Analog to digital conversion apparatus for use with tracing system to produce a stored program therefrom

Claim 1

In a machine tool control system including a tracing apparatus and a numerical control system wherein a tracing stylus follows a template to produce an analog deflection signal indicating the position of the stylus relative to the template, said analog deflection signal being utilized to produce a stored program for use in a numerical control system, said program utilized to recreate the signals produced by the tracing stylus to permit generation of a workpiece conforming to the shape of the template on a numerically controlled machine tool system without utilization of said tracing apparatus, said machine control system further comprises: a. a first convertor for translating said analog deflection signal into a train of quantized pulses representing in digital format a magnitude proportional to said analog deflection signal and a binary signal having the same polarity as said analog deflection signal; b. an accumulator for receiving said pulses and polarity signal for generating an output in response thereto; c. a data store for receiving and permanently storing said accumulator output in recallable media, thereby producing a stored part program; d. a digital to analog convertor for also receiving said accumulator output and producing an analog up-date signal; and e. a summing circuit for algebraically comparing said analog update signal with said analog deflection signal for producing an up-dated input signal to said convertor.