity thereof being defined by the punches in said predetermined column rows, said system comprising: a. a plurality of p times q switches; b. first means selectively operating said switches in accordance with said card punches; c. a plurality of p times q indicator elements, each indicator element being connected to a distinct one of said switches and energized upon operation thereof by said first means, a different group of m of said indicator elements being disposed at each said item storage location for providing indication of said ordered quantity for a one of said ordered items in said unit or greater quantity; and d. a plurality of second means, each second means being connected to a one of said indicator element groups and operatively responsive to manual input to deenergize the energized indicator elements in said one group.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
The system claimed in claim 4 wherein said card punches provide binary definition of said ordered quantities and wherein each said indicator group provides binary indication of the ordered quantity of the item contained in the storage location at which said indicator group is disposed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
The system claimed in claim 4 wherein each of said switches includes first and second terminals interconnected on operation of said switch, each said switch second terminal being connected to a one of said indicator elements.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
67 words
The system claimed in claim 6 further including a source of current having first and second terminals, third means connecting each of said second means to said source second terminal and fourth means connecting all of said switch first terminals to said source first terminal, said fourth means including first normally-open switch means connected in series circuit with said switch first terminals and said source first terminal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system claimed in claim 7 wherein said first means comprises a card punch detector operative to close said first switch means on the residence of a puncheD card in said detector.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
75 words
The system claimed in claim 8 wherein said groups of indicator elements are disposed at the storage locations of a predetermined group of items, said fourth means including second normally open switch means connected in series circuit with said first switch means, said first means closing said second switch means exclusively where said punched card includes a punch indicating that all ordered items defined by said card are items within said predetermined group of items.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
208 words
An indicator system comprising: a. a plurality of p times q switches, each switch having first and second terminals interconnected on operation of said switch; b. first means selectively operating said switches in accordance with punches contained in p columns and q rows of a punched card, each item to be indicated being identified in a predetermined q/m rows of one of said columns, m being a number greater than unity, the quantity of said item to be indicated being defined by the punches in said predetermined column rows; c. a plurality of p times q indicator elements, each indicator element having first and second terminals; d. a current source having first and second terminals; e. first circuit means connecting said switch first terminals to said source first terminal; f. second circuit means connecting each said indicator element first terminal to a distinct one of said switch second terminals; and g. a plurality of third circuit means each connecting a distinct q/m of said indicator element second terminals to said source second terminal for providing indication of unit or greater item quantity, each said third circuit means being operatively responsive to a manual input to disconnect said distinct q/m indicator element second terminals from said source second terminal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
208 words
An indicator system comprising: a. a plurality of p times q switches, each switch having first and second terminals interconnected on operation of said switch; b. first means selectively operating said switches in accordance with punches contained in p columns and q rows of a punched card, each item to be indicated being identified in a predetermined q/m rows of one of said columns, m being a number greater than unity, the quantity of said item to be indicated being defined by the punches in said predetermined column rows; c. a plurality of p times q indicator elements, each indicator element having first and second terminals; d. a current source having first and second terminals; e. first circuit means connecting said switch first terminals to said source first terminal; f. second circuit means connecting each said indicator element first terminal to a distinct one of said switch second terminals; and g. a plurality of third circuit means each connecting a distinct q/m of said indicator element second terminals to said source second terminal for providing indication of unit or greater item quantity, each said third circuit means being operatively responsive to a manual input to disconnect said distinct q/m indicator element second terminals from said source second terminal.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-06-11 | 1976-12-11 | 1977-06-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-06-11 | 1980-12-11 | 1981-06-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-06-11 | 1984-12-11 | 1985-06-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |