US3168981A - Printing mechanism for fluid meters - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 9, 1965 H..GOY ETAL 3,168,981

PRINTING MECHANISM FOR FLUID METERS .Filed July 11, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 fly-1 Feb. 9, 1965 H. GOY ETAL 3,168,981

PRINTING MECHANISM FOR FLUID METERS Filed July 11, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 fly 2a F/y. 26

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United States Patent 4 Claims. (a. 235-58 This invention relates to apparatus for controlling the printing Wheels associated with a printing mechanism for registering the'measured values in connection with a fluid meter and is particularly concerned with a printing mechanism, comprising printing wheels cooperatively associated with number wheels, operatively controlled by a measuring device, and having a further printing wheel serving for the printing of fractional measuring values lying between full number values set at a printing Wheel cooperatively associated with the most rapidly rotating number wheel, namely, the units number wheel.

In known printing mechanisms of this kind, the further (fractions-) printing wheel is driven over a gear from the units number wheel which is continuously driven under the control of the measuring device, while the printing wheel assigned to the units number wheel is, for obtaining a setting corresponding to that of the associated number wheel, actuated under the control of the fractions printing Wheel. Accordingly, for example, in a deca/dic subdivision of the measuring values, the fractions printing Wheel will be rotated with ten-times the speed of rotation of the continuously driven units number wheel. Since each printing wheel of the next higher decade is set under control of the preceding printing wheel, the stepping of the printing wheels of higher decades will be effected with ten times the speed of rotation of the units number wheel, and it follows, therefore, that the measuring device must produce great torque which in turn affects its measuring accuracy.

In order to avoid this drawback, it has already been proposed to provide a mechanism wherein the units number wheel is effective to continuously drive the printing Wheel assigned thereto and also to drive the further fractions-printing wheel.

In order to further reduce the driving power required, the printing mechanism according to the present invention is constructed so that the units number wheel is operative to drive continuously the printing wheel respectively assigned thereto and also an initially idling auxiliary mechanism which is adapted to indicate the positionfull number or fractionassumed by the units number wheel. In the event that the units number wheel has assumed a fraction position, the auxiliary mechanism is, by a force which is applied after the setting of the number Wheel mechanism and determining the printing operation, rotated back by an angle corresponding to the fraction position with respect to the preceding full number position, thereby also effecting appropriate setting of the printing wheel assigned to the respective number wheel and adjustment of the further fraction-printing wheel, which is operatively coupled to the auxiliary mechanism, in accordance with the amount of the return motion of the auxiliary mechanism.

Details of the invention will now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a printing mechanism for a fluid meter with decadic subdivision of the measuring values;

FIGS. 2a and 2b show details to aid in explaining the operation of the auxiliary device; and

FIGS. 3a, 311 show further details concerning the opera tion of the auxiliary device.

3,168,981 Patented Feb. 9, 1965 Referring now to FIG. 1, a fluid meter (not shown) drives the spur gear A to effect continuous rotation of the units number wheel Z which is the number wheel rotating at highest speed. This units number Wheel rotates the intermediate drive T, idling upon a hollow shaft W and comprising a toothed detent or locking gear S which is over a spring F coupled with the intermediate wheels ZR thereby rotating such intermediate gear, the latter meshing with the drive T which is free of the units number wheel Z and rotating the drive T in step with the units number wheel, the drive T being in turn effective to advance by one step the switch-over drive U and the tens number wheel Z The remaining not illustrated number wheels of higher decadie order are advanced in similar and well known manner. One

a of the intermediate wheels 2R which are keyed to the hollow shaft W drives the units printing Wheel D which is assigned for cooperation with the units number wheel Z thereby advancing this printing wheel D correspondingly. The tens printing Wheel D is advanced by the action of the intermediate wheels ZR which are rotated incident to the advance rotation of the tens number wheel Z10.

The hollow shaft W is taken along by the rotation of the intermediate wheels ZR and the auxiliary device M M is thus with an as yet idling motion continuously driven (just as the'units number printing wheel D under control of the units number wheel Z The gear ratio for advancing the auxiliary mechanism Ni -M is such that it rotates with a speed amounting to 2.5 times the speed of the units number wheel Z As shown in FIGS. 3a and 3b, the part M of the auxiliary device is made in the form of a star wheel provided with four teeth. Accordingly, an advance of the star wheel by one tooth corresponds to an advance of the units number wheel Z from one full number position to the next or to the running through ten fraction positions. The position assumed by star wheel M after the setting of the number wheel mechanism, accordingly indicates the positionfull number of fractional number position-which had been assumed by the units number wheel Z In the example illustrated in FIG. 1, the units number wheel Z has assumed a fractional position lying between the full number positions 9 and 0, thus marking, apart from the positions of the number wheels of higher decades, the units value 9.4 which has now to be printed. A force is now applied, in the illustrated embodiment manually, to rotate the lever H shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b, in the direction indicated by the arrow 1. This effects over intermediate gear wheels a rotation of the shaft W, thereby pressing the member St (FIG. 3a) against the flank of a tooth of the star Wheel M of the auxiliary device and angularly rotating it to the position shown. in FIG. 3b. The auxiliary device M M which is in this manner rotated back, is held in this position by the member St which acts as a stop or locking member.

