Computer adapted apparatus and method for pricing lengths of material

Apparatus for measuring and displaying the length and cost of a measured length of material such as fabric, or the like, comprising:

• (a) a measuring roller supported for rotation;
• (b) signal generating means operatively connected to said roller for generating signals coinciding with commencement of rotation of said roller from a position within a predetermined angular increment and in a first direction, commencement of rotation of said roller from a position within said angular increment but in an opposite direction and when said roller is positioned within said angular increment without having commenced rotation in either direction;
• (c) signal processing means responsive to said signals and adapted to process and develop from said signals a count which increases by one each time said roller has completed a revolution in said first direction, decreases by one each time said roller completes a revolution in said opposite direction and is non-responsive to said signals when a signal indicating commencement of rotation in one direction is immediately followed by a signal indicating commencement of rotation in another direction;
• (d) storage and computation means including a keyboard for entering unit price data therein and being adapted to receive and read said count and price data and develop therefrom additional signals representative of a length corresponding to said count and a price corresponding to the product of said unit price and length;
• (e) display means responsive to said additional signals for digitally displaying the cost and measure length of said material;
• and
• (f) printer means having alpha-numeric character forming and ticket strip advancing means and processor control means associated therewith for receiving and printing out said cost and length information in response to said additional signals.

An apparatus for measuring and displaying the length and cost of a material such as fabric or the like, comprising:

• (a) a base structure having a horizontal throat for passage therethrough of a margin of the material to be measured and below said throat a measuring roller adapted for rotation;
• (b) pressure means for maintaining said margin of said material resiliently engaged with said roller while being drawn thereon to rotate said roller during measuring of said material;
• (c) means for marking said material after a predetermined length thereof has been drawn over said roller through said throat to indicate the length so drawn and during said marking to disengage said pressure means;
• (d) optical encoder signal generating means, comprising:
• (i) a rotatable assembly coupled for rotation in response to rotation of said roller;
• (ii) means for locking said rotatable assembly and thereby locking said pressure roller in a fixed position treated as a home position;
• (iii) manual operator means operative on said rotatable assembly when not in said home position for bringing said rotatable assembly and thereby bringing said roller to said home position;
• and
• (iv) a pair of light sources and light detectors arranged substantially 180.degree. apart and in relation to a shielding portion of said rotative assembly for generating signals conciding with commencement of rotation of said roller from a position within a predetermined angular increment from said home position and in a first direction, commencement of rotation of said roller from a position within said angular increment but in an opposite direction and when said roller is positioned within said angular increment without having commenced rotation in either direction;
• (e) signal processing means responsive to said signals and adapted to process and develop from said signals a count which increases by one each time said roller has completed a revolution in said first direction, decreases by one each time said roller completes a revolution in said opposite direction and is non-responsive to said signals when a signal indicating commencement of rotation in one direction is immediately followed by a signal indicating commencement of rotation in another direction;
• (f) storage and computation means including a keyboard for entering unit price data therein and being adapted to receive and read said count and price data and develop therefrom additional signals representative of a length corresponding to said count and a price corresponding to the product of said unit price and length;
• (g) display means responsive to said additional signals for digitally displaying the cost and measured length of said material;
• and
• (h) printer means having alpha-numeric character forming and ticket strip advancing means and processor control means associated therewith for receiving and printing out said cost and length information in response to said additional signals.