Magnetically operated reed switch type digital encoder

Claim 2

A shaft position digitizer comprising: a rotatable input shaft, magnetically operated reed switch means for providing an electrical digit output representative of rotation of said input shaft, magnet means movable to operate said reed switch means, means for moving said magnet means which dispose said magnet means in arrangements which are indicative of said input shaft rotation, jump transfer means having lost motion means for producing a jump advance of said magnet moving means in response to a predetermined rotation of said input shaft whereby least significant digit ambiguity in said digital output is eliminated, said jump transfer means including a rotatable jump transfer shaft, a plain disk rotatable on said jump transfer shaft by rotation of said input shaft, a further disk fixed to said jump transfer shaft and having a recess therein, a torsion spring having as parts thereof spaced extensions and coiled about said jump transfer shaft disposed between said disks, a torsion spring loading means constituted by a pin fixed to said plain disk and having portions thereof extending between said disks and disposed in said recess, a torsion spring retaining means constituted by a further pin fixed to said recessed disk and extending approximately to said plain disk, and wherein said torsion spring is operatively maintained on said jump transfer shaft between said disks by engagement of said extensions thereof with said pin and said further pin respectively, a jump transfer shaft rotation restraining detent means including a component thereof fixed to said jump transfer shaft and having a plurality of spaced camming elements, and a separately supported plunger means normally biased against said component at between said camming elements so as to resist rotational displacement of said component and of said jump transfer shaft, wherefore said jump advance is produced in response to a rotation of said input shaft and said plain disk therewith which moves said extended portion of said pin to engage said recess and thereby drive said recessed disk together with said jump transfer shaft and said component fixed thereto so as to temporarily interpose a said camming element of said component at said plunger which negates said plunger bias restraint and frees said component for rotation together with said jump transfer shaft and said recessed disk by energy of said torsion spring stored therein prior to a release thereof following displacement of said further pin by said drive to said recessed disk.

Claim 3

A shaft position digitizer comprising: a rotatable input shaft, a plurality of magnetically operated reed switch means for providing an electrical digital output representative of rotation of said input shaft, a plurality of magnet means movable to operate said reed switch means, means for moving said magnet means which dispose said magnet means in arrangements which are indicative of said input shaft rotation, said magnet means moving means being levers on which said magnet means are carried, each said reed switch means being aligned with one of said magnet means, and said magnet means are alternately supported on said levers at low and high positions and said reed switches are correspondingly disposed at low and high positions, jump transfer means having lost motion means for producing a jump advance of said magnet moving means in response to a predetermined rotation of said input shaft whereby least significant digit ambiguity in said digital output is eliminated, said jump transfer means including a rotatable jump transfer shaft, a first member rotatable on said jump transfer shaft by rotation of said input shaft, a second member fixed to said jump transfer shaft and having a recess therein, a torsion spring situated on said jump transfer shaft, a torsion spring loading means fixed to said first means and having an extended part thereof disposed in said recess, a torsion spring retaining means fixed to said second member, and wherein said torsion spring is operatively maintained on said jump transfer shaft between said first member and said second member by engagement with said loading means and said retaining means therefor, a jump transfer shaft rotation restraining detent means including a component thereof fixed to said jump transfer shaft and having a plurality of spaced camming elements, and a separately supported plunger means normally biased against said component at between said camming elements so as to resist rotational displacement of said component and of said jump transfer shaft, wherefore said jump advance is produced in response to a rotation of said input shaft and said first member therewith which moves said extended part to engage said recess and thereby drive said second member together with said jump transfer shaft and said component fixed thereto so as to temporarily interpose a said camming element of said component at said plunger which negates said plunger bias restraint and frees said component for rotation together with said jump transfer shaft and said second member by energy of said torsion spring stored therein prior to a release thereof following displacement of said retaining means therefor by said drive to said second member.

Claim 4

A shaft position digitizer comprising: a rotatable input shaft, a plurality of magnetically operated reed switch means for providing an electrical digital output representative of rotation of said input shaft, a plurality of magnet means movable to operate said reed switch means, means for moving said magnet means which dispose said magnet means in arrangements which are indicative of said input shaft rotation, said magnet means moving means being levers on which said magnet means are carried, each said reed switch means being aligned with one of said magnet means, and said magnet means are alternately supported on said levers at low and high positions and said reed switches are correspondingly disposed at low and high positions, jump transfer means having lost motion means for producing a jump advance of said magnet moving means in response to a predetermined rotation of said input shaft whereby least significant digit ambiguity in said digital output is eliminated, said jump transfer means including a rotatable jump transfer shaft, a first member rotatable on said jump transfer shaft by rotation of said input shaft, a second member fixed to said jump transfer shaft and having a recess therein, a torsion spring situated on said jump transfer shaft, a torsion spring loading means fixed to said first means and having an extended part thereof disposed in said recess, a torsion spring retaining means fixed to said second member, and wherein said torsion spring is operatively maintained on said jump transfer shaft between said first member and said second member by engagement with said loading means and said retaining means therefor, a jump transfer shaft rotation restraining detent means including a component thereof fixed to said jump transfer shaft and having a plurality of spaced camming elements, and a separately supported plunger means normally biased against said component at between said camming elements so as to resist rotational displacement of said component and of said jump transfer shaft, wherefore said jump advance is produced in response to a rotation of said input shaft and said first member therewith which moves said extended part to engage said recess and thereby drive said second member together with said jump transfer shaft and said component fixed thereto so as to temporarily interpose a said camming element of said component at said plunger which negates said plunger bias restraint and frees said component for rotation together with said jump transfer shaft and said second member by energy of said torsion spring stored therein prior to a release thereof following displacement of said retaining means therefor by said drive to said second member.