Nixie tubes spotted :D

[Per Jensen]

The video doesn't look all that old, cool to see Nixies still in operation!

Look at 3:40 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YY9QQV2_KM

// Per.

[threeneurons]

Thank You. I took a snapshot:

[kay486]

Check this: http://www.percyjacksonhu.net/2013/04/percy-jackson-szornyek-tengere-elo_5.html
its in the images too as well as at 1:33

[Michel van der Meij]

Brilliant!

This tablet counter was developed by C.E King in the 1960's; the batch counter is a 1972 model. They had earlier models that used decatrons. In 1982 they replaced the nixie tube based batch counters with 7-segment LEDs.

 

My business upgrades these (and other, more sophisticated) tablet counters with new sensors; light sources, PLC and colour touch screen HMI. Some that I have upgraded date from 1969, and are still in full operation. I got a few of those batch counters here, also one with 4 nixies. I actually wanted to turn that one into a clock, but haven't had the time yet (always a problem with hobby projects....)

 

Thanks for sharing, it's a great and reliable machine. Brand sparkling new ones can still be purchased here:

http://ima-na.com/kingTB4.html

 

Here's one with decatron counter; I have no relation to this company:

http://youtu.be/y4rxnl2x53k

 

Cheers,

Michel

 

 

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[Michel van der Meij]

This is the light source used in these old batch counters, they look like a rocket!
http://xiac.com/download/OldTB4.jpg

 

Cheers,

Michel

 

 

on Nov 13, 2013, Per Jensen <elektron...@gmail.com> wrote:

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[Michel van der Meij]

Due to more interest, I updated the picture in below link and added a clearer picture of the original batch counter with dekatrons (so called "orbital counter");

[Michel van der Meij]

Hi Guys,

I found some more info about an older style nixie tube batch counter, unfortunately nothing about the even older dekatron counter.

However, this one is quite interesting as it is an all transistor counter and some of you might want to have a look how that was done before the IC era.

http://xiac.com/Images/KingNixieBatchCounter.jpg

 

Circuit block diagram. Texts are in German but the circuit is easy to understand.
http://xiac.com/download/KingBatchCounter.pdf

 

To work out how it actually does the job, I simulated this design some time ago in Multisim. It was very interesting to see how exactly the BCD counter and Nixie decoder work together by only using the minimum amount of transistors.
http://xiac.com/Images/CounterCircuit.JPG

 

And here the DIV2FFN sub circuit. It is one of the most amazing circuits I have come across. Just 2 transistors to make an element that is a pre-settable SR latch with edge triggered clock input that also functions as a divider by 2 circuit. Yes, all that with 2 transistors and a couple of resistors and diodes. just try to figure out for yourself how it actually works.
http://xiac.com/Images/DIV2FFNblock.JPG

It actually counts the sequence 0 - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - b - c - d - e - f. I guess it saved a few components rather than counting pure BCD from 0 to 9.

 

I think all the links will work, if not, just let me know.

 

Cheers,

Michel

 

[greg...@hotmail.com]

Old-school flip-flop. It has a minimal transistor-count because back in those days these were rather expensive and nobody cared about power-consumption. A CMOS flop consumes zero static power but requires at least 8 transistors to accomplish set-reset, whereas this bipolar dinosaur uses at least 250mW static power if I did my calculations correctly. The diodes & caps make the circuit edge-sensitive, not to mention interesting, and a mental simulation tells me it's a falling-edge triggered. I havn't figured-out why the -24V biasing is needed; perhaps those old transistors were a tad too leaky ???

I'm sticking with FPGA's..... 

[Michel van der Meij]

Yes, the -24V bias is a bit of a puzzle. I think the idea was that if 1 of the transistor conducts, the other one is guaranteed to be not conducting. There would still be a Vsat voltage over the conducting transistor that might be just high enough to bring the other one in a partially conducting state?

 

 

on Nov 21, 2013, greg...@hotmail.com <greg...@hotmail.com> wrote:

Old-school flip-flop. It has a minimal transistor-count because back in those days these were rather expensive and nobody cared about power-consumption. A CMOS flop consumes zero static power but requires at least 8 transistors to accomplish set-reset, whereas this bipolar dinosaur uses at least 250mW static power if I did my calculations correctly. The diodes & caps make the circuit edge-sensitive, not to mention interesting, and a mental simulation tells me it's a falling-edge triggered. I havn't figured-out why the -24V biasing is needed; perhaps those old transistors were a tad too leaky ???

 

I'm sticking with FPGA's..... 

 

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