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US 4,528,754 AGranted
Self-propelled drawing device or tracing device
AssigneeChessell Limited
InventorJohn Houldsworth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A self-propelled drawing device is driven by two independent wheels whose axes are fixed, and has a writing tip which marks the drawing medium at a point which is not on the imaginary line joining the points of contact of the wheels with the drawing medium. The drawing device is connected to a stationary control device by flexible conductors in the form of a ribbon whose width lies in a vertical plane. Instead of a drawing device, the device can be arranged as a tracing device with counters on the wheels and a tracing tip instead of the writing tip.
Claims15
A self-propelled drawing device for moving upon a drawing medium, the device comprising:
- a chassis;
- two independently-rotatable rotary members mounted to said chassis for rotating about axes which are fixed relative to said drawing device, said rotary members being adapted to roll on said drawing medium;
- independent drive means connected to said rotary members for driving said rotary members and thereby driving said drawing device, whereby the path followed by said drawing device is determined by the individual rotations of said rotary members;
- and
- at least one writing means associated with said chassis at a point distanced from an imaginary line joining points of contact of said rotary members with said drawing medium, said writing means being adapted to mark said drawing medium.
2 more elements
A tracing device for tracing from a medium, the device comprising:
- a chassis;
- two independently-rotatable rotary members mounted to said chassis for rotation about axes fixed relative to said tracing device said rotary members being adapted to roll on said medium, whereby the individual rotations of said rotary members correspond to the path followed by said tracing device;
- means connected to said rotary members for sensing and signalling the individual rotations of said rotary members;
- and
- at least one tracing means associated with said chassis at a point which is not on an imaginary line joining points of contact of said rotary members with said medium.
2 more elements
A plotter comprising:
- a self-propelled plotter head for moving upon a drawing medium;
- a stationary control device for sending signals to said plotter head and thereby controlling the movement of said plotter head;
- a non-rectilinear ribbon comprising flexible conductors connecting said plotter head to said control device for passing said signals from said control device to said plotter head, said ribbon being flexible and slack in the area of said drawing medium;
- and
- means connecting said ribbon to said plotter head and to said control device so that the width of said ribbon is positioned vertically on edge on said drawing medium and said ribbon assumes a generally serpentine configuration in the area of said drawing medium whereby minimal restraint is exercised on said plotter head as it moves on said drawing medium.
2 more elements
A tracer comprising:
- a tracer head adapted to be moved over a medium for sending signals corresponding to the movement of said tracer head;
- a stationary receiving device for receiving said signals;
- a non-rectilinear ribbon comprising flexible conductors joining said tracer to said receiving device for passing said signals from said tracer head to said receiving device, said ribbon being flexible and slack in the area of said medium;
- and
- means connecting said ribbon to said tracer head and to said receiving device so that the width of said ribbon is positioned vertically on edge on said medium and said ribbon assumes a generally serpentine configuration in the area of said medium whereby minimal restraint is exercised on said tracer head as it moves on said medium.
2 more elements
A self-propelled drawing device for moving upon a drawing medium, the device comprising:
- a chassis;
- two independently-rotatable rotary members mounted to said chassis for rotating about axes which are fixed relative to said drawing device, said rotary members being adapted to roll on said drawing medium;
- two independent drive means connected to said rotary members for driving said rotary members and thereby driving said drawing device, whereby the path followed by said drawing device is determined by the individual rotations of said rotary members;
- at least one writing means associated with said chassis at a point distanced from an imaginary line joining points of contact of said rotary members with said drawing medium, said writing means being adapted to mark said drawing medium;
- and
- means for sensing the position and orientation of said drawing device in relation to at least one datum location positioned on said chassis.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.