US2188263A

Lamp control circuit

Abstract

This record has no abstract on file.

US2188263A, drawing sheet 1 — Sheet 1 of 3

Term

Term ended

Expired 23 January 1957, 69.7 years ago.

13 claims: 13 independent, 0 dependent

1
Having thus described my invention, what I 7β
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2,188.263 3 claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:1. A lamp circuit including a first source of power, a relay in circuit with said source of 5 power and manually operable switch means for energizing said relay, a second relay having a relay switch in circuit with said first source of power and an exciter lamp such that the operation of said second relay will energize said lamp, 10 and means for energizing said second relay a determined period of time, said means including a condenser, a source of direct current normally in circuit with said condenser to charge the same, and switch means operable to disconnect said 15 condenser from said direct current source of power and connect the condenser in circuit with said second relay whereby the latter may be energized by the discharge of said condenser. 2. In a light gun for use with photo-electric 80 target devices, a light control circuit including a light for said gun, a first source of power, a first relay in circuit with said first source of power and with a manually operable switch for energizing said first relay, a second relay having 25 relay contacts in circuit with said light and with said first-mentioned source of power for energizing said light when said second relay is operated, means, for operatively energizing said second relay, said means including an electrostatic 30 energy storing device, contact means operable by said first relay for connecting said energy storing device in circuit with said second relay to operate the latter by discharge of energy from said storing device, and means including contact 35 members of said first relay for connecting said electrostatic device to a source of charging energy when said first relay is in normal unoperated condition.
3
In a light gun, an electric light, a first 40 source of power, a relay in circuit with said source of power and switch means included with said light gun whereby said relay may be energized, a timing relay having relay contacts in circuit with said light and said flrst source of power 4S whereby said light may be illuminated by energizing said second relay, means for energizing the said second relay and including an electrostatic accumulator, contact means on said flrst relay for connecting said accumulator in circuit with go said second relay to energize the same when said first relay is operated, and variable current limiting means in circuit with said accumulator and said second relay for controlling the rate of discharge of the accumulator through the gg relay.
4
In electric target apparatus, a light gun including an electric light, a trigger switch on said gun and means for illuminating said light a determined period of time by operation of said 00 trigger switch, said means including a source of electric power, a relay having a winding in circuit with said source of power and said trigger switch such that the operation of the latter will • operate said relay, a timing relay having a relay 63 switch in circuit with said light and said source of power to illuminate said light when said relay switch is closed and means for operating said timing relay and closing the relay switch thereof, said means including an electrostatic condenser, 70 contact means on said first relay normally connecting said condenser with a source of charging energy, contact means operable by said flrst relay when the same is operated by said trigger switch for disconnecting said charging device from said source of charging energy and connect ing said charging device in circuit with said timing relay for operation of the relay switch thereof by discharge of said electrostatic charging device through the winding of the timing relay, and means in circuit with said electrostatic 5 charging device for determining the rate of discharge of the same through the winding of the timing relay as aforesaid.
5
A control circuit for exciter lamps and the like, said circuit including a first source of power, 10 a first relay having a winding in circuit with said source of power with manually operable switching means for energizing said winding and operating said relay, a timing relay having a relay switch and a winding energizable for oper- 15 ating said switch, the latter being in circuit with a said exciter lamp and a source of energy therefor whereby the lamp may be illuminated when the winding of said timing relay is energized to operate said relay switch, and means for ener- 20 gi-ring the winding of said timing relay including an electrostatic condenser and a source of charging energy therefor, said first-mentioned relay having switch means for connecting said condenser to said source of charging energy whereby 25 the condenser may be charged, said first-mentioned relay having contact means for connecting said condenser with the winding of said timing relay to permit a discharge of said condenser through the winding of the timing relay to oper- 30 ate the relay switch thereof when said firstmentioned relay is operated by said trigged switch so as to energize said exciter lamp.
6
A control circuit including an electrical instrumentality, a source of electrical power and 35 means for connecting said instrumentality to said source of power, said means comprising an electrically operable switch in circuit with said Instrumentality and said source of power, and operating means for said electrically operable <0 switch including an electrostatic condenser, a second electrically operable switch means for connecting said condenser with said first-mentioned electrically operable switch means to operate the latter and energize said instrumentality, 45 and means operable by said second-mentioned electrically operable switch means for connecting said condenser with a source of charging energy.
7
