Elongated strip type indicator arrangement for UHF television tuner

Abstract

A compact dial indicator arrangement is provided for a UHF tuner of the type having a continuously variable main tuning shaft and a station selector shaft provided with detent means for establishing a separate detent position for each of the 70 television stations in the UHF band. An elongated strip of material bearing numbers corresponding to each one of the 70 UHF television stations is moved past a viewing position at which the selected channel numbers may be viewed by means interconnected with the detented selector shaft so that the number on the elongated strip corresponding to each stop position of the continuously variable main tuning shaft is automatically viewable at the viewing position in response to rotation of the selector shaft to each detented position thereof.

What is claimed as new and desired to type having secured by Letters Patent of the United States is: 
     
       1. In a UHF tuning mechanism of the typehaving a continuously variable main tuning shaft rotation of which is effective selectively to receive signals from all television stations in the UHF television band, the combination of a station selector shaft, gear means interconnecting said selector shaft and said main tuning shaft, detent means connected to said selector shaft for establishing a plurality of equally spaced detent positions for said selector shaft so that all of the stations in said UHF band may be selected by rotating said selector shaft more than one revolution, an elongated strip of material bearing numbers corresponding to the assigned channels of each of the 70 UHF television stations, means defining a viewing position at which a single one of said numbers may be viewed, driving means for moving said elongated strip past said viewing position, and means interconnecting said selector shaft and said driving means, said numbers being spaced at equal intervals along the length of said strip so that the number on said elongated strip which corresponds to each stop position of said main tuning shaft is selectively moved to said viewing position in response to rotation of said selector shaft and is positioned in correct registration with said viewing position by said selector shaft detent means. 
     
     
       2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said elongated strip is provided with holes along at least one edge thereof, and said driving means includes a sprocket member mounted for rotation about an axis perpendicular to said selector Shaft and including an annular flange having radially inwardly extending projections adapted to engage said holes in said strip. 
     
     
       3. The combination of claim 2, which includes means defining a pair of chambers within which the ends of said elongated strip are positioned as the intermediate portion of said strip is moved past said viewing position, said pair of chambers being positioned within the profile of said annular flange, thereby to provide a compact dial indicator for the detent positions of said selector shaft. 
     
     
       4. The combination of claim 1, which includes a pair of rotatably mounted spools, means securing the ends of said elongated strip to said spools, and means for rotating said spools in sychronism with said driving means, said strip being so loosely wound on each of said spools that the channel numbers on said strip may be moved past said viewing position without causing said strip to be wound tightly on either one of said synchronously driven spools during movement of said strip to either end of the UHF band. 
     
     
       5. The combination of claim 1, wherein said viewing position is defined by a masking member having a window through which a portion of said strip may be viewed, and a light source positioned to direct light outwardly through said strip so that a single channel number is clearly visible through said window. 
     
     
       6. The combination of claim 5, wherein said strip is made of transparent material, and said channel numbers are defined by a relatively opaque background outlining said channel numbers in said transparent material. 
     
     
       7. The combination of claim 1, wherein said viewing position is defined by a masking member having a window through which a portion of said strip may be viewed, said elongated strip is made of opaque material, and said channel numbers are formed of contrasting, light reflective material which can be distinguished from said strip material by ambient light passing through said window. 
     
     
       8. The combination of claim 1, wherein said viewing position is defined by a masking member having a window through which a portion of said strip may be viewed, said strip is made of transparent material and said channel numbers defined by relatively opaque areas on said strip, and means defining a light reflective area behind said strip in the area of said window, whereby ambient light passes through said window and said strip strikes said light reflective area so as to illuminate said channel numbers. 
     
     
       9. In a UHF tuning mechanism of the type having a continuously variable main tuning shaft rotation of which is effective selectively to receive signals from all television stations in the UHF television band, the combination of, a station selector shaft, gear means interconnecting said selector shaft and said main tuning shaft, detent means for said selector shaft to establish a plurality of equally spaced detent positions for said selector shaft so that all of the stations in said UHF band may be selected by rotating said selector shaft more than one revolution, an elongated strip of material bearing numbers corresponding to the channel numbers assigned to each of the 70 UHF television stations and provided with holes along at least one edge thereof, means defining a viewing position at which one of said channel numbers may be viewed, driving means for moving said elongated strip past said viewing position and including a sprocket member mounted for rotation about an axis perpendicular to said selector shaft and having projections adapted to engage said holes in said strip, means for interconnecting said selector shaft and said driving means, said channel numbers being spaced along the length of said strip so that each number is selectively moved to said viewing position in response to rotation of said selector shaft, a pair of rotatably mounted spools, means securing the ends of said elongated strip to said spools, a driven gear for each of said spools, a driving gear in engagement with said spool gears, and means for rotating said driving gear in synchronism with said selector shaft. 
     
