US3807300A - Inspection terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

A data recording communications terminal for use in a computer assisted data collection system is disclosed in which the terminal contains a programmable format message printer of a unique design. The printer composes messages from combinations of fixed formats of items and descriptive adjective program lists stored on movable, axially aligned drums.

Description

Unite Sates atent 1 1- Brooks et al.

1451 Apr. 30, 1974 INSPECTION TERIVIINAL [75] Inventors: Kenneth Alonzo Brooks, Cary;

' Darrell Oliver Duncan, Raleigh;

George Harry Pennell, Raleigh; Albert Daniel Woltheimer, Raleigh, all of N.C.

[73] Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY.

221 Filed: Oct.25, 1972 21 Appl. No.2 300,530

ill pp 3,141,403 7/1964 Brown et al. l0l/1lOX 3,196,781 7/1965 Kuhnle et al. 101/66 3,072,047 l/1963 Maudsley et al... 101/93 C R26,057 7/1966 Schierbeek 101/85 X 2,600,952 6/1952 Ackell et al. 1 101/110 X 3,233,080 l/l966 Gang et a1 lOl/93 C X 3,314,051 4/1967 Willcox et al...... 101/93 C X 3,049,992 8/1962 Brown et al. 101/99 3,354,819 l1/1967 Sturzinger et al.. 101/93 C 2,668,870 2/1954 Ridler 101/93 C FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 883,680 12/1961 Great Britain 101/69 Primary Examiner-J. Reed Fisher Assistant Examiner-Eugene l-I. Eickholt Attorney, Agent, or FirmEdward H. Duffield [57] ABSTRACT A data recording communications terminal for use in a computer assisted data collection system is disclosed in which the terminal contains a programmable format message printer of a unique design. The printer composes messages from combinations of fixed formats of items and descriptive adjective program lists stored on movable, axially aligned drums.

6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures SWITCHES PATENTEUAPR 30 "in SHEU 1 0F 6 FEG T0 CENTRAL DATA COLLECTION DAT-A COLLECTION CONCENTRATOR DISPLAY 0.11. SKIP ADJECTIVES KEYPAD PRODUCT TYPE BUTTONS L 16 SWITCHES 4613'? 5 I l 16 w 1 T0 11111101110111 A 12 PRINT 11 011201111111 I I o 1 D Q 10 ITEM 0111111 STOP CIRCUITRY PATENTEBAPB so 1914 SHEET R .0? 6

mmmm so 1914 SHEEF 5 BF 6 INSPECTION TERMINAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to communications terminals and data entry devices and more particularly to data recording devices and printers. I

. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION legal requirements formandatory inspections as well.

These requirements-can create a significant source of confusion and delay in production. Human inspectors inspecting the'various'items must record and communicate the nature of any defects found so'that repairs may be effected. Record keeping for conformance with legal requirements of inspections is an added burden.

The variety of productsand'items which must be examined on any given product and the number of products which may be examined by any .given inspector seriously compound the-difficulties of accurate communication of defects found and of accurate record keeping.

Production suffers because delay occurs for the inspec- 7 tion and for the communication of defects found and for the rework of the defective products. Such delays are further increased by any errors in communicating the nature of the'defects and the identity of the product in which the defect is found as well as by detailed record keeping required. The chief object of such inspections is to quickly and accurately record the results of the inspection so that a defect can be identified and communicated to the appropriate person for correction and to provide a concrete record to insure that the inspections and the correction have both been made. Such records, if accurately kept, can also provide valuable insight and aid in identifying recurring defects of a similar nature which can, in turn, expose basic design and/or assembly defects for correction.

PRIOR ART Present production inspection systems often rely on personal communication, either verbally or in the form of handwritten reports, by the inspectors. Such reports require valuable time in preparation and are often a source of misunderstanding when the repairs whichare indicated as being necessary are not properly understood as communicated. The loss of production created by' such faulty communication and by time consuming preparation of documents communicating the nature of the defect and the actions to be taken in serious in many instances.

A variety of mechanical message printers or similar data recording devices are available in the general marketplace today. These devices are not suited, in general, to fast operation by inspectors who are not skilled inthe operation of keyboard character entry devices.

Those presently available recording devices are generally keyboard operated and require extensive typing skills in printing out messages in a character by character sequence. Thus, although they create more legible records than an inspectors handwriting, these devices require almost as much time as handwriting and increase the cost of the inspection operation significantly without any great increase in effectiveness. Automated data collection systems using digital communications terminal keyboards are little better in this respect since the keyboard must be operated by one who is not skilled in such data entry typing techniques.