In an electric shooting gallery apparatus including an electric light and a trigger switch, 50 circuit control means for said light including a first source of power, a relay having a winding in circuit with said trigger switch, said relay may be operated by said trigger switch, a timing relay having an operating winding and a relay switch gg operable by energizing a said winding to connect said light with said flrst source of energy in circuit with the winding of said first relay whereby the latter and said light may be energized, means for energizing the winding of said timing relay go including an electrostatic energy storing device, a relay switch operable by said first relay to connect said energy storing device in circuit with the winding of said timing relay to energize the same, and means for charging said βδ energy storing, device and operably connectible with the same by the relay switch of said first relay when the same is in unoperated normal .condition.
8
In an electric shooting gallery apparatus 70 including an electric light and a trigger switch, circuit control means for said light including a first source of power, a relay having a winding in circuit with said trigger switch whereby said relay may be operated by said trigger switch, a 2,188,263 timing relay having an operating winding and a relay switch operable by energizing a said winding to connect said light with said first source of energy in circuit with the winding of said first 5 relay whereby the latter and said light may be energized, means for energizing the winding of said timing relay including an electrostatic energy storing device, a relay switch operable by said first relay to connect said energy storing 10 device in circuit with the winding of said timing relay to energize the same, and means for charging said energy storing device and operably connectible with the same by the relay switch of said first relay when the same is in unoperated normal 15 condition, together with current limiting means in circuit with the winding of said timing relay and said electrostatic energy storing device for limiting the flow of current from the latter through the winding of the timing relay. 20
9
In an electric shooting gallery apparatus including an electric light and a trigger switch, circuit control means for said light including a first source of power, a relay having a winding in circuit with said trigger switch whereby said 25 relay may be operated by said trigger switch, a timing relay having an operating winding and a relay switch operable by energizing a said winding to connect said light with said first source of energy in circuit with the winding of SO said first relay whereby the latter and said light may be energized, means for energizing the winding of said timing relay including an electrostatic energy storing device, a relay switch operable by said first relay to connect said energy storing 35 device in circuit with the winding of said timing relay to energize the same, and means for charging said energy storing device and operably connectible with the same by the relay switch of said first relay when the same is in unoperated 00 normal condition, together with variable resistance means in circuit with the winding of said timing relay and said electrostatic energy storing ^device for selectively determining the period of operation of said timing relay. 00
10
In a target mechanism having an electric photo-sensitive target device and electrical operating and control mechanism for said photo device and including a source of direct current, together with an exciter lamp for said photo de50 vice and trigger switch means for said lamp, timing means including a source of electrical energy for said lamp, a relay operable to connect said lamp with said energy source, and means for operating said relay including an electrostatic ac cumulator and a second relay normally connecting said accumulator to said source of direct current to charge the same when said second relay is in normal or unoperated condition, said second relay having contact means operable to 5 connect said accumulator in circuit with said first-mentioned relay and a resistance device whereby the charge in said accumulator may discharge through the winding of said first relay and said resistance device to energize said lamp as 10 aforesaid, said second-mentioned relay being operable to disconnect said accumulator from said direct current source when the same is connected in circuit with the first-mentioned relay as aforesaid, and further being actuated by said trigger 15 switch means.
11
In a device of the class described, a lamp, a relatively unlimited source of electric energy, relay means operable to connect said lamp with said source of energy, and means energized from 20 said source of energy for storing a relatively limited quantum of electric energy, and switch means operable to connect said limited quantum of energy with said relay means to operate the latter and effect energization of said lamp from 25 said unlimited source for a predetermined time.
12
In a device of the class described, in combination, an electric lamp, a relatively unlimited source of electric energy, relay means operable to connect said lamp with said source of energy, 30 means connected with said source of energy for storing a determined quantum of electric energy therefrom, and a trigger switch and electrical means operable thereby for connecting said firstmentioned relay with said means storing the lim- 35 ited quantum of energy, whereby to effect energization of said lamp during the period of time necessary to discharge the major portion of said stored energy.
13
A control circuit including an electrically Operated translating device, an electrostatic 40 energy storing device and selectively operable switch means for connecting said energy storing device to a source of direct electric potential to charge the same and thereafter to connect said energy storing device in circuit with said trans- 45 lating device to actuate the latter by discharge of stored energy, and means in circuit with said energy storing device and translating device for regulating the rate of current flow during discharge of the energy storing device, whereby to fi0 procure actuation of the translating device for a predetermined period of time. IRWIN W. EISENBERG.

