Patents Examined by William L. Feeney
  • Patent number: 4161099
    Abstract: A day and date indicator comprises a carrier structure which supports for rotation a flat, annular date disc and, within a recess in said date disc, a flat annular day disc. The inner peripheries of the two discs are provided with gear teeth that are adapted to be engaged by a cam driven by the clockwork mechanism and operative to advance each disc by a single increment once each day. The carrier structure is fabricated of a plastic material and includes resilient clamps and projections for attaching the carrier structure to the clockwork housing, integral resilient detents engaging the day and date discs to hold the discs in position when they are not being advanced by the cam, and a sleeve-like collar surrounding the indicator shaft of the clockwork mechanism for attaching the indicator to the housing of the clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1977
    Date of Patent: July 17, 1979
    Assignee: Keinzle Uhrenfabriken GmbH
    Inventor: Erwin Storz
  • Patent number: 4160404
    Abstract: An electronic musical instrument comprising a plurality of tone forming systems having mutually different tone production modes. One of such tone forming systems can produce a tone continuously while another of such systems can produce a tone intermittently. Further, in a case where a plurality of tones are to be produced, one of such systems can produce these tones intermittently one tone after another while another of such systems can produce these tones simultaneously and intermittently. By producing tones from such systems of different tone production modes, an intricate musical tone effect is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1977
    Date of Patent: July 10, 1979
    Assignee: Nippon Gakki Seizo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigeru Yamada, Eiichiro Aoki
  • Patent number: 4157647
    Abstract: In an analogue electronic timepiece the hands are moved by a stepping motor driven by a time standard signal supplied from a generating circuit comprising a quartz oscillator. In order to amend the time in a reverse direction, for example to correct for a different time zone, means is provided for detecting the angular position of the rotor of the motor and for supplying current in the reverse direction to the coil of the motor when the rotor reaches a predetermined angular position so as to cause the motor to rotate in a reverse direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1977
    Date of Patent: June 12, 1979
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Daini Seikosha
    Inventors: Norio Takahashi, Teruo Ito
  • Patent number: 4157049
    Abstract: An organ performance supporting device which has means for detecting ON signals of actuating switches of combination units to provide control code signals, means for setting signals indicating the individual operative states of the switches by the switch-ON detecting signals, a read-only memory for storing coded control signals necessary for the presetting and selection of registrations, the coded control signals being selectively read out in reply to the detected control code signals, a combination registration memory composed of a writable memory and a read-only memory, the combination registration memory storing registrations required by the combination unit and selectively read out in reply to the detected control code signals, a register supplied with a signal from a stop switch and reading out the writable and read-only memories in a predetermined operative state to store the state of the combination unit and the ON-OFF state of the stop switch, a register for storing the registration output from each c
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1977
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1979
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Setsakusho
    Inventor: Hironori Watanabe
  • Patent number: 4154133
    Abstract: An envelope waveform generating apparatus comprising a key code generating device composed of a means for releasing key code data and a means for outputting first and second control signals, a key assignor composed of a means for outputting a third control signal, a level setting means, and a function generator. The envelope waveform generating circuit is provided with a touch response so that the level of envelope waveform may readily be set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1977
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1979
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Hiroshi Kitawaga
  • Patent number: 4152964
    Abstract: A keyboard controlled just intonation computer for electronic organs which automatically responds to correct the larger tuning errors of equal temperament as each interval or chord is played. The logic circuit for this purpose has twelve inputs corresponding to the twelve notes of the chromatic scale. The logic circuit can be interfaced with the keyboard by utilizing keyer voltages from octavely related key switches fanning into each input of the logic circuit through a diode branch circuit. Each of the twelve master oscillators of the organ has a two input tuning means adjusted to lower the frequency of the master oscillator by one seventh of a semitone if one input is energized by an output of the logic circuit or by three tenths of a semitone if the other input is energized. The smaller pitch shift is required for the top notes of major thirds or major sixths, or for the bottom notes of minor thirds or minor sixths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1977
    Date of Patent: May 8, 1979
    Inventor: Harold M. Waage
  • Patent number: 4146826
    Abstract: Gate-turn-off silicon controlled rectifiers (GTO's) are selectively rendered conductive to control the direction of rotation of a bi-directional motor. To this end a digital logic network is responsive to either one or both of a pair of remotely located switches being operated to either a first or a second condition, for controlling a transistorized gate signal generating network to apply an operating voltage to the gate electrode of the appropriate one(s) of the GTO's. The gate signal generating network includes circuitry for grounding the gates of the GTO's, turning them off if on and thereby inhibiting operation of the motor, whenever either of two operating conditions obtains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1976