An additional problem with presently available printers and recording devices, particularly the multicharacter keyboard types, is that they are initially expensive and become more so when integrated into an automatic data communications system. In general, unlessthe usage of these types of terminals is individually quite high or a great number of terminals share the same communications system, the cost of the'terminals themselves becomes prohibitive under the low volume traffic condition encountered at inspection stations. Similarly, multiple character drum, cylinder, type bar, belt, and similar printer devices which might be provided'to an inspector, whether or not integrated into a data communications system, are complex and subject to many mechanical and electrical ills.

Yet another difficulty with devices of the type mentioned as being available lies in the fact that the inspector must usually inspect a plurality of items or checkpoints on any of a number of different products while using the same work station. The inspector may thus require guidance which is directed to the particular type of product being examined to indicate which checks-and inspections are to be 'made in what order for that product. This additional guidance required, to-

' gether with the concomitant changes in accurately recording the result of the inspections and identifying which inspections were made and for which product, can cause serious confusion and lack of good communication. This defeats the purpose of making the inspections in the first place. Automated interactive terminals can, of course, provide an inspector with step by step instructions and guidance as to which inspection should be performed next on which types of products. Such terminals can record the results of his inspections as entered by him and provide a printed record as well. These terminals are, however, quite costly and require the services and support of an expensive computer system as well. Furthermore, such systems do not alleviate the basic data entry problem which requires the inspector to utilize acharacter by character keying system or device in communicating the nature of the defects found for each checkpoint. These factors, when combined with the high cost required for such a sophisticated system to be implemented, militate against the use of presently available data communications systems and terminals for the inspection line operations of production facilities.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION In view of the foregoing shortcomings and deficiencies in the prior art, it is an object of this invention to provide a data recording device of improved design which does not require a character by character entry of messages by the inspector or an expensive and mechanically complicated keyboard entry device.

and simplified design which is more reliable and easy to operate than those known in the prior art.

SUMMARY OF- THE INVENTION The foregoing and other objects of this invention are fulfilled by providing a unique printing mechanism which prints whole messages relative to the type of 'inspection made, and indicative of the type of defects found. Printing is accomplished with a single key stroke or push button selected by the inspector which simultaneously alerts a central data collection system to poll the station for automatic transmission of the data entered. Theprinter holds two programmed type font sequences or lists which spell out entire messages. In the present invention, these lists are maintained on drums which hold printing plates. One drum contains the various types of items which must be inspected and the other drum, which is independently movable, contains descriptive defect adjectives which may be aligned opposite each type of item on the item drum.

Aligning a specific adjective on a drum next to a specific message or item on the other drum creates a combined message of as many characters as may be desired which can be easily printed out by impressing a paper form against the drum along the line in which the appropriate item and adjective have been aligned. The item drum list moves in a step-wise fashion to orient different item descriptions before the printing area and can be programmed in its movement to stop automati cally for each item which must be inspected on a given type of product. Each type of product may have its own programs stored in the printer for selection by the operator when the inspection of that product begins. Then, when the item, drum has come to a stop next to an item which must be inspected, a multi-contact rotaryswitch is positioned to illuminate a light on a display panel to read out-to the operator the identification of the next check point which must be performed. The operator makeshis inspection and then depresses a single key indicating that the item is found to be acceptable. If the item is found to be defective, the operator depresses a single key which indicates which descriptive adjective shouldbe aligned next to the item to indicate the nature of the defect. The drum containing the list of adjectives is then positioned with the selected adjective in alignment with the item and the printing element is en ergized to print out a complete message indicating the item and the nature of the defect found. At the same time, a signal is given to the control data collection unit that a message is ready for transmission and, when the terminal is selected by the data communications system, the data regarding the item and defect is automatically read out without furtherv intervention by the operator. The data so gathered may be compiled by a computer into lists for the type of products, for the inspection station involved, for the type of defect, etc., and

been made and the printed copy created at the inspection station can be affixed to the product inspected to travel with it out of the factory or back to the repair station.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates in pictorial fashion the general configuration, layout, and interconnection of the various elements making up an inspection terminal system incorporating the invention of the present application.

FIG. 2 illustrates the message and adjective printing drums aligned on a common shaft with the programming disks and selection circuitry therefore and it also illustrates in schematic form the functional operation of the programming disks and their cooperation with the item-drum and the main-drive shaft.

FIG. 3 illustrates the platen carrier assembly.

FIG. 4 illustrates the printer traction drive belt power apparatus which is utilized to drive the printing platen carriage attached to the belt left and right across the item and adjective printing drums.