Independent claims13

37 paragraphs in 3 sections, as filed

Jan. 23, 1940. i. w. eisenberg 2,188,263

LAMP CONTROL CIRCUIT

Original Filed Dec. 18, 1936

Patented Jan. 23,1940

2,188,263

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,188,263

LAMP CONTROL CIRCUIT

Irwin W. Eisenberg, Chicago, Hl, assignor by mesne assignments, to James E. Johnson, Chicago, HL

Application December 18, 1936, Serial No. 116,522

Renewed November 30, 1939

Claims. (Cl. 273—101.1)

This invention relates to electrical control circuits, and more particularly to a circuit for controlling the illumination of exciter lamps used with photo-electric devices and the like.

More particularly stated, it is an object of the invention to provide a circuit for energizing a light for an accurately determined period of time.

Viewed from another aspect, it is an object 10 to provide a light source energized by electric power under the control of a relay, which in turn is controlled by another relay energized from a stored source of current of definite quantity.

Viewed still more specifically, it is an object 15 of the invention to provide an electrical light source for use with photo-electric devices, the source being connected through a relay with electrical energizing means, and said relay being operated by a second relay energized by the M discharge of a condenser of fixed capacity, together with means in the discharge circuit of said condenser for determining the rate of discharge.

Other and more specific object of construction 80 and. operation will hereinafter appear in view of the annexed drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective representation of an amusement target mechanism in which the novel control circuit of the present invention is in30 corporated as a preferred embodiment or application of the invention, and for purposes of illustration; and

Fig. 2 is a circuit diagram including the novel control circuit and certain cooperating instruM mentalities of the electric target apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

The invention herein is described In conjunction with a coin controlled amusment apparatus in the form of an electric shooting gallery having 40 a target structure with photo-electalc target elements controlling signal or score indicating means, and having a light gun adapted to direct a flash, as distinguished from a beam, of light „ onto the target structure and the photo-electric 40 target elements thereof, such as shown in Fig. 1 where a light gun 10, connected by means of a supply and control cable 12 to a gun stand 14 having a coin control device 16 and housing cerκλ tain operating Instrumentalities to be described in conjunction with Mg. 2, is electrically connected by a cable 18 with a target structure having a target panel 20 in which are a plurality of individual light transmitting portions 22, behind which are positioned photo-electric con trol devices such as the photo-cell 24 shown in Mg. 2.

A detailed description of the construction and operation of such a photo-electric target apparatus may be had by reference to applicant’s co- 5 pending applications, Serial Nos. 105,556 and 105 557.