     
       10. In a UHF tuning mechanism of the type having a continuously variable main tuning shaft rotation of which is effective selectively to receive signals from all television stations in the UHF television band, the combination of, a station selector shaft, gear means interconnecting said selector shaft and said main tuning shaft, detent means for said selector shaft to establish a plurality of equally spaced detent positions for said selector shaft so that all of the stations in said UHF band may be selected by rotating said selector shaft more than one revolution, an elongated strip of material bearing numbers corresponding to the channel numbers assigned to each of the 70 UHF television stations, means defining a viewing position at which one of said channel numbers may be viewed, driving means for moving said elongated strip past said viewing position, means for interconnecting said selector shaft and said driving means, said channel numbers being spaced along the length of said strip so that each number is selectively moved to said viewing position in response to rotation of said selector shaft, said interconnecting means including a gear concentric with said selector shaft and rotatable therewith, slip clutch means between said gear and said selector shaft, said slip clutch means normally transmitting rotation of said selector shaft to said gear and being arranged to slip when a larger-than-normal force is exerted between said gear and said selector shaft to permit adjustment of said strip relative to said viewing position at a particular detent position of said selector shaft. 
     
     
       11. The combination of claim 10 wherein said gear is provided with a split hub portion, and spring clamp means for securing said gear to said selector shaft so that said gear is normally rotated with said selector shaft while permitting adjustment of said gear relative to said selector shaft when said larger-than-normal force is exerted thereon. 
     
     
       12. The combination of claim 10, wherein said slip clutch means comprises a series of mating grooves and ridges on the adjacent surfaces of said gear and said selector shaft. 
     
     
       13. In a UHF tuning mechanism of the type having a continuously variable main tuning shaft rotation of which is effective selectively to receive signals from all television stations in the UHF television band, the combination of, a station selector shaft, gear means interconnecting said selector shaft and said main tuning shaft, detent means for said selector shaft to establish a plurality of equally spaced detent positions for said selector shaft so that all of the stations in said UHF band may be selected by rotating said selector shaft more than one revolution, an elongated strip of material bearing numbers corresponding to the channel numbers assigned to each of the 70 UHF television stations, means defining a viewing position at which one of said channel numbers may be viewed, driving means for moving said elongated strip past said viewing position, means for interconnecting said selector shaft and said driving means, said channel numbers being spaced along the length of said strip so that each number is selectively moved to said viewing position in response to rotation of said selector shaft, said interconnecting means including a gear concentric with said selector shaft, and means for adjustably shifting said gear relative to said selector shaft so that the position of said strip relative to said viewing position may be adjusted at a particular detent position of said selector shaft without altering the position of said main tuning shaft. 
     
