Patent GB-643551-A (GB)
Abstract: 643,551. Electric totalizators. GREYHOUND RACING ASSOCIATION, Ltd., and DAWES, T. J. April 2, 1948, No. 9364. [Class 106 (i)] In a totalizator the inoperative lower denominational indicator drums are adapted to be set under manual control in accordance with their corresponding counter denominational readings by means of a discharge device functioning under control of a time-base. As shown, a rotary stepping switch located at the control station, Fig. 1, has three wipers S1, S2, S3, normally resting on a dead contact 8, 16 or 25 in the respective banks C1, C2, C3. To set the normally inoperative units denominational indicator drums at the end of betting, a switch 22 is closed to energize over wiper S2 and line 19 the anode of a thyratron 18. A continuously operating timebase circuit comprising a neon tube 15 periodically fired by a condenser 12 continuously charged over resistors 10, 11, applies a periodic firing potential to the thyratron grid, so that when the thyratron anode is energized as above described it fires to operate a relay 24, which, over contacts 26 lights a lamp 33 to indicate that switch 22 may be released, and over contacts 25 energizes the stepping magnet 27 of the switch S1, S2, S3 in series with the stepping magnet 29, of a similar stepping switch at the indicator unit, Fig. 2. The thyratron is self-extinguishing by virtue of the condenser 30 shunted across the coil 24 and is now fired periodically to step the two stepping switches synchronously. In the first off-normal position of the stepping switches, i.e. position 1, 9 or 17, the chaser elements A1, B1 corresponding to " win " and " place " bets on runner No. 1 are connected over the associated wipers S1, S3, lines 20, 21 and the corresponding wipers T1, T2, Fig. 2, to the corresponding units denominational coils E1, F1, of the " win " and " place " indicators for runner No. 1. Each chaser comprises a rotary switch arm which normally follows up the setting of the corresponding counter units denomination, and a normally stationary contact drum. When the chaser is connected up as above described, the drum is advanced step-by-step from zero to the switch arm position at the same time remitting an impulse at each step to set the corresponding counter denomination. The " win " and " place " units denominational drums of runner No. 1 are thus set and in the following positions of the stepping switches the " win " and " place " indicators for runners No. 2-6 and finally the grand totals are similarly set by the respective chasers A2 ... A7, B2 ... B7. The stepping switches then advance to the next dead contact, where they remain until a further operation of switch 22. The tens and higher denominations of the indicator may be similarly set if normally inoperative, one pair of stepping switches being necessary for each denomination. The relay coil 24 may be omitted and the drive magnets for the stepping switches connected in the anode circuit of the thyratron. In a modification, Fig. 3 (not shown), manual operation of the switch 22 operates a relay to initiate operation of the time-base and the periodic firing of the thyratron to pulse a relay which connects all of the unit chasers to their respective indicators coils, the arrangement being that one impulse only may be sent during each relay operation. In this case the relay operated by switch 22 may be of the delayed release type so that the thyratron fires a sufficient number of times for at least nine impulse to be sent from any chaser to its associated indicator coil. The arrangements of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 may also be used for zeroizing the normally inoperative indicator drums by (i) setting the relevant indicator drums at the end of betting as above described, (ii) zeroizing the counters, when the chaser switch arms move to positions relative to their drums corresponding to the complements of the digits previously registered thereby, and (iii) transferring these values to the indicator drums by a further operation of switch 22.