The back or return rotation of the auxiliary device also affects by the action of the intermediate wheels ZR the units number printing Wheel D which is rotated back from its intermediate position between 9 and 0 to the position 9. The units number wheel Z is held in its 9.4 position by the detent lever SpH (FIGS. 3a, 3b) which is pressed into the locking wheel Sp by the action of the cam N (FIGS. 3a and 3b) such cam being carried by the shaft W. The part M of the auxiliary device is coupled with the fraction number printing wheel D over the friction wheel R and the drive TD, such coupling being eifected by the coupling lever KH (FIGS. 3a, 3b) which is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow. The fraction number printing wheel D is incident to the return rotation of the auxiliary device M M rotated by four steps (four fraction lines of the units number wheel 2,) thus effecting, through suitable means, not illustrated the printing of the measured value 9.4 by the printing wheels D and D Since the units number wheel Z is locked in the 9.4 position assumed thereby, the measured value thus indicated can be easily checked against and compared with the value actually printed.

The number wheels and printing wheels are rotated to normal position responsive to rotating the lever H (FIGS. 2a, 2b) in the direction of the arrow 2, the restoration of the respective wheels to the zero position being thereby etlected in known manner which does not form part of the invention. The fraction number printing wheei D is restored to normal by the force applied by the spring F Changes may be made within the scope and spirit of the appended claims which define what is believed to be new and desired to have protected by Letters Patent.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for controlling the printing wheels of a printing mechanism associated with a measuring device, said apparatus having number indicating wheels including a units number indicating wheel, which are driven by the measuring device, and having number printing wheels cooperating with the respective number indicating wheels, and having a further fractions-printing wheel for cooperation with the units number indicating wheel, a rotatable auxiliary device selectively operatively connecting said units number indicating wheel with said fractionsprinting wheel, means driven by said units number indicating wheel for steadily advancing the units number printing wheel cooperating therewith and for coincidently actuating said auxiliary device which is operative in initially idling motion to assume a position corresponding to the respective full number or fraction number position assumed by said units number indicating wheel, and means independently operable, in the event that the units number indicating wheel has been set to a fraction value, for operably connecting said auxiliary device to said fractions-printing wheel and for actuating said auxiliary device in reverse order of operation by an amount corresponding to the difference between the fractional position of the units number indicating wheel and the last attained full number thereof, thereby coincidently resetting the respective units number printing wheel to the full number attained last by the units number indicating wheel and simultaneously setting the fractions printing wheel in accordance with the fraction number attained by the units number indicating wheel, whereby said printing wheels are set for printing the measured units and fractions thereof.

2. A control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said rotatable auxiliary device comprises a toothed wheel provided with a number of teeth corresponding to the ratio between the number oi. fractions at the units number indicating wheel and the gear ratio which determines the speed of revolution of the auxiliary device.

3. A control apparatus according to claim 2, comprising a member cooperating with said toothed wheel, for effecting said reverse operation of said auxiliary device and for locking it in its reversed position.

4. A control apparatus according to claim 1, comprising intermediate gear means, drive means for resiliently coupling said units number indicating wheel with said gear means, said gear means driving the units number printing wheel, and a locking device for holding the units number indicating wheel in its attained position during the resetting of the units number printing wheel.

References titted in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,073,162 Malcher Mar. 9, 1937 2,456,101 Yeasting Dec. 14, 1948 2,524,299 Sutherland Oct. 3, 1950 2,714,050 Germann July 26, 1955 3,017,086 Harker et al. Jan. 16, 1962

Claims (1)

1. APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE PRINTING WHEELS OF A PRINTING MECHANISM ASSOCIATED WITH A MEASURING DEVICE, SAID APPARATUS HAVING NUMBER INDICATING WHEELS INCLUDING A UNITS NUMBER INDICATING WHEEL, WHICH ARE DRIVEN BY THE MEASURING DEVICE, AND HAVING NUMBER PRINTING WHEELS COOPERATING WITH THE RESPECTIVE NUMBER INDICATING WHEELS, AND HAVING A FURTHER FRACTIONS-PRINTING WHEEL FOR COOPERATION WITH THE UNITS NUMBER INDICATING WHEEL, A ROTATABLE AUXILIARY DEVICE SELECTIVELY OPERATIVELY CONNECTING SAID UNITS NUMBER INDICATING WHEEL WITH SAID FRACTIONSPRINTING WHEEL, MEANS DRIVEN BY SAID UNITS NUMBER INDICATING WHEEL FOR STEADILY ADVANCING THE UNITS NUMBER PRINTING WHEEL COOPERATING THEREWITH AND FOR COINCIDENTLY ACTUATING SAID AUXILIARY DEVICE WHICH IS OPERATIVE IN INITIALLY IDLING MOTION TO ASSUME A POSITION CORRESPONDING TO THE RESPECTIVE FULL NUMBER OR FRACTION NUMBER POSITION ASSUMED BY SAID UNITS NUMBER INDICATING WHEEL, AND MEANS INDEPENDENTLY OPERABLE, IN THE EVENT THAT THE UNITS NUMBER INDICATING WHEEL HAS BEEN SET TO A FRACTION VALUE, FOR OPERABLY CONNECTING SAID AUXILIARY DEVICE TO SAID FRACTIONS-PRINTING WHEEL AND FOR ACTUATING SAID AUXILIARY DEVICE IN REVEARSE ORDER OF OPERATION BY AN AMOUNT CORRESPONDING TO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FRACTIONAL POSITION OF THE UNITS NUMBER INDICATING WHEEL AND THE LAST ATTAINED FUL NUMBER THEREOF, THEREBY COINCIDENTLY RESETTING THE RESPECTIVE UNITS NUMBER PRINTING WHEEL TO THE FULL NUMBER ATTAINED LAST BY THE UNITS NUMBER INDICATING WHEEL AND SIMULTANEOUSLY SETTING THE FRACTION NUMBER ATTAINED BY THE ACCORDANCE WITH THE FRACTION NUMBER ATTAINED BY THE UNITS NUMBER INDICATING WHEEL, WHEREBY SAID PRINTING WHEELS ARE SET FOR PRINTING THE MEASURED UNITS AND FRACTIONS THEREOF

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