Combined display and range selector for use with digital instruments employing the binary numbering system

Claim 1

In a measuring instrument having a plurality of input ranges and providing as intermediate output a set of signals forming a binary numbering system representation of the magnitude of the measurand; in combinaton, a digital display and range selector comprising a slide, a faceplate, and a switch; said slide bearing a plurality of indicators placed in line and equally spaced, each of said indicators taken in order being operatively associated with a respective signal of the set of intermediate signals taken in order, each of said indicators being adapted for assuming a first visible condition when said respective signal is a zero and for assuming a second and different visible condition when said respective signal is a one, said slide and said faceplate having associated therewith means for causing said slide to move in a path behind said faceplate, said path being parallel to said line of indicators; said faceplate being operatively associated with said slide and adapted for exposing said indicators to view, said faceplate bearing indicia juxtaposed the path of said indicators, said indicia being spaced at intervals equal to the intervals between said indicators, each indicium of said indicia signifying a numerical weight to be associated with any indicator occupying a position opposed said indicium, said numerical weights associated with said indicia taken in order forming a geometric progression having a common ratio of 2, the sum of said weights associated with indicia opposed by indicators in said slide for any particular position of said slide indicating the scale of said display; and said switch being operatively associated with said slide and adapted for selecting for the measuring instrument an input range corresponding to said scale.