Referring conveniently between Mgs. 1 and 2, the gun 10 includes an exciter lamp It and a trigger switch 13. the lamp it being connected 1» by a conductor 25 to one of the normally open contacts 26 of a control relay A, the other contact 27 of this relay being connected by a conductor 28 to the conductor 30 leading to the connection 32 of the power source. 16

The other side of the lamp 11 is connected by a conductor 23 in series with the winding of a holding relay B to one side of a power source 33, and thus a circuit may be completed from the power source through the winding of the relay B 20 and the closed contacts 26 and 27 for the lamp 11.

The winding of relay A is connected by a conductor 34 to one of the normally open contacts 35 of the holding relay B, the movable or armature contact 36 of relay B being connected by 25 conductor 37 to one side of a condenser 38, the other side of this condenser being connected by a conductor 40 to a variable contactor 42 of a resistance strip 44, and the latter being connected by conductor 45 to the other side of the winding 30 of relay A, thus completing the circuit through the winding of relay A and the resister 42—44, and contacts 35—36 of relay B with the condenser 38, such that the condenser may discharge in this circuit and energize the relay A. 85

Conductor 40 of condenser 38 is connected by a conductor 41 to one side of a high voltage direct current source 43, the other side of which is nonnested by conductor 45 with the normal contact 39 of relay B. The condenser 38 is thus 40 normally bridged across the high voltage circuit 43 through the normally closed contacts 36—39 of relay B.

Tn the use of photo-electric target mechanism such as described above, it is found deslr- 45 able to employ a thermionic amplifier 50, as indicated in Mg. 2, to the input side of which is connected the photo-cell 24 by conductors 24’, the amplifier operating a relay R for the purpose of controlling, a signal or score indicating circuit 50 or mechanism, and as these amplifiers invariably utilize a relatively high voltage for energizing the plate and field circuits for the tubes used therein, it is found convenient to bridge the condenser 38 across this high potential circuit, jg

2,188,283 which is indicated at 43 and as being derived from the amplifier unit 50. The amplifier power supply may be derived in the illustrative embodiment from the same power line to which the 5 conductors 32 and 33 are connected.

Additional control instrumentalities for the amusement apparatus include a shot counter for limiting or determining the number of shots which may be had for the deposit of a single 10 coin in the slide 16, and this switch includes a movable contact arm 54 adapted to be moved in steps to bridge one contact 56 and 56' of each of two banks of contacts 57 and 57'.

The bank 57' is 'connected by a conductor 58 16 to one of the trigger switch contacts 60, the other contact 61 thereof being connected to the conductor 23 which is in series with the winding of relay B to the connection 33 for the main power line. The armature mechanism of the step-up 20 magnet 66 is operative to step the movable contact arm 54 of the shot counter each time the trigger is pulled, so as to bridge the next successive contact pairs in the banks 57 and 57'.

The magnet winding 66 is connected by con26 ductor 68 to the common contacts of bank 57 of the shot counter. The other side of the winding of step-up magnet 66 is connected to the conductor 30 and hence to the other power line connection 32'. Thus the operation of the trigger 30 switch 13 will energize the step-up magnet 66 until the last contact of the bank is reached and the trigger circuit with the power source is broken.

Th® operation of the apparatus illustrated in . the drawing and described in conjunction with its use in an amusement device of the class described is as follows. The user deposits a coin in the coin slide 16 and actuates the same to release the mechanism by any of several well known means, for example in the present instance energizing the main power source, and thereafter he may aim the gun 10 at one of the target portions 22 on the panel 20 and pull the trigger to close the contacts 60—61 of the trigger switch 13.

48 The shot counter mechanism at this stage may be assumed to have established a circuit from the contact 60 of the trigger switch via conductor 58 to the common bank of contacts 56 of the counter, through the movable contact arm 54 to 88 a corresponding contact of the common bank 57, thence via conductor 68 to one side of the winding of the step-up magnet 66, and from the other side of this winding via conductor 30 to one side 32 of the power source, the circuit being com66 pleted from the other side 33 of this source through the winding of relay B, and via conductor 23 to the other contact 61 of the trigger switch. The effect of closing this latter switch is to energize the magnet 66 and relay B, the movable 60 arm 54 of the shot counter being stepped to the next successive pair of contacts.