     
       14. The combination of claim 13, which includes a cabinet having an opening in one wall thereof through which said selector shaft extends, and means on said gear and adapted to be engaged by a tool inserted through said opening for adjustably shifting said gear relative to said selector shaft, whereby said elongated strip of material may be adjusted relative to the particular detent position of said selector shaft. .Iadd. 15. In a UHF tuning mechanism of the type having a continuously variable main tuning shaft, rotation of which is effective selectively to receive signals from all seventy television stations in the UHF television band, the combination of a station selector shaft, gear means interconnecting said selector shaft and said main tuning shaft, detent means connected to said selector shaft for establishing a plurality of equally spaced detent positions for said selector shaft so that all of the stations in said UHF band may be selected by rotating said selector shaft more than one revolution, a movable mounted elongated strip of material bearing numbers corresponding to the assigned channels of each of the seventy UHF television stations, means defining a stationary single number viewing position at which only one of said numbers may be viewed at a time, driving means for moving said elongated strip past said viewing position, and means interconnecting said selector shaft and said driving means so that each UHF channel number on said elongated strip which corresponds to a detent position of said main tuning shaft is automatically viewable at said viewing position in response to rotation of said selector shaft. .Iaddend..Iadd. 16. The combination of claim 15, wherein said detent means for said selector shaft is also effective to position each of said numbers on said strip in correct registration with said stationary single number viewing position. .Iaddend..Iadd. 17. The combination of claim 15, wherein said numbers are individually spaced at equal intervals along the length of said elongated strip and said interconnecting means is effective to move a different one of said numbers into said stationary single number viewing position in response to movement of said selector shaft to different ones of said detent positions. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 18. The combination of claim 15, wherein said elongated strip is provided with holes along at least one edge thereof, and said driving means includes a sprocket member mounted for rotation about an axis perpendicular to said selector shaft and having projections adapted to engage said holes in said strip. .Iaddend..Iadd. 19. In a UHF tuning mechanism of the type having a continuously variable main tuning shaft rotation of which is effective selectively to receive signals from all seventy televison stations in the UHF television band, the combination of, a station selector shaft, gear means interconnecting said selector shaft and said main tuning shaft, detent means for said selector shaft to establish a plurality of equally spaced detent positions for said selector shaft so that all of the stations in said UHF band may be selected by rotating said selector shaft more than one revolution, an elongated strip of material bearing numbers corresponding to the channel numbers assigned to each of the seventy UHF television stations and provided with holes along at least one edge thereof, means defining a viewing position at which one of said channel numbers may be viewed, driving means for moving said elongated strip past said viewing position and including a sprocket member mounted for rotation about an axis perpendicular to said selector shaft and having projections adapted to engage said holes in said strip, means for interconnecting said selector shaft and said driving means, said channel numbers being spaced along the length of said strip so that each number is selectively moved to said viewing position in response to rotation of said selector shaft, a pair of rotatably mounted spools, a driven gear for each of said spools, a driving gear in engagement with said driven gears, means for rotating said driving gear in synchronism with said selector shaft, and means including said spools for coiling and uncoiling the ends of said strip as it is moved relative to said viewing position by said sprocket member. .Iaddend..Iadd. 20. In a UHF tuning mechanism of the type having a continuously variable main tuning shaft rotation of which is effective selectively to receive signals from all seventy television stations in the UHF television band, the combination of, a station selector shaft, gear means interconnecting said selector shaft and said main tuning shaft, detent means for said selector shaft to establish a plurality of equally spaced detent positions for said selector shaft so that all of the stations in said UHF band may be selected by rotating said selector shaft more than one revolution, an elongated strip of material bearing numbers corresponding to the channel numbers assigned to each of the seventy UHF television stations, means defining a viewing position at which one of said channel numbers may be viewed, driving means for moving said elongated strip past said viewing position, means for interconnecting said selector shaft and said driving means, said channel numbers being spaced along the length of said strip so that each number is selectively moved to said viewing position in response to rotation of said selector shaft, said interconnecting means including a gear concentric with said selector shaft, and means for adjustably positioning said gear on said selector shaft so that the position of said strip relative to said viewing position may be adjusted at a particular detent position of said selector shaft without altering the position of said main tuning shaft. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 21. In a UHF tuning mechanism of the type having a continuously variable main tuning shaft rotation of which is effective selectively to receive signals from all seventy television stations in the UHF television band, the combination of, a station selector shaft, gear means interconnecting said selector shaft and said main tuning shaft, detent means for said selector shaft to establish a plurality of equally spaced detent positions for said selector shaft so that all of the stations in said UHF band may be selected by rotating said selector shaft more than one revolution, an elongated strip of material bearing numbers corresponding to the channel numbers assigned to each of the seventy UHF television stations, means defining a viewing position at which one of said channel numbers may be viewed, driving means for moving said elongated strip past said viewing position, means for interconnecting said selector shaft and said driving means, said channel numbers being spaced along the length of said strip so that each number is selectively moved to said viewing position in response to rotation of said selector shaft, said interconnecting means including slip clutch means normally transmitting rotation of said selector shaft to said driving means and being arranged to slip when a larger-than-normal force is exerted, thereby to permit adjustment of said strip relative to said viewing position at a particular detent position of said shaft. .Iaddend.