FIG. 5 illustrates in pictorial form the layout of the overall mechanical and electrical system which make up the printer and data encoderand transmitter elements.

FIG. 6 illustrates in schematic form the electrical encoding system used in the data transmitter portion of the terminal.

Turning now to FIG. 1,'the operator station (or terminal) is illustrated with the operators hand held. push button keypad 2 attached thereto via cable 3. When the operator pushes one of the several key buttons on keypad 2, the printer unit of terminal 1 is activated to print out a line of data and, inthe event a defect is indicated, a description of the defect is printed, together witha description of the item, on form 4 and a request is sent to the data collection concentrator 5, via cable 6, that a defect message is awaiting transmission from terminal 1. If the data collection concentrator 5 responds to the request from terminal 1 before a timeout period is completed, a transmitter in terminal 1 will be energized to send encoded data relative to the item and defect to the data concentrator 5 and from there to the central data processing area. The data collection concentrator 5 is shown with numerous cables 6 for other similar terminals connected thereto and serves as part of a central data collection system of a commercially available type which does not form a part of this invention. Data collection concentrator 5 is also not a part of this invention, but is illustrated to clarify the mode of operation and purpose of the invention.

A position encoder. is included in terminal 1 which indicates on display 7 via cable 8 the identity of the particular item which'will be checked next by the human inspector in a sequence which may be programmed in a program unit included in terminal 1 as an operator guidance device. Display 7 may be merely an illumination of a particular light behind a nomenclature panel or sign or any other suitable display. The display does not form a part of this invention and is illustrated for the purpose of clarifying the use and function of other parts included in terminal 1 which are part of the invention.

Turning now to FIG. 2, a partial schematic of a portion of the interior components of terminal 1 are illustrated. The rotatable item message drum 9 comprises a first carrying means for message indicia and carries raised font type for informative descriptions of items to be checked in the course of the operators duties in checking one or more product types for defects of the items described. The item descriptions are placed axially along drum 9 and are parallel to one another. In the preferred embodiment, they are reverse, raised (by etching or impression) -on an arcuate printing plate which is attached to the-drum '9. The item descriptions may be, as with the defect descriptions as well, placed on an engraved plate, a photo etched plate, individual type element strips or type bars all of which are well knownin the printing art. An-impression platen roller, not illustrated in FIG. 2, forces document 4 against the back surface of drum 9 along one axial line to print out the designation or description of the item appearing in that position on the drum. A similar drum 10 comprises a second carrying means and is aligned on a common shaft with drum 9-but is independently rotatable on its shaft 11. Drum 10 contains defect adjectivedescriptors which may be-aligned with any of the specific items appearing on drum 9 to complete an informational message along one axial line of the drums 9 and 10, by rotating-either or both drums 9 and 10.

A plurality of programmed stop position tab wheels 12 are illustrated'to the left of drum 9 along shaft 11. The program wheels and the associated circuitry comprise a first stop control means and are notched or slotted to carry removable and replaceable tab members 13 which may be of metal, plastic, or any suitable rigid material, and-serve to actuate stop circuitry by tripping any of the switches A through D and M to position drum 9 with one of the particular item designations thereonin the printing position. The various program wheels 12 are associated with each different type of product to be inspected and the wheel 12 for the switch designated M is programmed for all of the mandatory inspection items which must be inspected on each product.

Gear wheels 14 and 15, which comprise parts of first and second driving means, connect to a drive mechanism 2 for independently driving drums 9 and 10 to the desiredpositions to create a particular combination of item and defect messages for printing on document 4. The product type selection switches 16 serve to connect one of the item stop switches A through D to the item drum stop circuitry for drum 9, thus programming the printing elements of terminal 1 for the specific type of productwhich is being inspected at the present time.

The program wheel 12 which is connected to stop switch M, is always connected to the item stop circuitry so that, in addition to the programmed stops selected by one of the wheels 12 controlled by selection switches 16, certain mandatory stop positions are also included in the elements to be inspected for each product. The item drum ,9 is under continuous torque butis escaped or driven incrementally via the solenoid and ratchet combination 46 illustrated at the left end of shaft 11 where thesolenoid is shown as schematically connected via cable 3 to the variouskeypad buttons in the keypad unit 2. The specific keypad buttons shown may be identified as the OK button, the skip button, or any of the various adjective buttons appearing thereon asdesiredQWhen the inspector pushes one of these buttons on hiskeypad unit 2, the ratchet 46 is released by holding a relay to'power the solenoid shown and item drum 9 is continuously driven by a drive means and slip clutch, not shown, until one of the tabs 13 on either the product type program wheel 12 or the. mandatory program'wheel 12 activatesa stop switch A-D or B to stop the drum (by re-engaging brake pawl and ratchet 46) with a particular item to be inspected next adjacent to document 4. The adjective button is connected to the ratchet mechanism 45 on the right end of shaft 11. These buttons are not used to position the item drum 9 but to engage, through appropriate circuitry, a solenoid, ratchet and pawl mechanism 45 to stop the adjective drum 10 in the position selected, as will be discussed further below.