    Date of Patent: March 27, 1979
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventor: Jack E. Wojslawowicz
  • Patent number: 4144787
    Abstract: A keyer circuit for electronic organs and the like in which a single main keyer chip is formed by utilizing large scale integrated MOS technology with the chip adapted for use with organs having different information supplied to the multiplexing system. The chip provides output information to drive discrete circuitry and also has the necessary input for normal multiplexing operation of an electronic organ. The chip according to the present invention provides internal multiplexing for simple organs and standard external multiplexing for more complex organs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1977
    Date of Patent: March 20, 1979
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventors: John W. Robinson, Ralph N. Dietrich
  • Patent number: 4144788
    Abstract: The bass note generation system provides one of several different types or styles of bass-line accompaniment for the organist. A chord pattern detector receives signals on keying lines corresponding to keys depressed by the instrument player and attempts to recognize a normalized chord pattern. A counter tracks the operation of the chord pattern detector and provides an output corresponding to the alphabetic note of any recognized chord. If the chord pattern is recognized, the output of the detector and the output of the counter address a normalized and preprogrammed bassline pattern memory. The digital value of the bass note stored in the memory and the outut of the counter are serially added to transpose the normalized bass note to the appropriate musical key and applied to a decorder-keyer circuit at selected time intervals in a musical measure for providing a precomposed musical bassline output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1977
    Date of Patent: March 20, 1979
    Assignee: Marmon Company
    Inventors: Angelo A. Bione, Robert J. Sehnert, Horace E. Taylor
  • Patent number: 4142435
    Abstract: An array of magnetic pickup coils are mounted by a support assembly secured to the bridge of a stringed musical instrument. The assembly is preferably for use with a base violin or cello and is easily adjustable relative to the strings. The support assembly for the coils permits adjustment of the coils along each string, adjustment between each coil and its associated string, adjustment of the coil so as to center on the string and proper planar orientation between coil and string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1977
    Date of Patent: March 6, 1979
    Inventor: Cleve F. Pozar
  • Patent number: 4135422
    Abstract: In an electronic musical instrument wherein waveshape F(x, y) is computed and the resultant waveshape is converted to a musical tone, computation of said waveshape F(x, y) is carried out in accordance with either one of the following equations: ##EQU1## WHEREIN: F(X), F(Y) REPRESENT MATHEMATICAL FUNCTIONS OF TIME, RESPECTIVELY; AND N REPRESENTS AN ARBITRARY INTEGER.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1979
    Assignee: Nippon Gakki Seizo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masanobu Chibana
  • Patent number: 4135357
    Abstract: A solar chronometer in which a style is aligned with the celestial pole and an equatorial member, preferably in the shape of a ring, is aligned with the equator. The style and equatorial member cast shadows upon a chart and the point where the shadows intersect indicates the hour and the date.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1979
    Assignee: L. M. Dearing Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: George Ashton
  • Patent number: 4133243
    Abstract: An electric pickup for a lute-type musical instrument such as a guitar, has generally circular axial adjustment openings with internal wrench flats in unhardened steel or iron pole pieces. Two bar-type permanent magnets are disposed with like polarities adjacent and straddling one end of the pole pieces. A keeper of steel or the like bridges the permanent magnets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1979
    Inventor: Lawrence P. DiMarzio
  • Patent number: 4132140
    Abstract: In an electronic musical instrument, the amplitudes of respective partial components constituting a composite waveshape at successive sample points are produced, these amplitudes are multiplied, at regular time intervals individually by coefficients each being associated with corresponding partial components to obtain the amplitudes weighted, these weighted amplitudes being accumulated successively to obtain the net amplitudes weighted of the composite waveshape for each sample point. The net amplitudes are converted to a musical sound by sounding means. The coefficients are repetitively calculated at another regular time intervals, each of which being longer than the foregoing regular time interval, by implementing the algorithm of a certain function of time, as the multiplications are carried out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1979
    Assignee: Nippon Gakki Seizo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masanobu Chibana
  • Patent number: 4130988
    Abstract: An electronic watch having a circuit for permitting it to be stopped in a state of minimum consumption. The watch has an oscillator, a frequency divider comprising flip-flops and a display, with the display and at least some of said flip-flops being connected to a common line so that a signal applied to the common line places them in a state of minimum consumption. The circuit including a switch connected between the common line and a terminal of the power supply and at least two MOS transistors connected so as to apply the signal to the common line when the switch is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1977
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1978
    Assignee: Ebauches S.A.