Meanwhile the amplifier unit being energized from the main source of power, delivers at the contacts 43 a high potential direct current which 66 may be of the value of 300 volts, and which is fed into the condenser 38 via conductors 41 and 40 to one side of the condenser, and from the other side thereof via conductor 37 and the normally closed contacts 36—39 of relay B, and <0 thence by conductor 45 back to the high voltage source 43. The application of this voltage to condenser 38 will charge the’ latter proportionately to its capacity, which may desirably be of the value of about .4 mfd., this charge being n very rapidly built up so that at the time the trigger switch 13 is pulled the condenser is completely charged.

When the circuit is thus closed by the trigger switch through the winding of relay B, its armature pulls up and the movable contact 36 5 of the latter breaks circuit with normal contact 39 and makes contact with the contact 35, thus establishing a circuit from one side of the condenser 38 via conductor 37, the now closed contacts 36—35, conductor 34, through the winding 1® of relay A, via conductor 45, through a selected amount of the resistance 44 and the movable resister contact 42, to the conductor 40 and back to the other side of the condenser 38. The previously stored charge in the condenser thus dis- 18 charges through the variable resister and the winding of the relay A, causing the armature of the latter to pull up and close a circuit for the lamp 11 from one side 32 of the power source via conductor 28, the now closed contacts 27—26, 20 conductor 25, through the lamp ί ί via conductor 23, the winding of relay B and back to the other side 33 of the power source.

It will be observed that in addition to energizing the lamp I i, relay B is energized independ- 25 ently of the circuit through trigger switch 13, so that as long as relay A holds up relay B will likewise hold up, and the period of time during which relay A remains operated is uniformly proportional to the value of the circuit constants for 30 the timing circuit; that is to say, for the circuit including the condenser 38, the winding of relay A, and the resistance 44.

In the circuit shown, these circuit constants include a charging pressure of 300 volts, a condenser capacity of 4 mfd., a resistance of approximately 5000 ohms in the winding of relay A, and a maximum resistance of approximately 50,000 ohms in the variable resister 44, the latter being adjustable from the maximum resist- 40 ance to a lowered value so as to determine the rate of discharge of the condenser through the relay winding.

It will be apparent, therefore, that within practical limits the period of time during which the 45 lamp 11 will be illuminated by operation of the relay A, can be very accurately controlled, regardless of whether the trigger switch 13 is slowly or quickly operated, so that the flash of light _ which issues from the exciter lamp 11 and hence 60 in the embodiment shown from the gun 10, is definitely limited as to duration. In the example shown, it would be undesirable, for instance, to have the flash from the gun of such prolonged -5 duration that the marksman could aim the flash, 00 which would in reality amount to a beam, onto the target panel 20, and thus correct his aim. On the other hand, a flash of too short duration would in many instances be ineffectual to excite nh the photo-cell 24. w

The present invention, therefore, provides a simple and accurate means for determining the length of time during which an exciter lamp is energized and hence the duration of illumination 65 from the lamp, and while I have specifically defined the mechanism used with the apparatus and assigned certain circuit values, it is to be understood that these are merely by way of illustration as presenting an operative device or em- 70 bodiment of the invention, which may obviously be susceptible of variation and modification in various manners without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Contents3

Every citation, both ways

Citations
Document	Relation	Office	Cited during
US4653760A	Cited by	United States of America	Search report
US2710754A	Cited by	United States of America	Search report
US2727136A	Cited by	United States of America	Search report
USRE32662E	Cited by	United States of America	Search report

Document	Office	Kind	Date
11652236	United States of America	A	1936-12-18
US19360116522	–	–	–

Lamp control circuit

Abstract

Term

LAMP CONTROL CIRCUIT

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

LAMP CONTROL CIRCUIT

Priority claims2

Numbers

Titles

Classification