Patent GB-969844-A (GB)
Title: Multi-aperture magnetic core data transfer system
IPC: H03K17/82
Filed: 1963-05-14
Abstract: 969, 844. Data storage. AMP Inc. May 14, 1963 [June 8, 1962], No. 19107/63. Heading G4C. [Also in Division H3] A shifting register comprises a series of ferrite storage cores 01, 02, E1, E2, Fig. 4, each having a central aperture 38 threaded by an advance winding 43 or 44 and minor apertures 39-42 selectively threaded by inlet, outlet and transfer windings 45-51 and priming windings 19, 20, 52, the register having two possible modes of operation according as to which priming winding 19 or 20 is energized. In a modification, Fig. 7, the selective energization of a priming winding 56, 57 or 58 gives three possible modes of operation, the minor aperture 40 on cores E1, E2 being threaded by the additional priming winding and by outlet windings 67, 68. The cores operate on the principle that an advance pulse clears the cores by setting all the core flux in the same direction, an inlet or transfer pulse sets part of the core flux in the reverse direction, a priming energization modifies the core flux direction about the minor aperture through which the priming winding is threaded, and the next advance pulse clears the cores and induces a transfer pulse in a transfer winding threading a primed minor aperture. The two basic operational modes described are the normal forward shift which is obtained when priming winding 19 is energized (mode 1) and a shift backwards  and forwards between adjacent pairs of odd '0' and even 'E' cores when priming winding 20 is energized (mode 2). Fig. 7 provided a further mode (mode 3) in which energization of priming winding 58 causes a parallel output in windings 67, 68 from the even cores. Since the priming windings 19, 20, or 56, 57, 58 are connected to a common priming winding 52 on the odd cores, switching of these cores in response to advance pulses is uninfluenced by the mode of operation. Forward data shift in the register in all operational modes is effected over transfer windings 46, 48, 50, and backward shift during mode 2 from the even cores E to the odd cores 0 is effected over transfer windings 47, 49.  General arrangement of register. The shifting register 1 has incoming data applied to winding 45 through leads 6 and its output appears from the final core (E2) in leads 8. Shifting in the register takes place by advance pulses applied alternately to odd and even cores from an advance drive source 10 and leads 2 and 3. The advance pulses are additionally applied to a priming drive circuit which energizes lead 4 connected to priming winding 19 for mode 1 operation. If a pulse is applied to lead 14, then lead 5 connected to priming winding 20 is energized instead for mode 2 operation. Two mode operation. The priming drive circuit used with the register of Fig. 4 is shown in Fig. 3. Storage core 31 is switched each time an advance pulse appears in alternately-energized windings 32, 33, the alternating voltage induced in winding 30 being without effect on the normallyconducting priming winding circuit 19 which includes a 4-layer diode 25 and a rectifier 26. If a pulse is applied to terminal 23 a 4-layer diode 28 conducts and current passes to priming winding circuit 20. Conductive diode 28 cuts off diode 25 until core 31 is switched by an advance pulse in winding 33, the induced voltage in winding 30 causing diode 25 to conduct and diode 28 to cut off. Thus priming winding circuit 19 is normally energized, and repeated pulses are necessary at terminal 23 to maintain circuit 20 conductive instead. With priming winding 19 conductive, the minor apertures 39 of even cores and minor apertures 40 of odd cores are primed and mode 1 transfer of data occurs. With priming winding 20 conductive, minor apertures 42 of even cores and minor apertures 40 of odd cores are primed and mode 2 transfer of data occurs. Three mode operation. The priming drive circuit for Fig. 7 is shown in Fig. 6. Normally priming winding circuit 57 is conductive (mode 1), but if a switch 64 (mode 2 operation) or switch 65 (mode 3 operation) is closed, a pulse from core 63 causes conduction to transfer from circuit 57 to circuit 56 or 58 respectively. Application. A transfer circuit and data store 69 feeding a printer utilisation circuit is shown in Fig. 8, shifting registers each as shown in Fig. 7 forming units S1 S2.... SN arranged in columns and rows. The columns of units have respective priming drive circuits P1, P2.... PN, separate inputs 75 and a common advance drive unit 71. Each priming drive circuit normally energizes its associated column for mode 1 operation, but can be changed to mode 2 or mode 3 operation by pulsing separate leads 76. In operation, data applied to the first unit S1 of any column can be serially shifted through the column of the final unit SN. If a pause occurs between trains of data the shift can be held by changing to mode 2 operation. At any time by charging to mode 3 operation the data in any one column can be transferred to the next column or to the utilisation device 72. Automatic transfer of data from one column to the next is possible by using the circuit of Fig. 9. If the core 77 is the last core of unit SN, switching of this core will energize winding 78 and cause the priming drive circuit connected to that winding to become conductive. All the data in the column is then transferred by mode 3 operation to the next column. Information can pass serially through the store to the device 72 by connecting unit SN in each column with unit S1 in the next column. Specifications 899,366, 899,367 and 919,940 are referred to.