Each program wheel 12 in this preferred embodiment has forty programmable stop positions which are directly related to forty potential items or item positions on item drum 9. The inspector can program his wheels A through D by inserting the program stop tabs 13 into any of the 40 positions on the wheels. As the program wheels rotate with shaft 11, the stop tabs 13 operate switches A through D which will, when connected to power through the appropriate product type switch 16, activate the drum stop circuitry which will engage the solenoid pawl and ratchet mechanism 46 and prevent rotation of the shaft 11.

-In keypad hand unit 2 illustrated in FIG. 1, nine individual keys are indicated as being available for the operators use, although any desired number could be provided. In the preferred embodiment, there are provided an OK key, a skip key, and nine other descriptive adjective keys corresponding to adjectives appearing on adjective drum l0. Pressing any of the keys will initiatea signal that data transmission of the data collection concentratorS is ready to be made, as will be discussed further below. 7

Printing on'the document 4 is initiated by the inspector doing any of the following: pressing an OK key, pressing an adjective key, or operating a form printout switch which will initiate the printing of all program positions on the item drum for the selected type of product. In normal use of the preferred embodiment, depression of the OK key only causes item drum 9 to advance to next item without printing. Printing only occurs when the OK key is depressed and a mandatory item is programmed at that position or on the last print line (line 40), as discussed below. One of the 40 positions on drum 9 can be reserved to identify the particular inspection station and, in the preferred embodiment, item position 40 is reserved for this purpose.

Turning now to FIG. 3, the impression roller carriage assembly is illustrated, inpart. Impression roller platen wheel 17 is mounted on a pivoting frame support 18 which pivots on pivot 19 and is spring loaded by spring 20 so that roller 17 is in constant engagement with the back side of document 4 to force it against drums 9 and 10 when printing is' to be effected. Slide bearings 21, and their associated frame portion, support spring 20 and pivoting frame support 18 to carry the assembly back and forth on slide rods 22 so that roller 17 traverses an axial path parallel to .and along drums 9 and 10. Slide rods 22 are supported rigidly in the frame 23 and in a like frame at the opposite end not illustrated. Belt clamp member 24 engages a drive belt which isarranged to reciprocate to draw the assembly 21 back and forth on slides 22 so that rollers 17 can make a printing impression pass in either direction.

The belt clamp 24 is attached to belt 25 illustrated in FIG. 4. Belt 25 is driven by frictional contact with'either drive roller 26 or 27 which rotate in opposite directions. Frictional engagement is maintained by one of the idler wheels 28 mounted for engagement with belt 25 on a mounting bar 29. Bar 29 is rotated to bring either wheel 28 into engagement with its opposite drive wheel 26 or 27 by rotation of shaft 30 induced by the movement of lever arm 31 responding to the pull of either solenoid 32. As wheels 28 pinch the belt 25 between one or the other of wheels 28 and either drive wheel 27, belt 25 is driven in the direction of rotation of the drive wheel engaged until a square aperture in the belt comes between the drive wheel and the idler wheel 28. At the point where the belt aperture enters the area of frictional engagement between the belt and the drive idler wheels, frictional engagement is lost and button on keypad 2 to initiate printing with this mechanlsm.

Printing is effected by actuating one or the other of the two solenoids 32 to engage the belt 25 to drive carrier 21 and impression roller 17 in one direction or the other via .the means of belt clamp 24. Drive rollers 26 and 27 are counter rotating and continuously driven by a motor and gear system not illustrated in FIG, 4.

Turning now to F IG. 5, the basic mechanical arrangement of the drivers and essential electronic encoding I and transmission elements are illustrated in semipictorial form. Drive motor 33 is utilized to provide the continuous source of rotational power for the adjective drum 10 and for the transmission control emitter disk 34 and, as will be discussed later, to continuously drive power rollers 26 and 27 for the printing platen transport, illustrated in FIG. 4. Drive motor 40 is utilized to provide continuous power for the item transmit rotor 43 and for positioning the item drum 9 as well as the program code wheels '12.

