Positioning of multiple elements

Claim 2

A position control system comprising a positionable element, a positioning element, engagement means operative to bring said positioning element and said positionable element into and out of engagement with each other so that movement of said positioning element may take place both with and independently of said positionable element, positionable element signal storage means arranged to store signals corresponding to the desired position of said positionable element and for storing signals corresponding to the actual position of said positionable element, positioning element signal storage means arranged to store signals corresponding to the actual position of said positioning element, signal comparison means arranged to compare the signals of said positionable element signal storage means and said positioning element signal storage means to produce driving signals, driving means arranged to drive said positioning element in accordance with said driving signals to reduce the difference between the compared signals, and sequence control means operative to control the comparison of signals such that when said positionable and positioning elements are disengaged, signals corresponding to the actual position of said positionable and positioning elements are compared and when said positionable and positioning elements are engaged, signals corresponding to the desired and actual positions of said positionable and positioning elements, respectively, are compared.

Claim 3

A position control system according to claim 1 further including a second positionable element arranged to be engaged with said positioning element in alternate sequence with the first-mentioned positionable element, and further including seconD positionable element signal storage means arranged to store signals representative of the desired position of said second positionable element, said signal comparison means being arranged to compare the signals of said positioning element signal storage means and said second positionable element signal storage means and to control said driving means in alternate sequence to its comparison of the signals of said positionable element signal storage means and said positioning element signal storage means.

Claim 4

A position control system according to claim 1 further including input signal means arranged to insert new signals representative of a new position into said positionable element signal storage means.

Claim 5

A position control system according to claim 3 further including input signal control means arranged to restrict the flow of new signals to each positionable element signal storage means to situations where said positioning element is engaged with the positionable element associated with the signal storage means to which said new signals are directed.

Claim 6

A positioning control system comprising a plurality of operating heads, each operating head being provided with a plurality of positionable elements mounted for position adjustment along a given path, a yoke carriage containing a plurality of yokes, yoke drive means for driving said yokes along paths corresponding to the given path of each operating head, shift and index means for producing relative shifting movement between said yoke carriage and said heads whereby said yokes successively engage with and become disengaged from the positionable elements of said head, first signal register means arranged to receive signals corresponding to the positions of said yokes along said corresponding paths, second signal register means arranged to receive signals corresponding to desired positions of said positionable elements, signal comparison means arranged to compare the signals present in corresponding ones of said first and second signal register means, drive means arranged to drive said yokes to bring the compared signals into conformity, desired signal input means arranged to replace the signals present in said second signal register means, and sequence means operative to control said shift and index means, said yoke drive means and said desired signal input means in a manner such that operation of said input signal means to replace signals in the second signal register means corresponding to the positionable elements of a given operating head is preceded by operation of said shift and index means to effect yoke and positionable element disengagement and operation of said drive means during disengagement to bring each yoke into position registry with corresponding positionable elements on said given operating head.

Claim 7

A positioning control system comprising a plurality of operating heads, each operating head being provided with a plurality of positionable elements mounted for position adjustment along a given path, a yoke carriage containing a plurality of yokes, yoke drive means for driving said yokes along paths corresponding to the given path of each operating head, shift and index means for producing relative shifting movement between said yoke carriage and said heads whereby said yokes successively engage with and become disengaged from the positionable elements of said head, first signal register means arranged to receive signals corresponding to the positions of said yokes along said corresponding paths, second signal register means arranged to receive signals corresponding to desired positions of said positionable elements, signal comparison means arranged to compare the signals present in corresponding ones of said first and second signal register means, drive means arranged to drive said yokes to bring the compared signals into conformity, desired signal input means arranged to replace the signals present in said second signal register means, and sequence means operative to control said shift and index means, said yoke drive means and said desired signal input means in a manner such that operation of said input signal means to replace signals in the second signal register means corresponding to the positionable elements of a given operating head is preceded by operation of said shift and index means to effect yoke and positionable element disengagement and operation of said drive means during disengagement to bring each yoke into position registry with corresponding positionable elements on said given operating head.

Claim 8

A position control system according to claim 5 wherein each of said yokes includes signal-transmitting means arranged to transmit signals corresponding to its movement along said corresponding paths.

Claim 9

A position control system according to claim 6 wherein each signal-transmitting means comprises a position tachometer for producing impulses, the number of which correspond to the distance of yoke movement.

