Patent GB-1070469-A (GB)
Title: A device for measuring time periods
Inventor: CSINAY JENO
IPC: G04F10/04
Filed: 1963-11-13
Abstract: 1,070,469. Electric selective signalling systems. EGESZSEGUGYI MINISZTERIUM ORSZAGOS TESTNEVELESES SPORTEGESZSEGUGYI INTEZETE. Nov. 13, 1963, No. 44922/63. Heading G4H. In apparatus for measuring time intervals, a clock pulse generator energizes a counter through a start-stop gate switch operatively responsive to start signals derived from arrhythmic pulses generated by a Geiger-Muller tube. Timing circuit S z  comprises a 4 kc/s. crystal oscillator 1 energizing a variable-frequency divider 2 adjustable to produce pulses at 0À25, 0À5, 2 and 10 millisec. intervals to operate a binary counting circuit 5 through an electronic switch 3, the counter having lamps to indicate its count. It is resettable to zero by a manual control and is linked to electromagnetically operated punches of a recording unit 6; the recording sequence being determined by pro. gramme unit 4 overridden by push-button R initiating recording of individual measurements. A storage device 8 accumulates results readout of the perforated records. The electronic gate 3 may be opened by a negative pulse to input i or by operation of a pushbutton, when binary counting circuit 5 comprising cascaded bistable multivibrators operates on the crystalcontrolled pulses until arrested by a negative pulse at input 1, or when the operation of a stop key closes the gate. The counter remains indicative of the number of received pulses and thus of the time interval between the initiating and arresting operations. Opening the gate produces a pulse on contact f which may energize a light or other stimulus transmitter initiating a process to be timed. Start pulses are generated arrhythmically at random by generator AG to which comprises a Geiger-Muller tube 10 whose background noise is fed to an amplitude selection discriminator 11 producing a succession of random pulses of e.g. 700 millisec. duration which operate a multivibrator 12, whose output is differentiated at 13 and applied to trigger the counter and generate a process initiating stimulus. The random pulses are counted at 14 for measurement of average frequency. Plural time measuring apparatus may be ring connected to operate successively on plural operations, and in Fig. 2 (not shown) time measuring apparatus I and II may be interconnected so that apparatus I is started at random to produce stimulus, and subsequently arrested simultaneously with the commencement of an operation and the starting of apparatus II, which is subsequently arrested at the termination of the operation so as to measure reaction time + activity time. E.g. for race timing (Fig. 3, not shown) a random start signal is perceived by a competitor and starts a first timing apparatus. Movement of the competitor arrests the first timing apparatus and starts a second such apparatus which is arrested e.g. photo-electrically on the competitor passing the winning post. Alternatively (Fig. 4, not shown) two timing apparatus are interconneced so. that starting one arrests the other and vice versa, so that the durations of successive working operation on an assembly line and the intervening pauses may be measured.