As stated earlier, drive motor 33 is utilized to provide the motor power for a variety of components which are attached thereto through appropriate belts 58, 59, and 60 and pulleys 61 through 66 and jack shaft 36 for continuous operation. Line shaft 37 is attached via belt 60 and pulley 66 for rotation by motor 33 and is utilized also, via a gear set not illustrated, to derive power for driving drive rolls 26 and 27 for the platen drive belt 25 in FIG. .4. The adjective drum friction clutch 38 is continuously driven on its shaft 70 via belt 67 and pulleys 68 and 69 from line shaft 37. Friction clutch 38 in turn, is utilized to drive, through belt 71 and pulley 72, a ratchet detented jack shaft 44 which is detented by a solenoid ratchet and pawl brake means assembly 45 against rotation unless the solenoid is actuated. Alternatively, the solenoid and pawl may be spring biased out of engagement and braking may then be accomplished by actuating the solenoid. The choice in associated controlling switches to do this from normally closed to open or vice versa will be obvious to those skilled in the art and is not discussed further here. A drive gear 73 on the end of shaft 44 meshes with the drive gear 15 for the adjective drum 10 to move it when the, adjective drive ratchet 45v is released. When the pawl drops, under control of the stop circuitry and solenoid, shaft 44 stops. The belt and pulley assembly 74, connects shaft 44 to the adjective compare rotor 39 via shaft 76 for sensing the position of the adjective drum 10. This rotor carries, in the preferred embodiment, a magnet for actuating any of the normally closed magnetic reed switches 47 to connect or disconnect power through the selected push button operated latch relays 48 to control the solenoid for brake 45.

Drive motor 40 is operated continuously at about 12 RPM in the preferred embodiment through a friction clutch 41 to a jack shaft 42 by belt 77 and pulley 72. Shaft 42 is detented via the item drive ratchet and solenoid assembly 46 against movement. A drive gear 79 mounted on jack shaft 42 meshes with the item drum drive gear 14 to position the item drum 9 and the associated program wheels 12 in the desired positions. A drive belt and pulley 81 also connect shaft 42 with the item transmission rotor 43 utilized to encode the position of the item drum 9.

Adjective drum 10 is positioned whenever the operator pushes an item button the keypad unit 2 which activates the solenoid and ratchet assembly 45 to allow rotation of shaft 44 by the friction clutch 38 through the belt and pulley arrangement just described and illustratedin FIG. 5. Thedrive gears rotate the drum 10 and simultaneously rotate the position checking rotor arm of the adjective rotor 39. The rotor arm of the adjective rotor arm 39 carries a permanent magnet which, asit sweeps around its path, actuates individual reed switches 47 stationed along the path.'.Each reed switch 47 is'connected individually to an adjective select'relay 48 which is initially set and latched in the contacts closed position when the operator depresses an adjective button on his remote keypad 2. When the permanentmagnet on the rotor arm sweeps by the reed switch 47 which is connected to a selected relay point corresponding to the button pushed by operator, the reed switch is actuated to cause the stop. relay 49 to stop adjective drum 10 at the location selected by the operator pushing an adjective key button. Although only three of the adjective select relay points 48 are illustrated, 10 are utilized in the preferred embodiment to include nine separate adjectives and a home position as illustrated in the figure. Pushing an adjective key button also sets an adjective select storage relay, indicated on another figure to be discussed later, to preserve the information that a specific adjective has been printed out so that the information may be transmitted to the central concentrator 5 on demand therefrom.

Item transmit rotor 43 is of the comutator brush or rotary switch type as illustrated wherein energized comutator rings 50 and 51 are contacted by brushes 52 and 53 which are rotated by the shaft as it turns. The brushes 52 and 53 contact outer annular segment 54 and 55 respectively to encode tens and units for num- Qth r3 r a QlaLQfitQ B9 il21E9ii9H the item drum 9. Outer segments 54 are utilized to encode tens, designated on the figure as segment 0, l, 2, and 3, and outer segments 55 are utilized to encode the units 0 through 9 via the individual'contact pads 56 which make up ring 55.