Claim 10

A position control system according to claim 7 wherein said first register means comprises individual forward-backward counters, each of which accumulates an impulse count from an associated tachometer as said yoke moves in one direction and which loses counts corresponding to impulses received from said tachometer as said yoke moves in the opposite direction.

Claim 11

A position control system according to claim 8 wherein there is provided switch means between each signal transmitting means and its associated first signal register means and wherein there is provided means for closing said switch means when the associated yoke moves beyond a fixed reference.

Claim 12

A positioning control system comprising a positioning element, a positionable element, register means arranged to store signals representative of the actual position of each element and to store signals representative of the desired position of said positionable element, signal comparison means arranged to compare the stored signals to produce driving signals, driving means responsive to said driving signals to move said positioning element in a direction to reduce the difference between the compared signals, means arranged to engage and disengage the positioning and positionable elements for permitting each positioning element to be driven respectively, with and without a positionable element, and sequence means arranged to control the signal comparison such that when said elements are disengaged, signals representative of their actual positions are compared and when said elements are engaged signals representative of their actual and desired positions are compared.

Claim 13

A positioning control system comprising a positioning element, a positionable element, register means arranged to store signals representative of the actual position of each element and to store signals representative of the desired position of said positionable element, signal comparison means arranged to compare the stored signals to produce driving signals, driving means responsive to said driving signals to move said positioning element in a direction to reduce the difference between the compared signals, means arranged to engage and disengage the positioning and positionable elements for permitting each positioning element to be driven respectively, with and without a positionable element, and sequence means arranged to control the signal comparison such that when said elements are disengaged, signals representative of their actual positions are compared and when said elements are engaged signals representative of their actual and desired positions are compared.

Claim 14

A position control system according to claim 10 wherein said register means comprises a first register constructed and arranged to receive signals representing programmed new position information and to retain said signals until subsequent application of further signals representing programmed new position information and wherein said register means further comprises a second register constructed and arranged to undergo changes in signal content with each movement of said positioning element thereby to maintain a signal content representative of the actual position of said element.

Claim 15

A position control system according to claim 10 wherein said driving means and said signal comparison means are both operative when said positioning and positionable elements are in engagement and when they are in disengagement.

Claim 16

In a multielement positioning system, the combination of a common drive means arranged to drive a plurality of moveable positioning elements simultaneously, individual clutch mechanisms on said elements for individually engaging and disengaging each element with said common drive means, individual position data transmitting means associated with each element for producing signals indicative of its actual position and means for individually controlling the operation of said clutch mechanisms in response to said signals, said means for individually controlling the operation of said clutch mechanism being arranged to cause each clutch mechanism to become engaged when said signals indicative of each associated element''s actual position undergo changes in the direction of the element''s desired position and to become disengaged upon attainment of said desired position.

Claim 17

In a multielement positioning system, the combination of a common drive means arranged to drive a plurality of moveable positioning elements simultaneously, individual clutch mechanisms on said elements for individually engaging and disengaging each element with said common drive means, individual position data transmitting means associated with each element for producing signals indicative of its actual position and means for individually controlling the operation of said clutch mechanisms in response to said signals, said means for individually controlling the operation of said clutch mechanism being arranged to cause each clutch mechanism to become engaged when said signals indicative of each associated element''s actual position undergo changes in the direction of the element''s desired position and to become disengaged upon attainment of said desired position.

Claim 18

A multielement positioning control system according to claim 17 wherein said common drive means is constructed to continue driving over a distance at least equal to the maximum displacement to be undertaken by a moveable element.

Claim 19

A multielement positioning control system according to claim 17 wherein said means for individually controlling the operation of said clutch mechanisms comprises individual means for registering signals representative of desired positions of their associated positionable elements and comparison means for comparing the registered signals with said signals indicative of the actual position of said associated elements.

Claim 20

A multielement positioning control system according to claim 17 wherein said common drive means is constructed to drive first in one direction for a given distance and thereafter to drive in the opposite direction for a similar distance.

Claim 21

A multielement positioning control system according to claim 13 wherein said elements are driven by a common drive screw.

Claim 22

A multielement positioning control system according to claim 13 wherein said moveable elements are yokes engageable with positionable elements for moving said positionable elements to desired positions.