    Inventors: Igor Scherrer, Jean-Claude Berney, Jean-Claude Robert-Grandpierre
  • Patent number: 4127782
    Abstract: An automotive power supply comprising a generator which produces a voltage when an engine is in operation, a main battery which drives a starter motor, an auxiliary battery which functions as a power source for direct current equipment in a vehicle, and a d-c voltage booster circuit which boosts the voltage produced in the generator to supply the auxiliary battery; wherein, in charging the main and auxiliary batteries in parallel by the voltage produced in the generator, the supply voltage to the auxiliary battery is boosted by compensating the line voltage drop between the generator and the auxiliary battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1975
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1978
    Assignee: Sawafuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Morikazu Omura, Yukio Okuda
  • Patent number: 4125995
    Abstract: In an electronic timepiece including a battery, a time count circuit for counting reference clock signals from an oscillator and a display unit for displaying the counted values of the time count circuit, there is provided a switching mechanism for controlling a function other than a time count function. A battery set signal which is generated upon incorporation of a battery into the body of the timepiece is temporarily held in a holding circuit.The timepiece includes a switching circuit which, when the switching mechanism is operated, permits a switching operation signal for controlling a function other than the time count function to be switched by the output of a signal holding circuit to a switching operation signal for controlling a time setting function.The timepiece further includes a counter in which the contents are counted by the latter switching operation signal. The output of the counter is delivered as an instruction for time counting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1977
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1978
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshio Kashio
  • Patent number: 4124812
    Abstract: In cases of subjecting an electric motor operated vehicle to electric braking, regenerative braking is performed during the first stage of the braking operation thereby supplying the armature current to the battery as a load, and a plugging operation is performed during the last stage thereof to complete the braking operation, whereby the efficiency of operation is enhanced by conserving the armature current to extend the traveling distance of the vehicle per charge of the vehicle battery, and the generation of excessive heat in the motor is suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1976
    Date of Patent: November 7, 1978
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shotaro Naito, Masahiko Ibamoto, Hisakatsu Kiwaki, Yoshimitsu Onoda
  • Patent number: 4121490
    Abstract: A keyboard operated polyphonic tone synthesizer which is touch responsive to the force applied to the keyboard mechanism. Operation of a key operates through a pneumatic transducer to provide an air stream having a velocity proportional to the force applied to the key. A transducer responsive to the velocity of the gas produces an output pulse having a peak amplitude proportional to the peak velocity of the air. This voltage in turn is used to control the peak amplitude of a musical tone generated in response to the operation of the key so that a direct relation exists between the force with which the key is operated and the amplitude of the resulting sound generated by the instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1977
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1978
    Assignee: Kawai Musical Instrument Mfg. Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Ralph Deutsch
  • Patent number: 4120149
    Abstract: An electronic watch which is both thin and water resistant. The watch comprises a back, a bezel and an electronically controlled module for digitally displaying a time signal. Its crystal includes an upper member the lower surface of which is adjacent to the upper surface of the module, a first flange extending downwardly from the edge of the upper member adjacent to the side of the module and a second flange which extends laterally outwardly from the bottom of the first flange. Contact means is provided which has a longitudinal portion sealed into the first flange and an inner end which is electrically connected to the module. A plunger is mounted for axial movement in a bore in the bezel and its inner end is engageable with the contact means. A sealing member is positioned between the second flange of the crystal and an upper surface of the back. It also includes means for holding the upper surface of the back against the sealing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1977
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1978
    Assignee: Textron, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Edward Ripley