When the operator depresses an adjective key button on his keypad 2, the previously described positioning of the adjective'drum 10 takes place. The item drum,.as stated previously, steps from position to position automatically after each printing or check operation or when the operator depresses a skip or advance key button. The item drum stops automatically and its position is encoded by encoder 43 as just discussed. The depression of an adjective key button signifies that a defect has been found and is also utilized to signal the data collection unit that data regarding a defect is available for transmission from the terminal 1. If the data collection device responds by calling for the transmission of the data prior to the time that printing is completed, the movement of the item drum 9 and adjective drum is temporarily inhibited, as will be discussed later, until transmission to the data collection device is complete. Transmission of data is accomplished by causing the rotation of disk 34 via a clutch 35 which is a one-way mechanically operated and electrically controlled slip clutch, not illustrated in any detail for simplicitys sake, clutch 35 is driven from jack shaft 36 by motor 33. Disk 34 forms a magnetic shunt to cut the lines of flux between an array of permanent magnets 57 and an array of reed switches 58 located on opposite sides thereof. The disk has an opening or window corresponding in size and orientation to the locations of the various reed and magnet combinations it can encounter during one revolution and, as the disk rotates, the window allows magnetic flux from individual magnets to individually actuate reed switches associated therewith which in turn causes the particular circuit (which is illustrated in FIG. 6) controlled by the reed switch to be connected to the transmission line for the reading out of the data controlled bythe reed switch. Six different characters are transmitted, thus six different ree'd switch and magnet combinations are arrayed around the disk 34 for read out control. FIG. 6 illustrated in schematic form the character encoding portions which are read out'during a reading operation. The encoding scheme utilized is the well-known PATSY pulse amplitude transmission system which is discussed in detail in the transactions of the Spring Joint Computer Conference of 1970 pages 77- 82 in an article by Neil L. Walters and in the IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Volume 12, No. ll, April 1970, page 1,918. The various diode and resistor combinations included in FIG. 6 are utilized to encode in the PATSY code format various characters for the product type, the position of the item drum 9 and the position for the adjective drum 10 selected as being descriptive of a product defect. Other characters transmitted during a data transmission include a built-in terminal identification code number and an end of transmission signal triggered by a reed switch 57 operated by a magnet 54 through an aperture in disk 34. The tens and units position are sent as separate characters, thus making a total of six data characters during a transmission.

MODE OF OPERATION An example of the use of this terminal during one complete operation thereof will now be given, Initially, the inspector inserts an inspection form or document 4 into the printing area of the terminal 1. He will then select the appropriate product type switch 16 for the product he will be inspecting which connects the corresponding program disk or wheel 12 into the item drum 9 stop circuitry for brake 46. The various items listed on drum 9 will then be stepped to in succession and will be simultaneously displayed on an illuminated display 7 when the drum stops at a given item. Display 7 is contripped which energizes the trip nected via cable 8 to a multicontact rotary switch attached coaxially with the item transmit rotor 43 in FIG. 5. This rotary contact switch can be utilized to illuminate an indicator light opposite a name of the item corresponding to the one at which the drum is stopped. The inspector then uses the push buttons on his keypad 2 to describe the result of his inspection of the indicated item. If an item is found to be defective, the inspector has a choice of nine adjective descriptions, in the preferred embodiment, to describe the observed defect. When the appropriate defect key button is depressed, the description of the defect is printed beside the item on the inspection document and a series of characters are transmitted to the data collection concentrator 5. The positioning of the drums 9 and 10, the mechanical drive system and the encoding scheme and apparatus have been described fully above and operate as described therein for each of the programmed items for the type of product being inspected. Data transmission is accomplished as described above. Pressing any of the adjective key buttons will initiate data transmission to the data collection concentrator 5. Data is presented to this concentrator only once for acceptance. If for any reason the data-collection device 5 is out of service or cannot send a request for transmission back to the terminal 1 prior to the time the next inspection operation is performed, the printed document will, nev-' ertheless, contain a record of the defect which can go with the product for repair. Whenever an adjective key is depressed, a relay is tripped which places a short across conductors 6 going to data collection concentrator 5. Relay point 83 in FIG. 6 serves this purpose. When this short is detected by concentrator 5, it passes a pulse through the pick coil of double coil latching relay 84 which actuates the transmission emitter clutch 35 to begin transmission. As the emitter disk 34 passes the last switch in the transmission array, a switch 85 is coil of relay-84 to remove the line short. I

