Claims
- 1. A discriminator apparatus comprising:
- a first planar surface capable of rotation;
- a second planar surface capable of rotation, said first and second surfaces having parallel but separate axes of rotation;
- a maze consisting of a plurality of binary decision points, each decision point comprising two advancement choices of constant angular displacement, one of which leads to a dead end in said maze, said maze being placed on said first surface; and
- an extended member fixed to and extending perpendicularly from said second surface, said extended member being capable of engaging and passing through said maze.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1 additionally comprising means for locking said surfaces against further rotation in the event said extended member enters one of said dead ends.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said means for locking comprises means for preventing rotation of said first surface in one direction.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said means for preventing rotation comprises ratchet means.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said ratchet means comprises hold pawl means.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said extended member comprises a pin.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said maze is approximately circular.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first surface and said second surface rotate alternately.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 1 additionally comprising means for detecting egress of said extended member from an exit of said maze.
- 10. A discriminating method comprising the steps of:
- providing a first planar surface capable of rotation;
- providing a second planar surface capable of rotation, said first and second surfaces having parallel but separate axes of rotation;
- placing on the first surface a maze consisting of a plurality of binary decision points, each decision point comprising two advancement choices of constant angular displacement, one of which leads to a dead end in the maze; and
- securing an extended member to the second surface that extends perpendicularly therefrom, the extended member being capable of engaging and passing through the maze.
- 11. The method of claim 10 additionally comprising the step of locking the surfaces against further rotation in the event the extended member enters one of the dead ends.
- 12. The method of claim 11 wherein the locking step comprises preventing rotation of the first surface in one direction.
- 13. The method of claim 12 wherein preventing rotation comprises providing ratchet means engaging the first surface.
- 14. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of providing ratchet means comprises providing hold pawl means.
- 15. The method of claim 10 wherein the securing step comprises securing a pin.
- 16. The method of claim 10 wherein the placing step comprises placing a maze which is approximately circular.
- 17. The method of claim 10 additionally comprising the step of alternately rotating the first surface and the second surface.
- 18. The method of claim 10 additionally comprising the step of detecting egress of the extended member from an exit of the maze.
- 19. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an external arm disposed so as to be engaged by the extended member when it exits the maze.
- 20. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the extended member is frangible to the extent that it will break if forced past a dead end.
- 21. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first surface is restricted to move only in one direction.
- 22. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the constant displacement is equal angular displacement.
GOVERNMENT RIGHTS
The Government has rights to this invention pursuant to Contract No. DE-AC04-76DP00789 awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy.
US Referenced Citations (13)