Abstract:
Photoelectric Meter for Stamps Perforations made up of two rows of photoreceptor cells conveniently connected to printed circuits endowed with a CICounter, a CIConverter and a Display, integrated within a single unit. This device allows measuring the horizontal as well as the vertical perforation of any stamp as well as the number of perforations and/or their variation in the superficial element to be measured, discriminating the type of perforation, of foot, of line, etc.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to Spanish Application No. P201100966, filed on Aug. 31, 2011, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    In the world of philately a frequent problem is the identification of the perforations on a stamp, the number of perforation along the two centimeters at the sides, sometimes with a difference between the vertical and the horizontal sides (as they can be different); this operation usually made over an important number of stamps is carried out by means of a number of rulers graduated to such purpose, a perforation gauge, that compares the horizontal (and vertical) sides with the most similar scale of the gauge, and by application of a repetition pattern finds a coincident scale, that would indicated the value perforated. It is a slow and burdensome and not very well defined procedure especially when dealing with a certain range of scales, in such a way that perforations of the order of 11, 111/4, 111/2, 113/4, turn out to be very difficult to differentiate up to the extent that there are catalogues of stamps that only distinguish up to half of the perforation points. There are other measuring instruments such as the digital perforation gauge which is difficult to handle as requires a digitized image of the stamp; or the electronic perforation gauge, also based on photographic procedures, which is extremely expensive. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0003]      FIG. 1  depicts an example of a view in perspective of a Photoelectric Meter. 
           [0004]      FIG. 2  depicts an example of a view in perspective of a Photoelectric Meter. 
           [0005]      FIG. 3  depicts an example of a view in perspective of a Photoelectric Meter. 
           [0006]      FIG. 4  depicts an example of a view in perspective of a Photoelectric Meter. 
           [0007]      FIG. 5  depicts and example of a Photoelectric Meter. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0008]    To solve this problem we propose a gadget: The Photoelectric Meter for Stamps Perforations, which essentially is based on the capacity of specific materials to react before the presence of light with the emission of electrons. Obviously, this same characteristic of the materials would allow us to also detect the absence of light. Since this process—that involves a discharge of electrons—may be measured and quantified, the Photoelectric Meter of Perforations would take care of the measuring process. This process may be understood as a phenomenon where with the interposition of a screen with holes (the stamp being measured) the passage of light generates areas of lights alternated with dark areas, where originally there were only areas of light. In the Photo Electronic Meter the location of the photoreceptors in a continuous line two centimeters long, allows to interpret the semi-dark phases as the number of photoreceptors in ON (u OF) position, depending on the light received (more or less); the connection of each line of photoreceptors with a CIMeter allows to quantify the phenomenon and the CIConverter, connected with the former traduces the binary data corresponding to the number of photoreceptors in ON position (the difference with the total of each line would give us the number of photoreceptors in OFF), sending the information already standardized to the last element of the gadget, a Display. 
         [0009]    The arrangement of the photoreceptors in two lines with a single point of contact between both and forming an angle of ninety degrees allows, by duplicating the circuit, to obtain simultaneously the measure of the horizontal and the vertical perforation of the stamp. 
         [0010]    The Photoelectric Meter of Perforation will be now described by using an example and making reference to the attached drawings: 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  represents an overall view in perspective of the Photoelectric Meter of Perforations.  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4  show the vertical areas seen from the most external face, FIG.  2 —intermediate— FIG. 3  and base of support of the stamp,  FIG. 4  showing the symmetric L of the transparent material (or any other that may allow the passage of light). From this base and following the left lower part of the L, extended orthogonally up to the external edges of the figure, a wall of two millimeters—its coronation height—is projected which in turn is used to support the section represented by  FIG. 3 , where the L symmetrical to the above outstands. 
         [0012]    The thickness is provided by a partition or wall of perimeter contour which ceiling is made up by the section represented in the  FIG. 4   
         [0013]    We will use these figures to explain the measuring process: the stamp is placed over the base represented by  FIG. 4 , keeping its horizontal and vertical sides in contact with the small perimeter wall, which will place the lower left corner of the stamp over the L. The element made up by sections  3  and  4  stands out forming a square as a wing of the perimeter wall, which, with the corresponding perimeter closing makes a closed volume from where the light generated by the light transmitter ( FIG. 5 , element  5 ) is projected. A reflecting element will be placed on the internal face of the external face to facilitate the concentration of light towards the L of transparent material corresponding to the Section represented by  FIG. 3 . The light goes through and is directed towards the transparent window of the section represented by  FIG. 4  behind which the lines of photoreceptors cells are located. The stamp placed between sections  3  and  4  prevents the light from going through allowing only the passage of light to the free spaces left by the empty perforations, overshadowing the rest. This new pre-distribution of light goes through the second transparent window in L which is located in the section of  FIG. 4  to impact on the two lines of photoreceptors, thus initiating the information processing that ends with the projection of the results on the corresponding screens located in the right lower part of  FIG. 5 . 
         [0014]      FIG. 5  shows the Photoelectric Meter of Perforations as a whole, basically consisting of two simple and identical plates of printed circuit made up by a Line of Photoreceptors ( 1 ), a Counter ( 2 ), a Converter ( 3 ) and finally a Screen ( 4 ); the several elements are connected in line and by this same order. Both plates will be conveniently embedded within the arrangement that will also be endowed with a simple light generator ( 5 ), a standard battery ( 6 ) and the elements required for an appropriate connection. 
         [0015]    The light generating system may be practically of any kind although we propose a LED for its low consumption and durability. The line of photoreceptors ( 1 ) of two centimeters of length in total should preferably be made of square cells of half a millimeter by side and endowed with isolation capsules. This layout will guarantee sufficient sensibility for the perception of the smallest perforations in the market (the highest numbers being 17-18). The first counter ( 2 ) will report the number of cells charged which will alternate with the same number of discharged cells. The second counter ( 3 ) will translate—using a simple table of standardized lineal conversion—this information into a single figure, for example 14, that will appear on the information screen. Simultaneously the reading of the vertical side will take place, which will also be shown on its corresponding screen ( 4 ).