' 'App'ropriate document feeding devices move the document up one line for each printing operation, but, as a variety of form moving carriages and transports can be provid'ed'to serve satisfactorily in this application, no detail is given as suitable form movement devices will be obvious to those of skill in the art.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilledin the art that various changes in form and details may be-made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Message printing apparatus, comprising: a first movable carrying means for carrying a first rep'ertoire of marking indicia thereon;

a second movable carrying means for carrying a second repertoire of marking indicia thereon, said second carrying means having at least a portion of the indicia carrying surface thereof in a common plane with at least a portion of the indicia carrying surface of said first carrying means;

a first driving means,.connected to said first carrying means, for moving said first carrying means to position any said indicia chosen from said repertoire thereon in a position adjacent to an article to be marked;

a second driving means, independent of said first driving means and connected to said second carrying means, for moving said second carrying means to a position in which any said indicia chosen from said repertoire thereon is adjacent to an article to be marked and colinear and coplanar with said chosen positioned indicia on said first carrying means;

first stop control means associated with said first carrying means and said first driving means for controlling the stopping of said first carrying means at said position at which any said chosen indicia on said first carrying means is adjacent said article to be marked and in said common plane;

second stop control means associated with said second carrying means and with said second driving means for controlling the stopping of said carrying means at said position at which any said chosen indica on said second carrying means is adjacent to said article to be marked and in said common plane and colinear with said indicia on said first carrying 7 means which is adjacent said article to be marked;

movable pressure applying means positioned on the side of said article in'opposition to said first and second carrying means for pressing said article to be marked and said first and second carrying means together along a line on which said chosen indicia are aligned, thereby effecting marking of said article by said'chosen indicia;

said first and second movable carrying means comsaid means for pressing said article and said first and second carrying means together along a line on which said chosen indicia are aligned, comprises a pressure platen wheel and carrier assembly positioned oppositely adjacent said article to be marked from said indicia to force it against said carrying means, said carrier assembly being provided with means for causing said platen wheel to traverse a line parallel to 'said common axis of said drums to cause said'art icles to be marked by said indicia on said drums, which indicia are positioned along said line of travel of said platen wheel across the surface ofsaid drums;

said first stop control means comprises at least one stop actuator switch and a braking means, said actuator switch being connected in a circuit with said braking means to stop movement of said first carrying means by said first driving means;

at least one switch actuator means for actuating said actuator switch, said switch actuator means being mounted for movement in synchronism with said first carrying means and positioned adjacent to said actuator switch for the operation thereof inresponse to the movement of said carrying means; and

programming means, connected with said switch actuator means, fofl mounting said actuator in any of a plurality of positions related to the progressive movement of said first carrying means, thereby programming said actuator to make any of a plurality of different actuations of said actuator switch to permit programming the selection of any of said various indicia from said repertoire carried by said first carrying means.

2. Apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein:

a plurality of said actuators and said stop actuator switches are included; and

a plurality of selection switches are further provided and connected in a circuit with said stop actuator switches to connect any selected one of said stop actuator switches to said braking means for stopping said first carrying means at said programmed locations by arranging said actuators on said programming means associated with each of said stop further electricalswitch means for selectively apply- ,ing power to a chosen one of said plurality of electrical switch means for braking said second carrying means when said chosen electrical switch means is actuated by said actuator means.

4. Apparatus as described in claim 3, wherein:

said switch actuator means comprises a rotor and rotor arm means for carrying a magnet means for actuating magnetic switches;

said plurality of electrical switch means are magnetic reed switches; I v l r said further electrical switch means is a holding relay which connects power to said chosen reed switch; and

said brake means comprises a solenoid operated pawl in operative engagement with a ratchet connected with said second driving means and with said second carrying means to stop movement thereof.

5. Apparatus as described in claim 4, wherein:

a coded data transmission means is further provided;

a coded data storage means for storing the data to be transmitted to a remote data collection means is further provided and is connectable by a connection and control means to said transmission means;

and

a connection and control means for controlling the operation of said transmission means and connecting said storage means thereto is provided, a remote data collection means and said second stop control means being connected to said transmission'means for the receipt of signals from said data collection means and said second stop control means and responsive thereto for beginning transpower for braking said second carrying means; and ml'sslon y saldcoded l Pransmlsslon means of said connection and control means is finally enabled Sald coded data stored m Storage meansto begin transmission by said transmission means 6. Apparatus as described in claim 5, wherein:

said connection and control means is set in an initially enabled state by a signal from said second stop control means when a chosen one of the plu- 531d mmany enabled staterality of electrical switch means thereof applies when a signal from remote data collection means is received at a time when said control means is in

Claims (6)