Claim 23

In a multielement positioning control system, the combination of a plurality of positionable elements arranged for movement along different paths, yoke means arranged to drive said positionable elemeNts, said yoke means being shiftable between said different paths for alternate engagement of the positionable elements in said different paths, first register means for registering signals corresponding to the actual position of said yoke means along said paths, individual further register means for registering signals corresponding to the desired position of corresponding ones of said positionable elements, signal comparison means arranged to compare the signals of said first register means with each of said further register means, means for driving said yoke means in accordance with the output of said comparison means in a manner so as to bring the compared signals into conformity, and means for coordinating the signal comparisons and the insertion of new signals into said further registers in a manner such that said yoke means drives to a position corresponding to the actual position of a positionable element prior to shifting into engagement with the element and prior to insertion of new desired position signals into the further register associated with said element.

Claim 24

In a multielement positioning control system, the combination of a plurality of positionable elements arranged for movement along different paths, yoke means arranged to drive said positionable elemeNts, said yoke means being shiftable between said different paths for alternate engagement of the positionable elements in said different paths, first register means for registering signals corresponding to the actual position of said yoke means along said paths, individual further register means for registering signals corresponding to the desired position of corresponding ones of said positionable elements, signal comparison means arranged to compare the signals of said first register means with each of said further register means, means for driving said yoke means in accordance with the output of said comparison means in a manner so as to bring the compared signals into conformity, and means for coordinating the signal comparisons and the insertion of new signals into said further registers in a manner such that said yoke means drives to a position corresponding to the actual position of a positionable element prior to shifting into engagement with the element and prior to insertion of new desired position signals into the further register associated with said element.

Claim 25

A multielement positioning control system according to claim 19 wherein said further register means are constructed in a manner to permit retention of inserted signals corresponding to desired positions of corresponding ones of said positionable elements until subsequent signals are admitted to said further register means.

Claim 26

A multielement positioning control system according to claim 20 wherein said further register means are arranged to clear upon the application of subsequent signals whereby the subsequent signals replace previous signals.

Claim 27

A multielement positioning control system according to claim 19 wherein said positionable elements are arranged on different operating heads and wherein said operating heads are successively indexable to adjustment positions where they may be engaged by said yoke means.

Claim 28

A multielement positioning control system according to claim 22 wherein each operating head contains a number of positionable elements and wherein said yoke means includes a like number of positioning yokes.

Claim 29

A positioning control system comprising a plurality of positionable elements guided for movement along a common path, means for driving said elements along said path, a pair of signal storage registers corresponding to each of said elements and arranged to store signals representative, respectively, of the actual and the desired positions of said elements, first signal comparison means associated with each pair of elements and arranged to produce driving signals for driving each element to a position at which the signals present in its corresponding pair of registers concur, second signal comparison means arranged to compare the signals in said signal storage registers containing signals representative of the desired positions of said elements and to produce signals indicative of signal relationships representative of reversed order of relative positions of positionable elements along said path.

Claim 30

A positioning control system comprising a plurality of positionable elements guided for movement along a common path, means for driving said elements along said path, a pair of signal storage registers corresponding to each of said elements and arranged to store signals representative, respectively, of the actual and the desired positions of said elements, first signal comparison means associated with each pair of elements and arranged to produce driving signals for driving each element to a position at which the signals present in its corresponding pair of registers concur, second signal comparison means arranged to compare the signals in said signal storage registers containing signals representative of the desired positions of said elements and to produce signals indicative of signal relationships representative of reversed order of relative positions of positionable elements along said path.

Claim 31

A positioning system comprising a positionable element guided for movement along a given path, a yoke moveable along a path corresponding to said given path, means for shifting said yoke for engagement and disengagement with said positionable element, position-data-transmitting means associated with said yoke for producing signals indicative of its actual position along its path, a first signal register connected to said position-data-transmitting means for maintaining a signal indicative of the yoke position a second register, means for inserting signals into said second register corresponding to a desired position of said positionable elements, signal comparison means arranged to compare the signals in said first and second registers, and yoke drive means operative to drive said yoke to a position such that the signals in said registers correspond.

Claim 32

A positioning system comprising a positionable element guided for movement along a given path, a yoke moveable along a path corresponding to said given path, means for shifting said yoke for engagement and disengagement with said positionable element, position-data-transmitting means associated with said yoke for producing signals indicative of its actual position along its path, a first signal register connected to said position-data-transmitting means for maintaining a signal indicative of the yoke position a second register, means for inserting signals into said second register corresponding to a desired position of said positionable elements, signal comparison means arranged to compare the signals in said first and second registers, and yoke drive means operative to drive said yoke to a position such that the signals in said registers correspond.

Claim 37

A method according to claim 27 wherein said signals are compared by successively comparing the signals for adjacent registers in the order of their associated elements as arranged along said path.