1. Message printing apparatus, comprising: a first movable carrying means for carrying a first repertoire of marking indicia thereon; a second movable carrying means for carrying a second repertoire of marking indicia thereon, said second carrying means having at least a portion of the indicia carrying surface Thereof in a common plane with at least a portion of the indicia carrying surface of said first carrying means; a first driving means, connected to said first carrying means, for moving said first carrying means to position any said indicia chosen from said repertoire thereon in a position adjacent to an article to be marked; a second driving means, independent of said first driving means and connected to said second carrying means, for moving said second carrying means to a position in which any said indicia chosen from said repertoire thereon is adjacent to an article to be marked and colinear and coplanar with said chosen positioned indicia on said first carrying means; first stop control means associated with said first carrying means and said first driving means for controlling the stopping of said first carrying means at said position at which any said chosen indicia on said first carrying means is adjacent said article to be marked and in said common plane; second stop control means associated with said second carrying means and with said second driving means for controlling the stopping of said carrying means at said position at which any said chosen indica on said second carrying means is adjacent to said article to be marked and in said common plane and colinear with said indicia on said first carrying means which is adjacent said article to be marked; movable pressure applying means positioned on the side of said article in opposition to said first and second carrying means for pressing said article to be marked and said first and second carrying means together along a line on which said chosen indicia are aligned, thereby effecting marking of said article by said chosen indicia; said first and second movable carrying means comprise rotatable cylindrical drums having printing plates bearing said marking indicia affixed to the surfaces thereof for movement therewith, said drums being of equal diameter and mounted on a common axial shaft on separate bearings for free and independent rotation and adjacent to one another to facilitate said colinear and coplanar positioning of said indicia in response to rotation of said drums produced by said first and second driving means; said means for pressing said article and said first and second carrying means together along a line on which said chosen indicia are aligned, comprises a pressure platen wheel and carrier assembly positioned oppositely adjacent said article to be marked from said indicia to force it against said carrying means, said carrier assembly being provided with means for causing said platen wheel to traverse a line parallel to said common axis of said drums to cause said articles to be marked by said indicia on said drums, which indicia are positioned along said line of travel of said platen wheel across the surface of said drums; said first stop control means comprises at least one stop actuator switch and a braking means, said actuator switch being connected in a circuit with said braking means to stop movement of said first carrying means by said first driving means; at least one switch actuator means for actuating said actuator switch, said switch actuator means being mounted for movement in synchronism with said first carrying means and positioned adjacent to said actuator switch for the operation thereof in response to the movement of said carrying means; and programming means, connected with said switch actuator means, for mounting said actuator in any of a plurality of positions related to the progressive movement of said first carrying means, thereby programming said actuator to make any of a plurality of different actuations of said actuator switch to permit programming the selection of any of said various indicia from said repertoire carried by said first carrying means.

2. Apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein: a plurality of said actuators and said stop actuator switches are included; and a plurality of selection switches are further Provided and connected in a circuit with said stop actuator switches to connect any selected one of said stop actuator switches to said braking means for stopping said first carrying means at said programmed locations by arranging said actuators on said programming means associated with each of said stop actuator switches as desired and then connecting said stop actuator switch into active engagement with said braking means via a choice of selection switches.

3. Apparatus as described in claim 2, wherein: said second stop control means comprises a stop switch actuator means connected with said second carrying means for synchronous movement therewith; an electrically operable braking means for halting movement of said second carrying means; a plurality of electrical switch means connected to said braking means and positioned for actuation by said stop switch actuator means during each said movement thereof; and further electrical switch means for selectively applying power to a chosen one of said plurality of electrical switch means for braking said second carrying means when said chosen electrical switch means is actuated by said actuator means.

4. Apparatus as described in claim 3, wherein: said switch actuator means comprises a rotor and rotor arm means for carrying a magnet means for actuating magnetic switches; said plurality of electrical switch means are magnetic reed switches; said further electrical switch means is a holding relay which connects power to said chosen reed switch; and said brake means comprises a solenoid operated pawl in operative engagement with a ratchet connected with said second driving means and with said second carrying means to stop movement thereof.

5. Apparatus as described in claim 4, wherein: a coded data transmission means is further provided; a coded data storage means for storing the data to be transmitted to a remote data collection means is further provided and is connectable by a connection and control means to said transmission means; and a connection and control means for controlling the operation of said transmission means and connecting said storage means thereto is provided, a remote data collection means and said second stop control means being connected to said transmission means for the receipt of signals from said data collection means and said second stop control means and responsive thereto for beginning transmission by said coded data transmission means of said coded data stored in said storage means.

6. Apparatus as described in claim 5, wherein: said connection and control means is set in an initially enabled state by a signal from said second stop control means when a chosen one of the plurality of electrical switch means thereof applies power for braking said second carrying means; and said connection and control means is finally enabled to begin transmission by said transmission means when a signal from remote data collection means is received at a time when said control means is in said initially enabled state.

Images